### SUMMARY

 Majoring in Psychology is not only a valuable choice, but typically a necessary first step for undergraduates choosing to pursue a career as a therapist, a psychologist, or a school psychologist. Interestingly, psychology is a very popular major choice, being the 5th most popular major. Last academic year alone, there were 123,980 psychology diplomas received. In-state tuition for psychology at private colleges is, on average, 3.6 times more spendy than their public counterparts.

 With an impressive 1492 institutions offering this degree odds are that any institutions you are looking at will have a degree program for you. If you're hoping to immerse yourself with other psychology students, consider colleges in California which have more students admitted to psychology than any other state. Zooming out, the best region to major in psychology is in the Southeast region with [University of Central Florida](/colleges/university-of-central-florida), [Florida International University](/colleges/florida-international-university), and [Liberty University](/colleges/liberty-university) best representing the region. Interestingly, our selection for the top conference to study psychology is the Big Ten Conference with [University of Michigan-Ann Arbor](/colleges/university-of-michigan-ann-arbor), [University of Minnesota-Twin Cities](/colleges/university-of-minnesota-twin-cities), and [Rutgers University-New Brunswick](/colleges/rutgers-university-new-brunswick) representing the conference. From our list of the [best colleges](/rankings/best-colleges), our choice for the best school for psychology is [Stanford University](/colleges/stanford-university).

 The objectively 'best' school might not actually be the best school for every student. There are lots more perspectives to consider when selecting ​university. Things such as campus amenities, transportation services, and food might definitely alter one's decision of which college to attend. At authority.org, we've evaluated the pros and cons for you. If, for example, you are interested in which psychology university boasts the top college campus, the answer is [Harvard University](/colleges/harvard-university). If you are very interested in which university has the finest campus, then we have a whole page [dedicated to that](/rankings/best-college-campuses). We have carefully pored through student reviews, government databases, professor reviews, and more in order to compare every major in the United States in an unbiased and informative way. Here you can explore our well researched list for the universities with the [best student life](/rankings/best-student-life)&nbspand, from that list, our pick for the college with the best student life for psychology is [Cornell University](/colleges/cornell-university). Curious why? Keep scrolling to learn more about Authority's top choices. Many of our conclusions will probably shock you.

 If cost is a primary factor in your choice of where you attend college, you might be cautious about [Columbia University in the City of New York](/colleges/columbia-university-in-the-city-of-new-york). [Columbia University in the City of New York](/colleges/columbia-university-in-the-city-of-new-york)&nbspis our most expensive university for psychology, at least for out of state students. We do have a list of the [most expensive](/rankings/most-expensive-colleges)&nbspschools that could put the expense of [Columbia University in the City of New York](/colleges/columbia-university-in-the-city-of-new-york)&nbspinto perspective. You could also be interested to know that psychology is the 21st most expensive degree in the United States, with an average bill of $53,700. On a broader scale, the most costly state for psychology in the country is Vermont at Bennington College, Middlebury College, and Middlebury College - the primary schools in the state - of $55,200, $55,790, and $55,790. Even more broadly, the most costly region of the U.S. for psychology is the New England region which is best demonstrated with [Amherst College](/colleges/amherst-college) with a cost of $57,640, [Tufts University](/colleges/tufts-university) with a cost of $57,324, and [Brown University](/colleges/brown-university) with a cost of $57,112.

 Our cheapest region for psychology is the Southwest region which is represented by [Dine College](/colleges/dine-college) with a cost of $1,320, [Oklahoma Panhandle State University](/colleges/oklahoma-panhandle-state-university) with a cost of $4,440, and [The University of Texas of the Permian Basin](/colleges/the-university-of-texas-of-the-permian-basin) with a cost of $5,767. More optimistically, the most affordable school for psychology is [Florida International University](/colleges/florida-international-university). Our entire list of the most affordable schools can be found [here](/rankings/most-affordable-colleges).

 In-state students can anticipate paying in the neighborhood of $9,700 for a degree in psychology. The cost grows substantially to a median of $21,400 for an out-of-state public-school student. Our pick for the college with the best value for psychology: [Stanford University](/colleges/stanford-university). Through this link you will see our comprehensive list for the universities we believe to be the [best value](/rankings/best-value-colleges)&nbspin general. Bear in mind, this discussion is based on out-of-state tuition costs. A discussion of value changes when in-state tuition costs are considered, but we do not know in which states any one student has residency.

 Earnings for psychology students range widely, but within two years leaving college graduates will regularly make in the neighborhood of $37,900. While there is a lot of variation in earnings potential; top earners can rake in up to $76,900. Right out of university, the lowest end positions within the psychology field earn $17,900, which is an alright wage. The highest earning grads for psychology graduated from [Stanford University](/colleges/stanford-university)&nbspand if you want to find the universities with all of the [highest earning graduates](/rankings/highest-earning-graduates), we have that too.

 The all-around diversity of psychology sits high, being in the 88th percentile of all majors. The college with the most composite diversity for psychology is [New York University](/colleges/new-york-university)&nbspand here you can find our general list for the colleges which have the [most diversity](/rankings/most-diverse-colleges). The overall financial diversity of the Psychology major only stands in the 37th percentile of all majors. Racial diversity is actually above financial diversity, ranking in the 90th percentile. White collegians compose the largest share, 48%, of those studying psychology. Additionally, 77% of scholars seeking a psychology major are women.

 The median ranking of psychology professors is 4 stars, a score which is exactly the median across all majors; which is a fine. If you are searching for the most popular psychology instructor in the country, take a look at William Pelz from [Herkimer County Community College](/colleges/herkimer-county-community-college). It may be a shock, but the best ranked psychology instructors according to students are at [San Jose State University](/colleges/san-jose-state-university). If we incorporate data other than basic rankings we find that the college possessing the overall best instructors for psychology is [Stanford University](/colleges/stanford-university). You can find an explanation of our evolving ranking methodology for the [best overall professors here](/rankings/best-professors), along with some of the finest professors in the U.S.

 Finally, the most difficult college to get into for psychology is [Stanford University](/colleges/stanford-university). While we do not necessarily see the value in it, we do have a general page of the [hardest colleges to get into](/rankings/hardest-colleges-to-get-into). With that said, we do hope you believe that considering higher education through a lens primarily built on superlatives might create problems. We encourage you to explore our more nuanced pages on different colleges and explore a few of our helpful background pages on important details to consider as your college search develops.



 ### POPULARITY

 Psychology is the 5th most popular degree in America, with 123,980 students receiving their bachelors degree last year. It just beat out #6 [Education](/rankings/best-colleges-for-education), and narrowly lost to #4 [Biological and Biomedical Sciences](/rankings/best-colleges-for-biological-and-biomedical-sciences).

 The degree is offered at a total of 1,492 colleges across the nation, and is the 2nd most widely offered degree. Given that psychology is offered at 89% of the Top 100 [Best Colleges](/rankings/best-colleges) in America, you can be sure this is a critical degree and the skillsets acquired are likely to last for a long time.

 It is also worth noting that close to 44.4% of colleges offering psychology are public making it a pretty accessible field.

 The southeast produces the most psychology graduates, largely led by [University of Central Florida](/colleges/university-of-central-florida), while it’s the Big Ten Conference that leads conference totals. As far as states, California ranks highest, with particular help from [California State University-Northridge](/colleges/california-state-university-northridge) and [University of California-Irvine](/colleges/university-of-california-irvine).

 All that being said, no individual school produces more psychology graduates than [Cochise County Community College District](/colleges/cochise-county-community-college-district), which graduated 1402 students last year alone. Although size is critical, another important factor to consider is the program’s density (the percent of all students that study psychology). More students studied psychology as a percentage of total students at [Saint Augustine College](/colleges/saint-augustine-college) than any other college.



 ### COST

 Psychology is the 21st most expensive major in America, with a median cost of $53,660 among the top 50 programs (just ahead of #22, [French Language and Literature](rankings/best-colleges-for-french-language-and-literature), with a median cost of $53,526).

 New England has the most expensive colleges with top-notch psychology programs led by [Amherst College](/colleges/amherst-college) with an annual cost of $57,640. The most expensive state for psychology is Vermont led by [Bennington College](/colleges/bennington-college) and [Middlebury College](/colleges/middlebury-college).

 Public schools with solid programs generally charge 72.3% less than private schools for in-state students. However, when looking at out-of-state tuition, the median top 50 Public school charges 38.62% less than the median private school. So, if you're looking into studying at a state school, make sure you're eligible for in-state tuition sooner rather than later.

 The most expensive option in the top 25 is [Columbia University in the City of New York](/colleges/columbia-university-in-the-city-of-new-york), which is the 3rd most expensive college in America. The most affordable option in the top 100 is [CUNY Queens College](/colleges/cuny-queens-college). It costs just $14,880 per year, but it is ranked 59th for its psychology program. If you’re looking for the least expensive option in the top 25, [Florida International University](/colleges/florida-international-university)  could be right for you, ranked #5 with an in-state cost of just $4,721. Another more affordable choice would be #12, [University of Central Florida](/colleges/university-of-central-florida) in Orange County, FL with a cost of $4,478 for in-state students and $19,810 for out-of-state students.



### SALARY

 College is a massive investment for most undergraduates. It is critical to be assured you justify that cash outlay. We aim for the following earnings and job placement insights to support you in deciding your major at college.

 In their first year out of college, Psychology students earn $49,727 per year on average (top 23%). With experience in their work lives, they predominantly generate somewhere between $17,933 and $76,885, but average more or less $37,938. For context, that is 2% below the United States' average.

 The most popular job for a Psychology graduate is Analyst, which commonly earn around $54,000; next are Account Executive and Certified Nursing Assistant, which normally make close to $36,000 and $22,000 respectively.

 New England has the best paid Psychology graduates. MA has the highest grossing Psychology alumni of any state. Ivy League has the most well paid Psychology graduates of any conference..



### PROFESSORS

 Fast Facts for Psychology: Median Professor Rating: 4 / 5, which is average.

 Professors repeatedly play a big role in your college experience, regardless of your major. A great teacher might provide inspiration and even make a difficult subject seem easy. On the flip side, a bad experience with a professor can turn you off of a subject or even worse... fail you!

 Professors of Psychology have a median student rating of 4 out of 5, which puts them in the top 46th percentile in America based on student approval. Suprisingly, this major is exactly the median for professor rating, which, in our opinion, is remarkably average! Psychology professors just edged-out those from ["Near and Middle Eastern Studies"](/rankings/best-colleges-for-near-and-middle-eastern-studies), whereas ["Art History"](/rankings/best-colleges-for-art-history)&nbspprofessors ranked one slot above Psychology.

 Now for some statistics about Psychology professors. Colleges located in fringe rural areas tend to have the best Psychology professors. The Division II Independents has the highest rated Psychology professors. The Southeast region has the highest rated Psychology professors. Public colleges tend to have higher rated Psychology professors than private universities. Finally, Louisiana has the highest rated Psychology professors in the nation.

 William Pelz, professor at [Herkimer County Community College](/colleges/herkimer-county-community-college)&nbspin Herkimer, NY is the most popular Psychology professor in the United States. Stephanie Mcewan, instructor at [University of California-Irvine](/colleges/university-of-california-irvine)&nbspin Irvine, CA is the highest rated Psychology professor in America, with a rating of 5 / 5.

 Find out which institutions have the [Best Professors](/rankings/best-professors)!



### STUDENTS

 College often is an extremely productive period of one's life; it is a chance for individual growth and development. Students continue to learn what they are capable of and build the essential skills to become a successful adult. But learning also happens outside the classroom - the late nights discussing James Baldwin with a classmate, the nugget of wisdom learned from a tenured instructor, the exposure to a different way of viewing the world. Therefore, attending a diverse college greatly enriches what you gain from your time spent in school.

 Psychology is a more popular focus among students of color than white students. 48% of the nation's Psychology majors are white students, followed by latino students (21%), asian students (13%), and students of other races\*\*(12%). The most racially diverse college\* in the top 100 is [Pomona College](/colleges/pomona-college) located in Claremont, CA.

 Furthermore, Psychology significatly skews female, with 77% of students majoring in Psychology identifying as women. [Claremont McKenna College](/colleges/claremont-mckenna-college) in Claremont, CA has the most gender balanced student body in the top 100.

 Another critical type of diversity is economic diversity. Sadly, Psychology is less socioeconomically diverse than 63% of programs in America. 30% of its students come from households with $110,000 plus annual incomes, 16% are from mid-income homes, and 25% grew up in low income homes. [University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill](/colleges/university-of-north-carolina-at-chapel-hill) is the most socioeconomically diverse school in the top 100.

 Considering each type of diversity, overall IL is the most diverse state for Psychology. The Far West is the most diverse region, and the Conference USA is the most diverse conference.

   \* diversity calculations and comparisons are based on [Simpson's Diversity Index](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diversity_index)   
  \*\* other races is used to refer to non asian, black, latino, or white

  #### Diversity Statistics

  ##### Racial Diversity

 * Asian: 13%
* Black: 6%
* Latino: 21%
* White: 48%
* Other: 12%
  ##### Gender Diversity

 * Male: 23%
* Female: 77%
  ##### Socioeconomic Diversity (By Household Income)

 * Under 30k: 25%
* 30k - 48k: 15%
* 48k - 75k: 16%
* 75k - 110k: 14%
* Over 110k: 30%
  ##### Geographic Diversity

 * In State: 62%
* Out of State: 29%
* International: 9%


2023 Psychology Salary

There are about 570,593 students enrolled in Psychology in the USA.

SALARY