Psychology is one of the most popular undergraduate majors in the country, but not all programs and schools are created equal. No matter what you want to do with your degree, choosing a good college for psychology sets the foundation to enter graduate school or launch your career.
Discover what to look for when choosing a psychology program and career options you can pursue.
Popular Online Psychology Bachelor's Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
Best College Psychology Programs
#1 Best College Psychology Programs
Pomona College
- Claremont, CA
- 4 years
- Campus
One of Southern California's seven Claremont Colleges, Pomona College offers a psychological science major. The curriculum uses theory, research, and lab experiences to examine sociocultural aspects of human behavior. Students complete a senior thesis and learn to apply psychology to professional situations.
The program lists five goals: a knowledge base in psychology; scientific inquiry and critical thinking; ethical and social responsibility in a diverse world; communication; and professional development. Courses include climate science, psychology, and human behavior; culture and human development: the African diaspora; psychology of the Chicanx Latinx experience; and a seminar on chronic pain.
Out-of-state
Not provided
Percent Online Enrollment
Not provided
Accreditation
Yes
Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission
#2 Best College Psychology Programs
Dartmouth College
- Hanover, NH
- 4 years
- Campus
An Ivy League institution, Dartmouth College offers a major in psychology. The liberal arts-focused school in Hanover, New Hampshire, allows students to design their majors with the help of faculty members. Learners start with prerequisites, including an introduction to psychology and a course in experimental design, methodology, and data analysis procedures.
Required courses include a laboratory in psychological science; abnormal, development, or social psychology; and cognitive, learning, or perceptive psychology. All students complete a culminating experience course.
In the psychology honors program, qualified seniors conduct independent lab or field research under the supervision of a faculty member. Applicants prepare a thesis for evaluation.
Percent Online Enrollment
2%
Percentage of all students who are enrolled online.
Accreditation
Yes
New England Commission on Higher Education
#3 Best College Psychology Programs
Berea College
Kentucky's Berea College, the South's first integrated co-ed school, charges no tuition but hires students to gain experience with on-campus jobs. Berea College's bachelor of arts in psychology prepares learners for positions in psychology-related fields or graduate study. Students can opt to minor in biology, child and family studies, or sociology.
Degree-seekers can join the college's Psi Chi honors society, which is associated with the American Psychological Association. A senior research course offers opportunities to present at professional conferences. Students can also participate in summer research opportunities and teaching assistantships with faculty.
Out-of-state
Not provided
Percent Online Enrollment
1%
Percentage of all students who are enrolled online.
Accreditation
Yes
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
#4 Best College Psychology Programs
Haverford College
- Haverford, PA
- 4 years
- Campus
Located near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Haverford College's psychology major emphasizes cognitive, cultural, personality, and social psychology and neuroscience. The program offers opportunities to collaborate with faculty on general research, discipline-specific research, and a senior thesis project. Enrollees are assigned a major advisor and thesis advisor.
Courses include an introduction to behavioral economics, language and thought, the neurobiology of sexual behavior, and the myth of multitasking. A psychology practicum seminar allows students to develop therapy skills at a fieldwork site.
Alumni pursue graduate degrees in psychology, business, education, law, medicine, and public health.
Out-of-state
Not provided
Percent Online Enrollment
Not provided
Accreditation
Yes
Middle States Commission on Higher Education
#5 Best College Psychology Programs
Harvard University
- Cambridge, MA
- 4 years
- Online + Campus
Harvard's psychology undergraduate program offers three tracks: general; cognitive neuroscience and evolutionary psychology; and cognitive science. Students meet with an advisor to plan their studies before they declare a concentration.
All tracks require courses in introductory psychology, statistics, and research methods. Learners then move into foundational courses, lab courses, and advanced courses. The cognitive science: mind/brain/behavior concentration requires a thesis. The department encourages students in other tracks to consider writing a thesis and to pursue undergraduate research opportunities.
The department's website lists several psychology-specific scholarship opportunities.
Percent Online Enrollment
38%
Percentage of all students who are enrolled online.
Accreditation
Yes
New England Commission on Higher Education
#6 Best College Psychology Programs
College of the Ozarks
- Point Lookout, MO
- 4 years
- Campus
Christian-based College of the Ozarks offers a bachelor of science in psychology at its campus in Point Lookout, Missouri. The curriculum starts with general education courses, including an introduction to psychology and statistics. Required major courses include abnormal psychology, history and systems of psychology, and physiological psychology. Students choose electives from applied, development, research, and theory course groupings. Seniors take a comprehensive exit exam.
The college requires 90% of each entering class to demonstrate financial need, hold a 3.0 GPA, rank in the top half of their class, and preferably score 20 on the ACT or 1030 on the SAT. Every admitted student receives a scholarship.
Out-of-state
Not provided
Percent Online Enrollment
Not provided
Accreditation
Yes
Higher Learning Commission
#7 Best College Psychology Programs
Stanford University
- Stanford, CA
- 4 years
- Online + Campus
Stanford's undergraduate psychology program focuses on theories and empirical studies of human behavior. The program awards a bachelor of arts, and seniors who participate in intensive supervised research can graduate with honors.
Exploratory courses introduce psychology, comparative studies in race and ethnicity, intergroup communication facilitation, and statistical methods. Core courses include introductory cognitive neuroscience, learning and memory, minds and machines, and personality and affective science.
Degree-seekers can choose one of the following informal pathways to guide course selection:
- Cognitive science
- Early childhood cognition, learning, and development
- Health psychology
- Judgment and decision-making
- Mind, culture, and society
- Neuroscience
Percent Online Enrollment
5%
Percentage of all students who are enrolled online.
Accreditation
Yes
Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission
#8 Best College Psychology Programs
Brown University
- Providence, RI
- 4 years
- Campus
The psychology program at Brown awards a bachelor of arts (A.B.) or bachelor of science (Sc.B.). The program develops foundational knowledge in cognitive comparative, developmental, and social psychology; encourages expertise in a concentration area; and trains students to formulate a scientific question and produce original research.
A.B. students take 12 courses in the major. The Sc.B. degree requires an additional laboratory course and four science courses. Common core classes include mind, brain, and behavior; quantitative methods; and research methods and design. Major core subjects comprise development, learning/animal behavior, perception/cognition, and social psychology. Graduation requires an independent study or seminar capstone.
Percent Online Enrollment
14%
Percentage of all students who are enrolled online.
Accreditation
Yes
New England Commission on Higher Education
#9 Best College Psychology Programs
University of Notre Dame
- Notre Dame, IN
- 4 years
- Online + Campus
A Catholic university, Notre Dame offers a psychology major grounded in the liberal arts-based skills of thinking, reading, research, and writing. Learners investigate topics that include human relationships, development within families and schools, resilience and aging, and the mind-brain connection. The department encourages pairing psychology with other degrees in business, engineering, and science. Most students continue to graduate and professional schools.
Degree-seekers must complete a science, practice, and policy seminar and courses in methods and statistics for behavioral science. Students choose electives from two categories: social and development processes and biological and learning processes. Seniors attend intensive seminars in reading, writing, and discussion.
Percent Online Enrollment
4%
Percentage of all students who are enrolled online.
Accreditation
Yes
Higher Learning Commission
#10 Best College Psychology Programs
University of Pennsylvania
- Philadelphia, PA
- 4 years
- Online + Campus
At Penn, undergraduates declare the psychology major during their sophomore year and begin the program as juniors. Required courses include an introduction to experimental psychology; six core classes in biological science, cognitive science, and social science; statistics; and empirical research. Upper-level content includes cognate electives, mentored research; research experience courses; and individual scholarly research.
Undergraduates can join the Penn Undergraduate Psychology Society and the Psi Chi National Honor Society to immerse themselves in the psychology community. The program offers resources for students interested in graduate school and psychology careers.
Penn awards undergraduate grants and work-study funding based on need.
Percent Online Enrollment
20%
Percentage of all students who are enrolled online.
Accreditation
Yes
Middle States Commission on Higher Education
Psychology.org ranks education programs using data from reputable sources like the U.S. Department of Education. Our vetting process also includes a quality assurance team that assesses datasets for accuracy.
Psychology.org reserves the right to exclude any schools that lack significant data from the rankings to ensure accurate calculations. This ranking is from 2023 [OR OTHER APPLICABLE YEAR]. For more about how Psychology.org evaluates and ranks education programs, read more about our full ranking methodology.
How to Identify a Good College for Psychology
Colleges and universities in 2020-2021 awarded 126,900 psychology degrees, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. With so many psychology programs available, it can feel overwhelming to pick the one that works best for you.
Good colleges for psychology offer convenient program formats, diverse coursework, low teacher-to-student ratios, and the opportunity to gain practical experience through practicums and/or internships.
Psychology degrees often offer concentrations in addictions, cognitive neuroscience, organizational psychology, and forensic psychology. Schools may offer coursework online, in-person, or in hybrid models. Choose a format that fits your lifestyle and a program that suits your career interests.
Another way to identify a good college for psychology is through accreditation. Since the American Psychological Association does not accredit bachelor's-level programs, students should seek colleges that hold institutional accreditation, which ensures quality academic standards.
Good psychology programs may also offer generous scholarships and financial aid packages to help you lower the out-of-pocket cost of your degree.
Applying to a Top College for Psychology
Bachelor's in psychology programs accept first-year applicants with no college experience, international learners, homeschool students, and transfer students, including those with associate degrees. You may need to complete prerequisites, including math, English, sciences, and language requirements. Common undergraduate application requirements include:
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Online application and fee
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Minimum GPA for high school or college
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Two letters of recommendation
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-
Copies of high school and/or college transcripts
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ACT and/or SAT scores may be required if you do not hold college credit
Career Opportunities After Attending College for Psychology
Pursuing a clinical position in psychology or a related field requires at least a master's degree. However, many industries welcome psychology majors who hold a bachelor's degree. According to April 2024 data from Payscale, professionals who hold a bachelor of arts in psychology earn an average annual salary of $69,000.
Entry-level jobs at community mental health agencies, nonprofits and residential treatment centers hire bachelor's degree-holders. Psychology graduates can also pursue careers as social workers, social and human service assistants, and community health workers. Community health workers make an annual median salary of $48,200 and social workers make $58,380 per year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Psychology majors also frequently pursue careers beyond the helping professions thanks to knowledge and skills that transfer well to human resources, law, media, and sales positions.
Frequently Asked Questions About Studying Psychology in College
The study of psychology can prove both rewarding and demanding for degree-seekers, particularly when taking statistics and research methods courses. Additionally, psychology majors need to both write research papers and perform in-depth reading and analysis.
Whether a psychology degree is worth it depends on your career goals. To pursue a clinical position in counseling or psychology, you need a minimum of a master's degree. With that in mind, a psychology degree provides a well-rounded education that can lead to employment opportunities in different fields.
Besides a statistics course, studying psychology does not involve much math. However, fulfilling your college's general education requirements includes completing math prerequisites.
If you have a curious mind and a love of understanding people, psychology can be an intriguing major, whether you plan to pursue a career in the field or not.
Page last reviewed April 22, 2024. This page's information — not including school descriptions — was reviewed by an independent third party compensated for their time by Psychology.org.
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