50 Best Colleges for Psychology – 2024

May 10, 2024

best colleges for psychology

Psychology continues to be one of the most popular majors in the country. In fact, more college grads obtain psychology degrees each year than English, Math, Economics, and Philosophy combined. Of course, the world is not populated by billions of “psychologists”; many degree holders enter related fields like social work, rehabilitation counseling, or mental health case management, while others explore private sector jobs in marketing, sales, or human resources. To become an actual psychologist, you’ll have to enter highly-competitive graduate programs. Whether you have years of training beyond your undergraduate degree ahead of you or a career in social services or business, earning a degree from a school on our list of the Best Colleges for Psychology is a step in the right direction.

You can read more about the educational path ahead by checking out our article How to Become a Psychologist.

Methodology 

Click here to read our methodology for the Best Colleges for Psychology.

Best Colleges for Psychology

Here’s a quick preview of the first ten psychology institutions that made our list. Detailed profiles and stats can be found when you scroll below.

1) University of Michigan

2) Wesleyan University

3) Williams College

4) Columbia University

5) University of California, Santa Barbara

6) University of Chicago

7) Duke University

8) Stanford University

9) Harvard University

10) Boston College

All of the schools profiled below have stellar reputations in the area of psychology and commit substantial resources to undergraduate education. For each of the best psychology colleges, College Transitions will provide you with—when available—the university’s:

  • Enrollment
  • Cost of Attendance
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Median SAT
  • Median ACT
  • Retention Rate
  • Graduation Rate

We will also include a longer write-up of each college’s:

  • Academic Highlights – Includes facts like student-to-faculty ratio, average class size, number of majors offered, and most popular majors.
  • Professional Outcomes – Includes info on the rate of positive outcomes, companies employing alumni, and graduate school acceptances.
#1 Best College for Psychology
University of Michigan

University of Michigan

  • Ann Arbor, MI

Academic Highlights: There are 280+ undergraduate degree programs across fourteen schools and colleges, and the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA) enrolls the majority of students. The Ross School of Business offers highly rated programs in entrepreneurship, management, accounting, and finance. The College of Engineering is also one of the best in the country. By degrees conferred, engineering (15%), computer science (14%), and the social sciences (11%) are most popular. A solid 56% of classes have fewer than 20 students.

Professional Outcomes: Within three months of graduating, 89% of LSA grads are employed full-time or in graduate school, with healthcare, education, law, banking, research, nonprofit work, and consulting being the most popular sectors. Within three months, 99% of Ross grads are employed with a median salary of $90k. Top employers include Goldman Sachs, Deutsche Bank, EY, Morgan Stanley, PwC, Deloitte, and Amazon.  Within six months, 96% of engineering grads are employed (average salary of $84k) or in grad school. General Motors, Ford, Google, Microsoft, Apple, and Meta employ the greatest number of alumni.

  • Enrollment: 32,695 (undergraduate); 18,530 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $35,450 (in-state); $76,294 (out-of-state)
  • Median SAT: 1470
  • Median ACT: 33
  • Acceptance Rate: 18%
  • Retention Rate: 97%
  • Graduation Rate: 93%

#2 Best College for Psychology
Wesleyan University

Wesleyan University

  • Middletown, CT

Academic Highlights: With 45 majors and 32 minors, Wes truly has something for everyone. The academic requirements are relatively minimal, giving undergrads a high degree of intellectual freedom. Under 75% of class sections have fewer than twenty students; students rave about the accessible faculty. Research opportunities with professors are plentiful. Offerings in economics, English, film studies, and neuroscience typically receive the most praise from employers/grad schools; accordingly, the social sciences (24%), psychology (17%), and the visual and performing arts (12%) are the most popular.

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of graduating, 66% of 2022 grads had entered employment, with tech/engineering/sciences, education, and arts/entertainment being the three top sectors. The companies employing the highest numbers of recent Wesleyan grads included Google, Epic, Analysis Group, Boston Medical Center, Booz Allen Hamilton, Accenture, and Apple. Graduate school was the next stop for 18% of new alums; enrolling institutions included MIT, Stanford, Berkeley, Yale, Harvard, Temple, and UMass.

  • Enrollment: 3,069 (undergraduate); 184 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $89,094
  • Median SAT: 1430
  • Median ACT: 32
  • Acceptance Rate: 14%
  • Retention Rate: 95%
  • Graduation Rate: 93%

#3 Best College for Psychology
Williams College

Williams College

  • Williamstown, MA

Academic Highlights: The school’s 25 academic departments offer 36 majors and a number of concentrations rather than minors. An unparalleled 40% of courses have fewer than ten students enrolled; the median class size is 12 students. Programs in economics, English, history, math, and political science are especially renowned, and the greatest number of degrees are conferred in the social sciences (26%), the physical sciences (10%), math and statistics (9%), psychology (9%), and computer science (7%).

Professional Outcomes: Among the Class of 2022, 92% were employed or continuing their educational journey within six months of graduating. Business and education typically attract the most students, with popular companies/organizations including Apple, Google, Goldman Sachs, The New York Times Co., the Peace Corps, and Teach for America. The median annual income for 2022 grads was $75,000. 75% pursue an advanced degree within five years of leaving Williams, with the most frequently attended graduate programs being Harvard, Columbia, and Yale.

  • Enrollment: 2,152 (undergraduate); 53 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $81,160
  • Median SAT: 1520
  • Median ACT: 35
  • Acceptance Rate: 8%
  • Retention Rate: 97%
  • Graduation Rate: 95%

#4 Best College for Psychology
Columbia University

Columbia University

  • New York, NY

Academic Highlights: Columbia offers 100+ unique areas of undergraduate study as well as a number of pre-professional and accelerated graduate programs.  Class sizes at Columbia are reasonably small and the student-to-faculty ratio is favorable; however, in 2022, it was revealed that the university had been submitting faulty data in this area. It is presently believed that 58% of undergraduate courses enroll 19 or fewer students. The greatest number of degrees are conferred in the social sciences (22%), computer science (15%), engineering (14%), and biology (7%).

Professional Outcomes: Examining the most recent graduates from Columbia College and the Fu Foundation School of Engineering & Applied Science, 73% had found employment within six months, and 20% had entered graduate school. The median starting salary for graduates of Columbia College/Columbia Engineering is above $80,000. Many graduates get hired by the likes of Amazon, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Google, Citi, McKinsey, and Microsoft.

  • Enrollment: 8,832
  • Cost of Attendance: $89,587
  • Median SAT: 1540
  • Median ACT: 35
  • Acceptance Rate: 4%
  • Retention Rate: 98%
  • Graduation Rate: 95%

#5 Best College for Psychology
University of California, Santa Barbara

University of California, Santa Barbara

  • Santa Barbara, CA

Academic Highlights: There are 90 undergraduate majors across three schools: the College of Letters and Science, the College of Engineering, and the College of Creative Studies. The social sciences are the most popular area of study, accounting for 27% of the total degrees conferred. Biology (10%), math (9%), and psychology (9%) are next in popularity. The school has highly regarded programs in communication, computer science, engineering, physics, environmental science, and the performing arts. More than half of sections contain fewer than 20 students, and 72% enroll 29 or fewer.

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of earning their diplomas, 84% of grads had found employment. The most popular industries were science/research (16%), engineering/computer programming (14%), business (13%), finance/accounting (11%), and sales (10%). Top employers of recent grads include Google, EY, KPMG, Oracle, Amazon, IBM, and Adobe. Many alumni also can be found at Apple, Meta, Microsoft, and Salesforce. Two years after graduating, UCSB alumni make an average salary of $55k; more than half make $100k by mid-career.

  • Enrollment: 23,460 (undergraduate); 2,961 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $41,289 (in-state); $73,863 (out-of-state)
  • Median SAT: Test Blind
  • Median ACT: Test Blind
  • Acceptance Rate: 28%
  • Retention Rate: 92%
  • Graduation Rate: 86%

#6 Best College for Psychology
University of Chicago

University of Chicago

  • Chicago, IL

Academic Highlights: There are 53 majors at UChicago, but close to half of all degrees conferred are in four majors: economics, biology, mathematics, and political science, all of which have particularly sterling reputations. Economics alone is the selection of roughly one-fifth of the undergraduate population. Over 75% of undergrad sections have an enrollment of nineteen or fewer students, and undergraduate research opportunities are ubiquitous as 80% of students end up working in a research capacity alongside a faculty member.

Professional Outcomes: On commencement day, 99% of the Class of 2023 were employed or continuing their education. Business and financial services (30%) and STEM (12%) were the two sectors that scooped up the most graduates, but public policy and consulting were also well-represented. The most popular employers of recent grads include Google, JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs, McKinsey & Company, Bank of America, Citi, and Accenture. For those heading to grad school, the top seven destinations are Yale, Columbia, Penn, MIT, Stanford, UCLA, and Johns Hopkins.

  • Enrollment: 7,653 (undergraduate); 10,870 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $89,040
  • Median SAT: 1540
  • Median ACT: 35
  • Acceptance Rate: 5%
  • Retention Rate: 99%
  • Graduation Rate: 96%

#7 Best College for Psychology
Duke University

Duke University

  • Durham, NC

Academic Highlights: The academic offerings at Duke include 53 majors, 52 minors, and 23 interdisciplinary certificates. Class sizes are on the small side—71% are nineteen or fewer, and almost one-quarter are less than ten. A stellar 5:1 student-to-faculty ratio helps keep classes so reasonable even while catering to five figures worth of graduate students. Computer Science is the most popular area of concentration (11%), followed by economics (10%), public policy (9%), biology (8%), and computer engineering (7%).

Professional Outcomes: At graduation, approximately 70% of Duke diploma-earners enter the world of work, 20% continue into graduate schools, and 2% start their own businesses. The industries that attract the largest percentage of Blue Devils are tech (21%), finance (15%), business (15%), healthcare (9%), and science/research (6%). Of the 20% headed into graduate school, a hefty 22% are attending medical school, 18% are in PhD programs, and 12% are entering law school. The med school acceptance rate is 85%, more than twice the national average.

  • Enrollment: 6,640
  • Cost of Attendance: $85,238
  • SAT Range: 1490-1570
  • ACT Range: 34-35
  • Acceptance Rate: 6%
  • Retention Rate: 98%
  • Graduation Rate: 97%

#8 Best College for Psychology
Stanford University

Stanford University

  • Palo Alto, CA

Academic Highlights: Stanford has three undergraduate schools: the School of Humanities & Sciences, the School of Engineering, and the School of Earth, Energy, and Environmental Sciences. 69% of classes have fewer than twenty students, and 34% have a single-digit enrollment. Programs in engineering, computer science, physics, mathematics, international relations, and economics are arguably the best anywhere. In terms of sheer volume, the greatest number of degrees are conferred in the social sciences (17%), computer science (16%), engineering (15%), and interdisciplinary studies (13%).

Professional Outcomes: Stanford grads entering the working world flock to three major industries in equal distribution: business/finance/consulting/retail (19%); computer, IT (19%); and public policy and service, international affairs (19%). Among the companies employing the largest number of recent grads are Accenture, Apple, Bain, Cisco, Meta, Goldman Sachs, Google, McKinsey, Microsoft, and SpaceX. Other companies that employ hundreds of Cardinal alums include LinkedIn, Salesforce, and Airbnb. Starting salaries for Stanford grads are among the highest in the country.

 

  • Enrollment: 8,049 (undergraduate); 10,236 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $87,833
  • Median SAT: 1540
  • Median ACT: 35
  • Acceptance Rate: 4%
  • Retention Rate: 98%
  • Graduation Rate: 95%

#9 Best College for Psychology
Harvard University

Harvard University

  • Cambridge, MA

Academic Highlights: There are 50 undergraduate fields of study referred to as concentrations; many are interdisciplinary. Even with a graduate population of over 14,000 to cater to, undergraduate class sizes still tend to be small, with 42% of sections having single-digit enrollments and 71% being capped at nineteen. Economics, government, and computer science are the three most popular areas of concentration at Harvard. Biology, chemistry, physics, math, statistics, sociology, history, English, and psychology all sit atop most departmental ranking lists.

Professional Outcomes: The Crimson Class of 2022 saw 15% of students head directly into graduate/professional school. Of the graduates entering the world of work (virtually everyone else), 58% were entering either the consulting, finance, or technology field. Over 1,000 Harvard alumni presently work for Google and over 500 for Microsoft, McKinsey & Company, and Goldman Sachs. Turning our attention to those moving on to graduate school, Harvard grads with at least a 3.5 GPA typically enjoy acceptance rates into medical school of 90% or greater.

  • Enrollment: 7,240
  • Cost of Attendance: $79,450
  • Median SAT: 1550
  • Median ACT: 35
  • Acceptance Rate: 3%
  • Retention Rate: 98%
  • Graduation Rate: 98%

#10 Best College for Psychology
Boston College

Boston College

  • Chestnut Hill, MA

Academic Highlights: The college offers roughly 60 majors across four schools that award undergraduate degrees. Approximately half of the college’s sections contain nineteen or fewer students. 95% of graduates reported learning how to think critically at BC, and 93% said they learned how to write clearly and effectively. BC offers highly respected programs in communications, psychology, and business through the renowned Carroll School of Management. Other popular and well-regarded majors include economics, biology, and chemistry.

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of graduation, 96% of the Class of 2022 had landed at their next destination. The most favored industries were financial services and real estate (26%), health care/science (20%), and business/consulting (16%). The median starting salary for a 2022 BC grad was $67,000. Eighteen percent of the Class of 2022 entered graduate schools including Brown, Columbia, the University of Chicago, and Yale. Examining the Class of 2022 data, 16% entered law school, and 14% pursued some other type of doctoral degree.

  • Enrollment: 9,484
  • Cost of Attendance: $86,155
  • Average SAT: 1482
  • Average ACT: 34
  • Acceptance Rate: 17%
  • Retention Rate: 95%
  • Graduation Rate: 92%

#11 Best College for Psychology
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

  • Chapel Hill, NC

Academic Highlights: Undergraduates can choose from 74 bachelor’s degree programs in a number of schools and colleges, the largest of which is the College of Arts & Sciences. 44% of classes have a student enrollment under 20. The social sciences (15%), biology (12%), media/journalism (9%), computer science (8%), and business (6%) are the areas in which the most degrees are conferred. The Kenan-Flager Business School is internationally renowned and requires separate admission. Other strong programs include those in chemistry, journalism, psychology, and political science.

Professional Outcomes: Six months after leaving Chapel Hill, 97% of 2022 grads had entered employment, military service, or graduate school. Among the for-profit companies that hire the most graduates are Wells Fargo, IBM, Cisco, Deloitte, EY, Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Oracle, McKinsey & Company, and Goldman Sachs. In the nonprofit sector, a large number of alumni are employed by AmeriCorps, NIH, Teach for America, and the Peace Corps. The average starting salary is $70,619. 18% of 2022 grads enrolled directly in graduate/professional school.

  • Enrollment: 20,210 (undergraduate); 11,739 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $27,036 (in-state); $60,040 (out-of-state)
  • Median SAT: 1450
  • Median ACT: 32
  • Acceptance Rate: 17%
  • Retention Rate: 96%
  • Graduation Rate: 91%

#12 Best College for Psychology
Barnard College

Barnard College

  • New York, NY

Academic Highlights: Barnard has a 10:1 student-faculty ratio, and a sensational 71% of courses are capped at nineteen or fewer students; 18% have fewer than ten. Many get the chance to engage in research alongside a professor as 240+ undergraduates are granted such an opportunity through the Summer Research Institute each year. Barnard’s most popular majors, by number of degrees conferred, include economics, English, political science, history, psychology, neuroscience, computer science, and art history.

Professional Outcomes: Six months after graduation, 91% of 2022 Barnard grads had found employment or were enrolled in a graduate program. JP Morgan, Goldman Sachs, Blackrock, Citibank, and Morgan Stanley all appear on the list of the top fifteen employers of Barnard alumni. Within ten years of graduation, over 80% of Barnard alums eventually enroll in graduate school. Those entering graduate school flock in large numbers to Columbia, with 112 heading there over the last three years.

  • Enrollment: 3,442
  • Cost of Attendance: $90,928
  • Median SAT: 1490
  • Median ACT: 33
  • Acceptance Rate: 9%
  • Retention Rate: 95%
  • Graduation Rate: 92%

#13 Best College for Psychology
University of California, San Diego

University of California, San Diego

  • San Diego, CA

Academic Highlights: There are 140+ undergraduate majors offered at UCSD, and all students join one of eight undergraduate colleges meant to forge flourishing communities within the larger university. Biology has the highest representation of all majors (19%) followed by engineering (12%), the social sciences (11%), and computer science (9%). UCSD’s computer science and engineering programs have stellar reputations in the corporate and tech communities, and programs in biology, economics, and political science are among the best anywhere.

Professional Outcomes: Employers of recent graduates included the Walt Disney Company, Tesla, NBC Universal, PwC, Northrop Grumman, and EY. More than 1,000 current Google employees are UC San Diego alumni, and Qualcomm, Amazon, and Apple all employ 500+ each. The median early career salary is $65,000 across all majors, placing the university in the top 10 public universities in the country. UCSD also fares well in measures of its return-on-investment potential.

  • Enrollment: 33,096 (undergraduate); 8,386 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $31,830 (in-state); $64,404 (out-of-state)
  • Median SAT: Test Blind
  • Median ACT: Test Blind
  • Acceptance Rate: 25%
  • Retention Rate: 93%
  • Graduation Rate: 88%

#14 Best College for Psychology
University of Pennsylvania

University of Pennsylvania

  • Philadelphia, PA

Academic Highlights: 90 distinct degrees are available across four schools: the College of Arts & Sciences, the College of Applied Science and Engineering, the College of Nursing, and the world-renowned Wharton School. The greatest number of students pursue degrees in business (19%), social sciences (14%), biology (11%), health sciences (9%), engineering (9%), and computer science (9%). The university boasts an exceptional 26% of courses with an enrollment under ten and 59% with an enrollment under twenty as well as multiple ways for undergrads to conduct research.

Professional Outcomes: 75% of Class of 2022 grads were employed within six months of graduating, and 18% were in graduate school. Finance attracted the highest percentage of grads (30%) followed by consulting (20%), technology (15%), and healthcare (10%). Employers hiring the greatest number of 2022 grads included JPMorgan, Boston Consulting Group, McKinsey, Bain & Company, Meta, and Goldman Sachs. The median starting salary for all graduates is $80,000. For those continuing their educational journeys, the most popular move is to remain at Penn, followed by Columbia and Harvard.

  • Enrollment: 9,760 (undergraduate); 13,614 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $89,028
  • Median SAT: 1540
  • Median ACT: 35
  • Acceptance Rate: 7%
  • Retention Rate: 98%
  • Graduation Rate: 96%

#15 Best College for Psychology
Washington University in St. Louis

Washington University in St. Louis

  • St. Louis, MO

Academic Highlights: WashU admits students into five schools, many of which offer nationally recognized programs: Arts & Sciences, the Olin School of Business, the School of Engineering & Applied Sciences, and the Art of Architecture programs housed within the Sam Fox School of Design and Visual Arts. The most commonly conferred degrees are in engineering (13%), social sciences (13%), business (13%), biology (11%), and psychology (10%). 66% of classes have fewer than 20 students, and over one-quarter have single-digit enrollments. 65% double major or pursue a minor.

Professional Outcomes: The Class of 2022 sent 52% of grads into the workforce and 28% into graduate and professional schools. Companies employing the highest number of WashU grads feature sought-after employers such as Amazon, Bain, Boeing, Deloitte, Google, IBM, Goldman Sachs, and Microsoft. Of the employed members of the Class of 2022 who reported their starting salaries, 79% made more than $60k. The universities welcoming the largest number of Bears included the prestigious institutions of Caltech, Columbia, Harvard, Penn, Princeton, and Stanford.

  • Enrollment: 8,132 (undergraduate); 8,880 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $83,760
  • Median SAT: 1530
  • Median ACT: 34
  • Acceptance Rate: 11%
  • Retention Rate: 96%
  • Graduation Rate: 93%

#16 Best College for Psychology
Claremont McKenna College

Claremont McKenna College

  • Claremont, CA

Academic Highlights: CMC offers 33 majors and 11 “sequences,” series of courses that can be completed across the neighboring schools in addition to one’s major. The college boasts an average class size of eighteen, and 82% of course sections have fewer than twenty students. Economics, government, international relations, biology, and psychology are the most popular majors, and among the strongest. Interdisciplinary majors such as Environment, Economics, and Politics (EEP) and Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) also carry outstanding reputations.

Professional Outcomes: Eighty-eight percent of 2022 graduates found employment within six months of graduation, and only 4% were still looking for work. The median starting salary for a 2022 Claremont grad is $87,000. You name the prestigious graduate/professional program and, chances are, a recent CMC grad (or two or three) is presently studying there. Since 2001, more than 120 alumni have enrolled at USC and UCLA. More than 60 grads have headed to UChicago, Columbia, and Stanford.

  • Enrollment: 1,386
  • Cost of Attendance: $86,500
  • Median SAT: 1500
  • Median ACT: 34
  • Acceptance Rate: 10%
  • Retention Rate: 96%
  • Graduation Rate: 91%

#17 Best College for Psychology
University of California, Berkeley

University of California, Berkeley

  • Berkeley, CA

Academic Highlights: More than 150 undergraduate majors and minors are available across six schools: the College of Letters and Science, the College of Chemistry, the College of Engineering, the College of Environmental Design, the College of Natural Resources, and the Haas School of Business. Many departments have top international reputations including computer science, engineering, chemistry, English, psychology, and economics. 22% of sections contain nine or fewer students, and over 55% of students assist faculty with a research project or complete a research methods course.

Professional Outcomes: Upon graduating, 49% of Cal’s Class of 2022 had already secured employment, and 20% were headed to graduate school. Business is the most popular sector, attracting 62% of employed grads; next up are industrial (17%), education (8%), and nonprofit work (7%). The median starting salary was $86,459 across all majors. Thousands of alumni can be found in the offices of Google, Apple, and Meta, and 500+ Golden Bears are currently employed by Oracle, Amazon, and Microsoft. The school is the number one all-time producer of Peace Corps volunteers.

  • Enrollment: 32,831 (undergraduate); 12,914 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $48,574 (in-state); $82,774 (out-of-state)
  • Median SAT: Test Blind
  • Median ACT: Test Blind
  • Acceptance Rate: 11%
  • Retention Rate: 96%
  • Graduation Rate: 94%

#18 Best College for Psychology
Dartmouth College

Dartmouth College

  • Hanover, NH

Academic Highlights: Dartmouth sports 60+ majors and a stunning breadth of course selections for an institution of its size. The learning environment at Dartmouth is extraordinarily intimate. Not only do 61% of course sections have under twenty students, but 18% have single-digit enrollments. The student-to-faculty ratio is an outstanding 7:1. Top programs offered by Big Green include biology, economics, neuroscience, and government. The social sciences are the most popular, accounting for 32% of degrees conferred, followed by computer science (10%), mathematics (9%), engineering (9%), and biology (7%).

Professional Outcomes: A great reputation along with a passionate alumni network that is 80,000 strong leads Dartmouth grads to successful transitions into graduate school and the world of work. Included in the top ten employers of Dartmouth grads are a number of investment banks including Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Bain & Company, Citibank, and Deutsche Bank. Right off the bat, 52% of graduates make more than $70,000 in salary. Those pursuing graduate degrees often flock to the likes of Harvard, Columbia, and Princeton.

  • Enrollment: 4,458
  • Cost of Attendance: $87,793
  • Median SAT: 1550
  • Median ACT: 34
  • Acceptance Rate: 6%
  • Retention Rate: 98%
  • Graduation Rate: 95%

#19 Best College for Psychology
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

  • Champaign-Urbana, IL

Academic Highlights: Eight of UIUC’s fifteen schools cater to undergraduate students. There are 150 academic programs offered, including those at the acclaimed Grainger College of Engineering and Gies College of Business. In sheer volume of degrees conferred, engineering and business/marketing are tied at 19%, followed by the social sciences (9%) and psychology (6%). 39% of sections are capped at 19 students. 29% of undergraduates work with a faculty member on a research project; another 22% have some type of fieldwork, practicum, or clinical experience.

Professional Outcomes: 95% of the members of the Class of 2022 landed at their next destination within six months of graduation, with 38% matriculating directly into an advanced degree program. 57% were employed full-time; the most popular sectors were finance, consulting, healthcare, electronics, and education. Corporations landing the most recent Illini grads were KPMG, Deloitte, Epic Systems, EY, PwC, and Amazon. The average salary across all Class of 2022 majors was an extremely solid $75,000.

  • Enrollment: 35,120 (undergraduate); 21,796 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $35,926-$41,190 (in-state); $55,386-$63,290 (out-of-state)
  • Median SAT: 1440
  • Median ACT: 32
  • Acceptance Rate: 79%
  • Retention Rate: 93%
  • Graduation Rate: 85%

#20 Best College for Psychology
Wellesley College

Wellesley College

  • Wellesley, MA

Academic Highlights: There are 50+ departmental and interdisciplinary majors. Thirty-six percent of course sections have single-digit enrollments while 77% have 19 or fewer students. In addition, opportunities for participation in research with faculty members abound. Most programs possess sterling reputations, including chemistry, computer science, neuroscience, and political science, but the Department of Economics shines most brightly, leading many into PhD programs and high-profile careers. Economics, biology, and computer science are the most frequently conferred degrees.

Professional Outcomes: Six months after graduating, 97% of the Class of 2022 had achieved positive outcomes. Of the 76% of grads who were employed, 24% were working in the finance/consulting/business fields, 17% in education, 17% in internet and technology & engineering, and 15% in healthcare/life sciences. Top employers included JPMorgan Chase, Google, Boston Children’s Hospital, and Goldman Sachs. The average starting salary for one recent cohort was a solid $63k. Of the 20% of 2022 grads who directly entered an advanced degree program, common schools attended included Harvard, Columbia, Brown, Stanford, MIT, and Emory.

  • Enrollment: 2,447
  • Cost of Attendance: $84,240
  • Median SAT: 1490
  • Median ACT: 34
  • Acceptance Rate: 14%
  • Retention Rate: 95%
  • Graduation Rate: 90%

#21 Best College for Psychology
Bates College

Bates College

  • Lewiston, ME

Academic Highlights: Thirty-four percent of courses at Bates have a single-digit enrollment, and 63% of classrooms contain nineteen or fewer students. The student-to-faculty ratio is 10:1, and not a single graduate student is present to vacuum up professorial attention. Twenty-eight percent of all degrees earned at Bates are in the social sciences, and psychology (14%), biology (13%), and the physical sciences (7%) are next in popularity. Though strong across many disciplines, Bates boasts exemplary programs in political science, art, philosophy, economics, and psychology.

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of graduation, 99% of the Class of 2022 were either employed, enrolled in graduate school, or otherwise meaningfully engaged in a fellowship or internship. The most frequently entered fields were healthcare (17%), education (16%), finance/banking (14%), and technology (7%). Within ten years of graduation, approximately 13% of Bates graduates are in, or have completed, law school whereas 7% enroll in medical school.

  • Enrollment: 1,790
  • Cost of Attendance: $81,382
  • Median SAT: 1430
  • Median ACT: 32
  • Acceptance Rate: 14%
  • Retention Rate: 93%
  • Graduation Rate: 93%

#22 Best College for Psychology
Princeton University

Princeton University

  • Princeton, NJ

Academic Highlights: 39 majors are available at Princeton. Just under three-quarters of class sections have an enrollment of 19 or fewer students, and 31% have fewer than ten students. Princeton is known for its commitment to undergraduate teaching, and students consistently rate professors as accessible and helpful. The Engineering Department is widely recognized as one of the country’s best, as is the School of Public and International Affairs.

Professional Highlights: Over 95% of a typical Tiger class finds their next destination within six months of graduating. Large numbers of recent grads flock to the fields of business and engineering, health/science, & tech. Companies presently employing hundreds of Tiger alumni include Google, Goldman Sachs, Microsoft, McKinsey & Company, Morgan Stanley, IBM, and Meta. The average salary ranges from $40k (education, health care, or social services) to $100k (computer/mathematical positions). Between 15-20% of graduating Tigers head directly to graduate/professional school.

  • Enrollment: 5,604 (undergraduate); 3,238 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $86,700
  • Median SAT: 1540
  • Median ACT: 35
  • Acceptance Rate: 6%
  • Retention Rate: 97%
  • Graduation Rate: 98%

#23 Best College for Psychology
Davidson College

Davidson College

  • Davidson, NC

Academic Highlights: With its small size, the impressive part of the college is the exceptional quality of its offerings, not the breadth of them, as only 37 majors are available. The student-to-faculty ratio is 9:1, which allows the college to ensure that 62% have fewer than twenty students and 24% have enrollments you can count on two hands. Overall, the average number of students per class is only 18. Top programs at Davidson include psychology, political science, chemistry, and English; biology is also quite popular, accounting for 12% of degrees conferred in 2022.

Professional Outcomes: Looking at the outcomes data for 2022 grads, 70% landed jobs within six months of graduation, 26% were enrolled in a graduate program, and 3% were still seeking employment. Of those who attended grad school, the highest number were in healthcare-related programs (including MDs), law school, and laboratory sciences. Significant numbers of students pursue advanced degrees at other Southern gems including Vanderbilt, Emory, Duke, Wake Forest, and UNC.

  • Enrollment: 1,927
  • Cost of Attendance: $76,450
  • Median SAT: 1430
  • Median ACT: 32
  • Acceptance Rate: 17%
  • Retention Rate: 94%
  • Graduation Rate: 92%

#24 Best College for Psychology
University of Wisconsin – Madison

University of Wisconsin – Madison

  • Madison, WI

Academic Highlights: There are 230+ undergraduate majors offered across eight schools and colleges, including the top-ranked School of Business and College of Engineering as well as the College of Letters and Science, the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, and the Schools of Nursing, Education, Pharmacy, and Human Ecology. Undergrads can expect a mix of large and small classes, with 44% of sections enrolling fewer than 20 students. Business (18%), biology (12%), the social sciences (11%), and engineering (10%) are most popular.

Professional Outcomes: In a recent year, 46% of job-seeking grads graduated with an offer.  Top employers included UW-Madison, Epic, Kohl’s, Oracle, Deloitte, and UW Health. Across all graduating years, companies employing 250+ alumni include Google, Target, Microsoft, Amazon, Apple, PwC, Accenture, and Meta. 28% of recent grads enrolled directly in graduate/professional school; the majority stayed at UW–Madison while others headed to Columbia, Northwestern, and Carnegie Mellon. The university is the top producer of Peace Corps volunteers.

  • Enrollment: 37,230 (undergraduate); 12,656 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $28,916 (in-state); $58,912 (out-of-state)
  • Median SAT: 1440
  • Median ACT: 30
  • Acceptance Rate: 49%
  • Retention Rate: 94%
  • Graduation Rate: 89%

#25 Best College for Psychology
The University of Texas at Austin

The University of Texas at Austin

  • Austin, TX

Academic Highlights: UT Austin offers over 150 majors, including those at the Cockrell School of Engineering, one of the most heralded undergraduate engineering schools around, and The McCombs School of Business, which dominates in the specialty areas of accounting and marketing. The computer science department is also top-ranked. In terms of degrees conferred, engineering is tied with biology (12%) followed by communication (11%), business (11%), and the social sciences (8%). The elite Plan II Honors Program is one of the best in the country.

Professional Outcomes: Within the College of Liberal Arts, six months after graduating, 68% of Longhorns are employed and 24% have entered graduate school. The for-profit sector attracts 65% of those employed while 19% enter public sector employment and 16% pursue jobs at a nonprofit. Major corporations that employ more than 500 UT Austin grads include Google, Meta, Oracle, Microsoft, IBM, and Apple. Engineering majors took home a median income of $79k and business majors took home $70k.

  • Enrollment: 41,309 (undergraduate); 11,075 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $30,752-$34,174 (in-state); $61,180-$69,310 (out-of-state)
  • Median SAT: 1430
  • Median ACT: 32
  • Acceptance Rate: 31%
  • Retention Rate: 95%
  • Graduation Rate: 88%

#26 Best College for Psychology
University of Rochester

University of Rochester

  • Rochester, NY

Academic Highlights: U of R’s 160 undergraduate programs offer a rigorous yet flexible educational experience at a small liberal arts college within a renowned research institution. 66% of sections enroll fewer than 20 students, and an impressive 77% of students are involved in undergraduate research. The Eastman School of Music is one of the best music conservatories in the United States, and the Hajim School of Engineering & Applied Sciences is a top 50 institution. Other strong majors include mathematics, economics, and political science.

Professional Outcomes: Six months after receiving their diplomas, 97% of Class of 2022 grads had achieved positive outcomes with 57% employed and a notably high 38% already pursuing an advanced degree. Popular industries included internet and software (14%), healthcare (14%), and investment banking (6%). Top employers of 2022 grads included Google, Goldman Sachs, Epic Systems, and Deloitte. The average starting salary for the most recent cohort of grads was an impressive $82,325; that figure was over $105k for graduates of the Hajim School of Engineering.

  • Enrollment: 6,767 (undergraduate); 5,430 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $85,858
  • Median SAT: 1460
  • Median ACT: 33
  • Acceptance Rate: 39%
  • Retention Rate: 92%
  • Graduation Rate: 90%

#27 Best College for Psychology
Carleton College

Carleton College

  • Northfield, MN

Academic Highlights: Students work closely with their professors, and the college is routinely rated atop lists of best undergraduate teaching institutions. Small classes are the norm with the average being only sixteen students. It offers 33 majors, the most popular of which are within the disciplines of the social sciences (19%), the physical sciences (14%), biology (11%), computer science (11%), mathematics (10%), and psychology (8%).

Professional Outcomes: Target, Epic Systems, Google, Wells Fargo, and Amazon all employ large numbers of graduates. Carleton is a breeding ground for future scholars as a ridiculously high number of graduates go on to earn PhDs. In fact, by percentage, Carleton is one of the top five producers in the country of future PhDs. They produce an incredible number of doctoral degree holders in the areas of economics, math, political science, sociology, chemistry, physics, biology, and history.

  • Enrollment: 2,034
  • Cost of Attendance: $82,167
  • Median SAT: 1490
  • Median ACT: 33
  • Acceptance Rate: 17%
  • Retention Rate: 95%
  • Graduation Rate: 91%

#28 Best College for Psychology
Emory University

Emory University

  • Atlanta, GA

Academic Highlights: This midsize university offers a diverse array of majors (80+) and minors (60+), and 30% of Emory students pursue more than one area of study. Over half of Emory’s student body works directly with a faculty member on academic research and 58% of courses have class sizes of under twenty students. Ultimately, the greatest number of students go on to earn degrees in the social sciences (15%), biology (14%), business (14%), health professions (12%), and mathematics (9%).

Professional Outcomes: Shortly after graduation, 66% of 2022 grads were already employed, and 96% had arrived at their next destination. The top employers of recent Emory grads include Deloitte, Epic, ScribeAmerica, Meta, Morgan Stanley, and Cloudmed. Graduates of the Goizueta Business School found strong starting salaries with an average of $81k.  In the last few years, multiple Emory grads/alums received acceptance letters from the following top law schools like Columbia, Berkeley, and Georgetown. Med school acceptances included Duke, Johns Hopkins, and Vanderbilt.

  • Enrollment: 7,101
  • Cost of Attendance: $83,702
  • Median SAT: 1500
  • Median ACT: 33
  • Acceptance Rate: 11%
  • Retention Rate: 95%
  • Graduation Rate: 90%

#29 Best College for Psychology
University of Minnesota–Twin Cities

University of Minnesota–Twin Cities

  • Minneapolis, MN

Academic Highlights: There are 150 majors available across eight freshman-admitting undergraduate colleges. 65% of class sections enroll 29 or fewer students. The most commonly conferred degrees are in biology (13%), business & marketing (11%), engineering (10%), the social sciences (10%), computer science (9%), and psychology (8%). The College of Science and Engineering and the Carlson School of Management have strong national reputations, and the chemistry, economics, psychology, and political science departments are also well-regarded.

Professional Outcomes: The top seven companies snatching up the largest number of recent grads are all companies headquartered in the state of Minnesota: Medtronic, Target, 3M, United Health Group, US Bank, and Cargill. Google, Apple, and Meta all employ hundreds of Twin Cities alumni. The mean starting salary for recent grads was $50k. With 130 graduate programs in science, art, engineering, agriculture, medicine, and the humanities, the University of Minnesota retains many of its graduates as they pursue their next degrees.

  • Enrollment: 39,248 (undergraduate); 15,707 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $33,032-$35,632 (in-state); $54,446-$57,046
  • Median SAT: 1370
  • Median ACT: 29
  • Acceptance Rate: 75%
  • Retention Rate: 90%
  • Graduation Rate: 84%

#30 Best College for Psychology
Cornell University

Cornell University

  • Ithaca, NY

Academic Highlights: A diverse array of academic programs includes 80 majors and 120 minors spread across the university’s seven schools/colleges. Classes are a bit larger at Cornell than at many other elite institutions. Still, 55% of sections have fewer than 20 students. Most degrees conferred in 2022 were in computer science (17%), engineering (13%), business (13%), and biology (13%). The SC Johnson College of Business houses two undergraduate schools, both of which have phenomenal reputations.

Professional Outcomes: Breaking down the graduates of the College of Arts and Sciences, the largest school at Cornell, 68% entered the workforce, 28% entered graduate school, 1% pursued other endeavors such as travel or volunteer work, and the remaining 3% were still seeking employment six months after receiving their diplomas. The top sectors attracting campus-wide graduateswere financial services (18%), technology (17%), consulting (15%), and education (10%). Of the students from A&S going on to graduate school, 15% were pursuing JDs, 5% MDs, and 22% PhDs.

  • Enrollment: 15,735
  • Cost of Attendance: $88,150
  • Median SAT: 1520
  • Median ACT: 34
  • Acceptance Rate: 7%
  • Retention Rate: 97%
  • Graduation Rate: 95%

#31 Best College for Psychology
Haverford College

Haverford College

  • Haverford, PA

Academic Highlights: Haverford offers 31 majors, 32 minors, 12 concentrations, and eleven consortium programs—areas of study that can be pursued at partner campuses. The school’s 9:1 student-to-faculty ratio and exclusive emphasis on undergraduate education lead to exceptionally intimate classes, 33% of which have fewer than 10 students, and 72% have fewer than 20. The most popular areas of study at Haverford include the social sciences (24%), biology (14%), psychology (11%), physical sciences (10%), computer science (9%), and mathematics (7%).

Professional Outcomes: Six months after leaving Haverford, 63% of the Class of 2022 had found employment, 19% had enrolled in graduate school, and 9% were still job hunting. Employers hiring multiple recent Haverford grads include Epic, JP Morgan Chase Bank, Boston Consulting Group, Goldman Sachs, the National Institutes of Health, and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Of the 19% of 2022 grads who elected to continue their education, the most commonly entered fields of study were STEM (51%) and medicine/health (15%).

  • Enrollment: 1,421
  • Cost of Attendance: $87,180
  • Median SAT: 1490
  • Median ACT: 34
  • Acceptance Rate: 14%
  • Retention Rate: 96%
  • Graduation Rate: 91%

#32 Best College for Psychology
Smith College

Smith College

  • Northampton, MA

Academic Highlights: Smith has 50 academic departments and programs. The social sciences are most popular, accounting for 21% of the degrees conferred, with programs in economics and government carrying very strong reputations. Next in line are biology (6%), computer science (5%), English (5%), data science (5%), and engineering science (5%); more than two-fifths of current students are majoring in a STEM field. 19% of undergraduate sections have single-digit enrollments, and 69% of total class sections enroll fewer than 20 students.

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of graduating, 97% of alumnae had found employment. More than 25 alumnae can be found at the US Department of State, Google, IBM, Johnson & Johnson, Accenture, Fidelity Investments, Deloitte, Microsoft, JPMorgan Chase, and Amazon. Within two years of graduating, 40% of alumni had already entered a graduate program, and within ten years, 70% had earned or were working toward an advanced degree. Many Smith women rise to high ranks —twenty years after graduation, 18% of alumnae report holding a chief executive or other executive-level position.

 

 

 

  • Enrollment: 2,523 (undergraduate); 350 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $88,980
  • Median SAT: 1440
  • Median ACT: 33
  • Acceptance Rate: 23%
  • Retention Rate: 91%
  • Graduation Rate: 89%

#33 Best College for Psychology
Yale University

Yale University

  • New Haven, CT

Academic Highlights: Yale offers 80 majors, most of which require a one- to two-semester senior capstone experience. Undergraduate research is a staple, and over 70% of classes—of which there are over 2,000 to choose from—have an enrollment of fewer than 20 students, making Yale a perfect environment for teaching and learning. Among the top departments are biology, economics, global affairs, engineering, history, and computer science. The social sciences (26%), biology (11%), mathematics (8%), and computer science (8%) are the most popular areas of concentration.

Professional Outcomes: Shortly after graduating, 73% of the Yale Class of 2022 had entered the world of employment and 18% matriculated into graduate programs. Hundreds of Yale alums can be found at each of the world’s top companies including Google, Goldman Sachs, McKinsey & Company, Morgan Stanley, and Microsoft. The most common industries entered by the newly hired were finance (20%), research/education (16%), technology (14%), and consulting (12%). The mean starting salary for last year’s grads was $81,769 ($120k for CS majors). Nearly one-fifth of students immediately pursue graduate school.

  • Enrollment: 6,590 (undergraduate); 5,344 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $87,705
  • Median SAT: 1540
  • Median ACT: 35
  • Acceptance Rate: 5%
  • Retention Rate: 98%
  • Graduation Rate: 98%

#34 Best College for Psychology
Pomona College

Pomona College

  • Claremont, CA

Academic Highlights: There are 48 majors and minors to select from with the most popular being social sciences (23%), biology (13%), and computer science (12%). Majors in economics, international relations, chemistry, and mathematics receive especially high marks. More than 600 courses are on the menu at Pomona alone, but students can access any of the Claremont Consortium’s 2,700 courses. Pomona’s 8:1 student-to-teacher ratio leads to an average class size of only 15 students, and over 50% of the undergraduate population conduct research alongside a faculty member.

Professional Outcomes: 71% of the Class of 2022 were employed within six months of graduating. Overall, the largest number of alumni can be found at Google, Kaiser Permanente, Microsoft, Amazon, and Meta. Recently, economics degree-earners have landed jobs at Goldman Sachs, Wells Fargo, Morgan Stanley, or Accenture. Majors in the hard sciences frequently landed at top research laboratories and hospitals. Of the 21% of 2022 grads who were accepted directly into graduate school, the most frequently attended institutions included the University of Cambridge, Duke, Harvard, Caltech, UChicago, and Stanford.

  • Enrollment: 1,761
  • Cost of Attendance: $88,296
  • Median SAT: 1520
  • Median ACT: 34
  • Acceptance Rate: 7%
  • Retention Rate: 96%
  • Graduation Rate: 93%

#35 Best College for Psychology
Colby College

Colby College

  • Waterville, ME

Academic Highlights: Offering 56 majors and 35 minors, Colby provides a classic liberal arts education with a high degree of flexibility and room for independent intellectual pursuits. A 10:1 student-to-faculty ratio is put to good instructional use as roughly two-thirds of courses have fewer than 19 students. Being a true liberal arts school, Colby has strengths across many disciplines, but biology, economics, and global studies draw especially high praise. These programs along with government and environmental science attract the highest number of students.

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of graduation, 93% of the Class of 2022 had either obtained jobs or were enrolled full-time in a graduate program. Eighteen percent of graduates enter the financial industry and large numbers also start careers in education, with government/nonprofit, STEM, and healthcare next in popularity. The Medical school acceptance rate over the past five years is 68%, nearly double the national average.

  • Enrollment: 2,299
  • Cost of Attendance: $86,720
  • Average SAT: 1485
  • Average ACT: 33
  • Acceptance Rate: 8%
  • Retention Rate: 93%
  • Graduation Rate: 87%

#36 Best College for Psychology
College of William & Mary

College of William & Mary

  • Williamsburg, VA

Academic Highlights: Forty undergraduate programs are available and William & Mary has a 13:1 student-to-faculty ratio. Class sizes are rarely tiny seminars, but 44% do enroll fewer than twenty students, and only 9% contain more than fifty. Among the college’s most notable academic programs are (1) government and (2) international relations, both of which serve as pipelines to Washington, DC, employers. The Mason School of Business is highly regarded in the corporate world. The social sciences (20%) and biology (11%) are also popular.

Professional Outcomes: 52% of the most cohort joined the workforce, and 36% entered graduate school within six months of graduation. Over 500 employers snatched up at least one member of the Tribe. Companies hiring at least four 2020 grads included Accenture, Booz Allen Hamilton, KPMG, and Deloitte. Many of those opting for immediate entry into graduate school stayed at their alma mater and the next most frequented universities included Columbia, Duke, Harvard, Northwestern, and the University of Chicago.

  • Enrollment: 6,797
  • Cost of Attendance: $39,595 (In-State); $63,967 (Out-of-State)
  • Median SAT: 1460
  • Median ACT: 33
  • Acceptance Rate: 33%
  • Retention Rate: 94%
  • Graduation Rate: 91%

#37 Best College for Psychology
Tufts University

Tufts University

  • Medford, MA

Academic Highlights: Three schools serve Tufts’ undergraduate population: the College of Arts & Sciences, the College of Engineering, and the School of the Museum of Fine Arts. The three schools combined offer more than 90 majors and minors; approximately one-third of all students double major, and half declare a minor. 15% of all courses see fewer than ten students enrolled, and 60% have sub-twenty enrollments. The most popular majors include international relations, economics, computer science, political science, and biology—all of which receive very high marks.

Professional Outcomes: Six months after earning their diplomas, 97% of 2022 graduates were employed or attending graduate school. The most commonly entered fields were finance, consulting, real estate (23%); engineering and technology (22%); health, life sciences, environmental (21%); and education, advocacy, social services (11%). Prolific employers of Tufts alums include Booz Allen Hamilton, JPMorgan, MITRE, Google, Deloitte, Amazon, Raytheon, Morgan Stanley, and BlackRock. Of the 21% of 2022 grads who went directly to graduate school, 85% were accepted into their first-choice institution.

  • Enrollment: 6,815 (undergraduate); 6,616 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $88,300
  • Median SAT: 1500
  • Median ACT: 34
  • Acceptance Rate: 10%
  • Retention Rate: 96%
  • Graduation Rate: 94%

#38 Best College for Psychology
Northwestern University

Northwestern University

  • Evanston, IL

Academic Highlights: Northwestern is home to six undergraduate schools, including Medill, which is widely regarded as one of the country’s best journalism schools. The McCormick School of Engineering also achieves top rankings, along with programs in economics, social policy, and theatre. The social sciences account for the greatest number of degrees conferred (19%), followed by communications/journalism (13%), and engineering (11%). 45% of classes have nine or fewer students enrolled; 78% have fewer than twenty enrollees. 57% of recent grads had the chance to conduct undergraduate research.

Professional Outcomes: Six months after graduating, 69% of the Class of 2022 had found employment and 27% were in graduate school. The four most popular professional fields were consulting (18%), engineering (18%), business/finance (16%), and communications/marketing/media (13%). Employers included the BBC, NBC News, The Washington Post, NPR, Boeing, Google, IBM, Deloitte, PepsiCo, Northrop Grumman, and Goldman Sachs. Across all majors, the average starting salary was $73k. Of those headed straight to graduate school, engineering, medicine, and business were the three most popular areas of concentration.

  • Enrollment: 8,659 (undergraduate); 14,073 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $91,290
  • Median SAT: 1530
  • Median ACT: 34
  • Acceptance Rate: 7%
  • Retention Rate: 98%
  • Graduation Rate: 97%

#39 Best College for Psychology
Brandeis University

Brandeis University

  • Waltham, MA

Academic Highlights: Brandeis offers 43 majors, the most popular of which are in the social sciences (18%), biology (17%), business (10%), psychology (8%), public administration (8%), and computer science (7%). The student-faculty ratio is 11:1, and 60% of courses contain nineteen or fewer students. Departments with a particularly strong national reputation include economics, international studies, and sociology as well as all of the traditional premed pathways including biology, and chemistry.

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of graduation, 98% of the Class of 2022 had found their way to employment (59%), graduate school (35%), or another full-time activity like travel or volunteer work (4%). Members of the Class of 2022 were hired by Red Hat, Deloitte, Nasdaq, NPR, and McKinsey & Company. The average starting salary for recent grads is $61k. A large contingent of grads elects to continue at Brandeis for graduate school. Many others go to BU, Columbia, Duke, Harvard, and Yale.

  • Enrollment: 3,687
  • Cost of Attendance: $86,242
  • Median SAT: 1440
  • Median ACT: 33
  • Acceptance Rate: 39%
  • Retention Rate: 91%
  • Graduation Rate: 87%

#40 Best College for Psychology
Brown University

Brown University

  • Providence, RI

Academic Highlights: Students must choose one of 80+ “concentration programs,” but there are no required courses. Class sizes tend to be small—68% have fewer than twenty students—and 35% are comprised of nine or fewer students. Biology, economics, computer science, mathematics, and engineering are among the most popular areas of concentration at Brown; however, it is hard to distinguish any one program, because Brown possesses outstanding offerings across so many disciplines.

Professional Outcomes: Soon after receiving their Brown diplomas, 69% of graduates enter the world of employment. Companies employing the greatest number of Brown alums include Google, Microsoft, Goldman Sachs, Amazon, Morgan Stanley, Apple, McKinsey & Company, and Bain & Company. The Class of 2022 saw 27% of graduates go directly into graduate/professional school. Right out of undergrad, Brown students boasted an exceptional 81% admission rate to med school and an 81% admission rate to law school.

  • Enrollment: 7,639
  • Cost of Attendance: $84,828
  • Median SAT: 1530
  • Median ACT: 35
  • Acceptance Rate: 5%
  • Retention Rate: 99%
  • Graduation Rate: 96%

#41 Best College for Psychology
Vassar College

Vassar College

  • Poughkeepsie, NY

Academic Highlights: Vassar students have the choice of 50 majors and only three foundational curricular mandates, which means that there is plenty of room to explore electives and intellectual passions. A 7:1 student-to-faculty ratio leads to an average class size of 17 students, and 23% of all sections have an enrollment of nine or fewer. Professors are extremely available outside the classroom. The most popular majors are in the social sciences, biology, the visual and performing arts, foreign languages, and psychology.

Professional Outcomes: 93% of alums enjoy positive outcomes within six months of graduation, with 20% enrolling directly in a graduate or professional degree program. A solid number land at competitive companies like Google, Meta, EY, Deloitte, Microsoft, Citi, and Amazon. Elite universities such as Harvard, Penn, NYU, and Columbia are also among the top employers of former students, many of whom earn advanced degrees and enter academia. The school is one of the top 15 PhD producers.

  • Enrollment: 2,459
  • Cost of Attendance: $85,220
  • Median SAT: 1480
  • Median ACT: 33
  • Acceptance Rate: 19%
  • Retention Rate: 94%
  • Graduation Rate: 92%

#42 Best College for Psychology
University of Southern California

University of Southern California

  • Los Angeles, CA

Academic Highlights: There are 140 undergraduate majors and minors within the Dornsife College of Arts & Sciences alone, the university’s oldest and largest school. The Marshall School of Business, Viterbi School of Engineering, and programs in communication, the cinematic arts, and the performing arts are highly acclaimed. Popular areas of study are business (22%), social sciences (11%), visual and performing arts (11%), communications/journalism (9%), and engineering (8%). Most courses enroll 10-19 students, and USC does an excellent job facilitating undergraduate research opportunities.

Professional Outcomes: 96% of undergrads experience positive postgraduation outcomes within six months of earning their degree. The top five industries entered were finance, consulting, advertising, software development, and engineering; the median salary across all majors is an astounding $79k. Presently, between 300 and 1,500 alumni are employed at each of Google, Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, KPMG, Goldman Sachs, and Meta. Graduate/professional schools enrolling the greatest number of 2022 USC grads include NYU, Georgetown, Harvard, Stanford, Pepperdine, and UCLA.

  • Enrollment: 20,699 (undergraduate); 28,246 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $90,921
  • Median SAT: 1510
  • Median ACT: 34
  • Acceptance Rate: 12%
  • Retention Rate: 97%
  • Graduation Rate: 93%

#43 Best College for Psychology
Skidmore College

Skidmore College

  • Saratoga Springs, NY

Academic Highlights: An undergraduate-only institution, there are 40+ majors to choose from with the most popular being business, English, psychology, political science, economics, studio art, theater, biology, and environmental studies. Known for its superior undergraduate teaching, Skidmore’s average class size is only 16 students, and 98% of sections have fewer than thirty students. The most degrees are conferred in the social sciences (17%), business (14%), visual and performing arts (13%), and biology (12%).

Professional Outcomes: 65% of 2022 grads were employed within six months of completing their degrees and 26% were enrolled in graduate school. The most frequently entered industries were STEM (20%), business (17%), education (16%), health science (9%), and finance (7%). The median starting salary range for Class of 2022 grads was $40,000-$49,000. Fairly large numbers of Skiddies can be found at major corporations including Google, Morgan Stanley, EY, Amazon, JPMorgan Chase, Fidelity Investments, and IBM.

  • Enrollment: 2,776
  • Cost of Attendance: $85,240
  • Median SAT: 1380
  • Median ACT: 32
  • Acceptance Rate: 23%
  • Retention Rate: 89%
  • Graduation Rate: 82%

#44 Best College for Psychology
Rice University

Rice University

  • Houston, TX

Academic Highlights: Rice offers more than 50 majors across six broad disciplines: engineering, architecture, music, social science, humanities, and natural science. Programs in biology, biochemistry, cognitive science, and music are incredibly strong, while the School of Architecture and the George R. Brown School of Engineering are among the highest-ranking schools in their disciplines. One-third of computer science majors are female, almost twice the national average. Class sizes are ideally small with 66% containing fewer than 20 students and a median class size of only fourteen.

Professional Outcomes: Six months after graduation, 88% of Rice grads have found careers or a graduate school home. Companies that employ many recent grads include Deloitte, Capital One, JP Morgan Chase, Google, and Microsoft. Over one hundred alumni are also current employees of companies such as Shell, ExxonMobil, Chevron, Amazon, Accenture, and Meta. Across all majors, the average starting salary is $73k. One-third of graduates move directly into graduate or professional school, with Harvard, Yale, Stanford, MIT, Columbia, and Berkeley being the most popular destinations.

  • Enrollment: 4,494 (undergraduate); 4,178 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $78,278
  • Median SAT: 1530
  • Median SAT: 35
  • Acceptance Rate: 9%
  • Retention Rate: 94%
  • Graduation Rate: 98%

#45 Best College for Psychology
Bucknell University

Bucknell University

  • Lewisburg, PA

Academic Highlights: Over 60 majors and 70 minors are on tap across three undergraduate schools: the College of Arts & Sciences, Freeman College of Management, and the College of Engineering. Getting well-acquainted with your professors is easy with a 9:1 student-faculty ratio, and class sizes are reasonably small. The greatest number of degrees are conferred in the areas of the social sciences (26%), engineering (14%), business (14%), biology (11%), and psychology (9%).

Professional Outcomes: Nine months after graduation, 94% of the Class of 2022 had launched their careers or entered graduate school. Financial services is the most common sector for Bucknell grads to enter, attracting 24% of alumni. Across all disciplines, the average salary for a Class of 2022 grad was $69,540. Bucknell saw 18% of 2022 grads go directly into an advanced degree program. Bison alumni heading to graduate school predominantly pursue degrees in the medical field, social sciences, business, or engineering.

  • Enrollment: 3,747
  • Cost of Attendance: $80,890
  • Median SAT: 1380
  • Median ACT: 32
  • Acceptance Rate: 33%
  • Retention Rate: 91%
  • Graduation Rate: 87%

#46 Best College for Psychology
Connecticut College

Connecticut College

  • New London, CT

Academic Highlights: In typical liberal arts fashion, students are required to complete one course in every major discipline and over one-quarter of undergrads complete a double major. The student-faculty ratio is an inviting 10:1, and 69% of classes contain fewer than 20 students; 19% contain fewer than ten. In terms of the most frequently conferred degrees, the social sciences at large lead the way (30%), followed by biology (17%), visual and performing arts (9%), psychology (8%), and computer science (5%).

Professional Outcomes: One year after graduating, 95% of alumni are employed or in graduate school. A solid 20% of recent grads entered the finance industry, but a large swath also veered toward education (17%); art, design, and entertainment (11%); and health care (11%). Conn College students are known for being grad school ready as a surprising (given the small size of the school) 27 alumni earn their doctoral degrees each year and it is common for multiple students to land at prestigious schools such as NYU, Columbia, and Yale.

  • Enrollment: 1,948
  • Cost of Attendance: $82,697
  • Median SAT: 1300
  • Median ACT: 30
  • Acceptance Rate: 40%
  • Retention Rate: 87%
  • Graduation Rate: 84%

#47 Best College for Psychology
Grinnell College

Grinnell College

  • Grinnell, IA

Academic Highlights: Grinnell offers 42 areas of study and over 500 courses each semester. Thanks to a 9:1 student/faculty ratio and no competition from graduate students, 64% of classes have fewer than twenty students, and roughly one-quarter of sections have single-digit student enrollments. A top producer of PhDs in both the sciences and the social sciences, Grinnell has strong offerings in biology, chemistry, physics, economics, and history. The largest number of degrees are conferred in the social sciences, foreign languages, biology, and computer science.

Professional Outcomes: Upon graduation, 62% of Grinnell students head into the workforce, 26% to graduate school, 2% to postgraduate service, and 2% earned fellowships. Multiple recent grads accepted positions with JPMorgan, Epic, and Google. The mean salary of those employed was roughly $64,397. Close to 40% of those entering graduate school pursue PhDs or master’s degrees in the hard sciences, 8% head to law school, and 3% were bound for medical school; 88% of all applicants were accepted into their first or second choice program.

  • Enrollment: 1,759
  • Cost of Attendance: $82,890
  • Median SAT: 1460
  • Median ACT: 33
  • Acceptance Rate: 11%
  • Retention Rate: 93%
  • Graduation Rate: 88%

#48 Best College for Psychology
Vanderbilt University

Vanderbilt University

  • Nashville, TN

Academic Highlights: Four of Vandy’s ten schools cater to undergrads: the College of Arts and Sciences, the Blair School of Music, the Peabody College of Education and Human Development, and the School of Engineering. In the 2022-23 school year, 87% of course sections contained 19 or fewer students. Of the 70 undergraduate majors, economics, politics and government, and neuroscience are the most popular. The School of Engineering has a strong national reputation as do offerings in biology, economics, education, and music.

Professional Outcomes: Six months after graduating, 96% of the Class of 2021 were employed or in graduate school. The most commonly entered industry was finance followed by technology, consulting, education, and engineering. Alumni can be found in droves at Capital One, Goldman Sachs, Bain & Company, JP Morgan Chase, Citi, and Meta. Among 2022 alumni who directly pursued advanced degrees, the majority enrolled at Vanderbilt followed by Columbia, Harvard, Penn, NYU, and Northwestern.

  • Enrollment: 7,151 (undergraduate); 6,559 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $89,590
  • Median SAT: 1530
  • Median ACT: 35
  • Acceptance Rate: 7%
  • Retention Rate: 96%
  • Graduation Rate: 93%

#49 Best College for Psychology
Binghamton University

Binghamton University

  • Binghamton, NY

Academic Highlights: The student-to-faculty ratio is on the high side at 19:1, but class sizes are reasonably small with 48% of sections containing fewer than twenty students. In the spring of 2022, Binghamton awarded the greatest number of degrees in business (17%), biology (15%), the social sciences, (11%), engineering (11%), and health professions (7%). The School of Management is renowned for its accounting program and is well-known by NYC-based companies. Programs in chemistry, psychology, and nursing are also well respected.

Professional Outcomes: The Class of 2022 saw 50% of job-seeking graduates land their first professional job and 49% enter grad school within six months of commencement. The average starting salary procured was $72,438, well above the national average for college grads. Graduates were successful in finding employment at firms like Morgan Stanley, JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs, and Citigroup. Of the Binghamton grads seeking to transition directly into graduate studies, 91% were already enrolled in a program six months after graduation.

  • Enrollment: 14,402
  • Cost of Attendance: $30,577 (in-state); $48,617 (out-of-state)
  • Median SAT: 1430
  • Median ACT: 31
  • Acceptance Rate: 42%
  • Retention Rate: 91%
  • Graduation Rate: 82%

#50 Best College for Psychology
University of Colorado Boulder

University of Colorado Boulder

  • Boulder, CO

Academic Highlights: CU Boulder offers 90 bachelor’s degree programs across seven different schools and colleges; the College of Engineering & Applied Science and the Leeds School of Business both possess excellent national reputations. Business/marketing is the discipline where the greatest number of degrees (15%) were conferred in 2022. Engineering (13%), biology (12%), social sciences (12%), and journalism (10%) are next in popularity. 41% of classes have fewer than 20 students, and only 19% of courses enroll 50 or more students.

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of leaving CU Boulder, 91% of recent grads were working or in graduate school. Those employed earned an estimated median salary of $54k, with the greatest number working at Lockheed Martin, Ball Aerospace, Deloitte, Qualcomm, Northrop Grumman, KPMG, Charles Schwab, and Boeing. More than 100 alumni can also be found at Google, Oracle, Amazon, Apple, and Microsoft. 20% of new grads immediately jumped into an advanced degree program, and 80% were accepted into their first-choice school.

  • Enrollment: 31,103 (undergraduate); 7,110 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $31,744 (in-state); $60,118 (out-of-state)
  • Median SAT: 1280
  • Median ACT: 29
  • Acceptance Rate: 79%
  • Retention Rate: 88%
  • Graduation Rate: 75%

We hope you have found our list of the Best Colleges for Psychology to be useful and informative as you continue your college search process. We also invite you to check out some of our other resources and tools including: