Best colleges for psychology
Colleges that offer a bachelor’s in psychology, ranked by Compass Score.
Best colleges for psychology1,418 schools
1,418 schools qualify, ranked by the Compass Score. The top 25 are shown.
How this list is made
- Accredited four-year undergraduate colleges.
- Offers a bachelor’s program in psychology, from the College Scorecard field-of-study data (credential level 3).
- Each school needs a complete Compass Score, so every row shows a rating.
- Ordered by Compass Score, highest first. Schools with the same score share a rank.
Updated Oct. 20, 2026. Methodology. Spot an error? Send a correction.
- 1
Princeton University
Princeton, NJ · Private nonprofitIvy LeagueHonor Roll#1 in New Jersey
- Bachelor’s program in psychology
- Value grade A+ · Top 1%
- 2
Stanford University
Stanford, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Bachelor’s program in psychology
- Value grade A+ · Top 1%
- 3
Rice University
Houston, TX · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in Texas
- Bachelor’s program in psychology
- Value grade A+ · Top 1%
- 4
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in Maryland
- Bachelor’s program in psychology
- Value grade A+ · Top 2%
- 5Tie
University of Chicago
Chicago, IL · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in Illinois
- Bachelor’s program in psychology
- Value grade A+ · Top 2%
- 5Tie
Williams College
Williamstown, MA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Bachelor’s program in psychology
- Value grade A+ · Top 3%
- 7
Yale University
New Haven, CT · Private nonprofitIvy LeagueHonor Roll#1 in Connecticut
- Bachelor’s program in psychology
- Value grade A · Top 8%
- 8Tie
Brown University
Providence, RI · Private nonprofitIvy LeagueHonor Roll#1 in Rhode Island
- Bachelor’s program in psychology
- Value grade A · Top 9%
- 8Tie
Harvard University
Cambridge, MA · Private nonprofitIvy LeagueHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Bachelor’s program in psychology
- Value grade A · Top 4%
- 10
Wellesley College
Wellesley, MA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Bachelor’s program in psychology
- Value grade A · Top 7%
- 11
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in Tennessee
- Bachelor’s program in psychology
- Value grade A+ · Top 2%
- 12
Pomona College
Claremont, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Bachelor’s program in psychology
- Value grade A+ · Top 3%
- 13
Duke University
Durham, NC · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in North Carolina
- Bachelor’s program in psychology
- Value grade B+ · Top 23%
- 14
United States Military Academy
West Point, NY · PublicHonor Roll#1 in New York
- Bachelor’s program in psychology
- 15Tie
Amherst College
Amherst, MA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Bachelor’s program in psychology
- Value grade A · Top 8%
- 15Tie
Claremont McKenna College
Claremont, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Bachelor’s program in psychology
- Value grade B+ · Top 22%
- 17
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY · Private nonprofitIvy LeagueHonor Roll#2 in New York
- Bachelor’s program in psychology
- Value grade B+ · Top 22%
- 18
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA · Private nonprofitIvy LeagueHonor RollTop 1% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in psychology
- Value grade B+ · Top 27%
- 19
Northwestern University
Evanston, IL · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Bachelor’s program in psychology
- Value grade B+ · Top 27%
- 20
Hillsdale College
Hillsdale, MI · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in Michigan
- Bachelor’s program in psychology
- 21
Washington University in St. Louis
St. Louis, MO · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in Missouri
- Bachelor’s program in psychology
- Value grade A- · Top 11%
- 22
Bowdoin College
Brunswick, ME · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in Maine
- Bachelor’s program in psychology
- Value grade A+ · Top 3%
- 23
Haverford College
Haverford, PA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Bachelor’s program in psychology
- Value grade A- · Top 13%
- 24Tie
Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY · Private nonprofitIvy LeagueHonor RollTop 2% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in psychology
- Value grade A- · Top 19%
- 24Tie
Davidson College
Davidson, NC · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Bachelor’s program in psychology
- Value grade A · Top 5%
Compare cost and outcomes
| School | Net price a year | Median debt | Earnings 10 years out | Graduation rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Princeton University | About $6,000 | $10,320 | $110,066 | 98% |
| Stanford University | About $14,000 | $12,000 | $124,080 | 92% |
| Rice University | About $13,000 | $11,000 | $89,718 | 95% |
| Johns Hopkins University | About $19,000 | $10,250 | $87,555 | 94% |
| University of Chicago | About $15,000 | $15,000 | $91,885 | 96% |
| Williams College | About $18,000 | $12,761 | $88,665 | 94% |
| Yale University | About $24,000 | $12,975 | $100,533 | 96% |
| Brown University | About $25,000 | $11,428 | $93,487 | 96% |
| Harvard University | About $19,000 | $14,000 | $101,817 | 98% |
| Wellesley College | About $25,000 | $10,000 | $84,803 | 92% |
| Vanderbilt University | About $16,000 | $14,000 | $91,565 | 94% |
| Pomona College | About $19,000 | $11,782 | $77,779 | 93% |
| Duke University | About $30,000 | $13,000 | $97,800 | 97% |
| United States Military Academy | — | — | — | 87% |
| Amherst College | About $23,000 | $13,740 | $77,644 | 94% |
| Claremont McKenna College | About $29,000 | $13,500 | $104,736 | 91% |
| Cornell University | About $29,000 | $14,000 | $104,043 | 95% |
| University of Pennsylvania | About $29,000 | $15,715 | $111,371 | 97% |
| Northwestern University | About $29,000 | $15,000 | $89,363 | 95% |
| Hillsdale College | — | — | — | 90% |
| Washington University in St. Louis | About $22,000 | $17,500 | $86,182 | 94% |
| Bowdoin College | About $14,000 | $18,500 | $82,735 | 95% |
| Haverford College | About $25,000 | $13,621 | $79,966 | 90% |
| Columbia University in the City of New York | About $22,000 | $21,500 | $102,491 | 96% |
| Davidson College | About $17,000 | $18,688 | $81,400 | 91% |
Net price is the average yearly cost after grants. Federal data (College Scorecard). “—” means the school reports no figure.
By state
- Alabama 24
- Alaska 3
- Arizona 11
- Arkansas 20
- California 74
- Colorado 16
- Connecticut 24
- Delaware 4
- District of Columbia 8
- Florida 44
- Georgia 46
- Hawaii 5
- Idaho 7
- Illinois 49
- Indiana 42
- Iowa 27
- Kansas 23
- Kentucky 26
- Louisiana 22
- Maine 11
- Maryland 22
- Massachusetts 51
- Michigan 36
- Minnesota 32
- Mississippi 13
- Missouri 38
- Montana 8
- Nebraska 16
- Nevada 3
- New Hampshire 12
- New Jersey 25
- New Mexico 7
- New York 96
- North Carolina 51
- North Dakota 8
- Ohio 71
- Oklahoma 23
- Oregon 18
- Pennsylvania 105
- Puerto Rico 22
- Rhode Island 9
- South Carolina 30
- South Dakota 8
- Tennessee 34
- Texas 71
- Utah 8
- Vermont 8
- Virginia 41
- Washington 21
- West Virginia 14
- Wisconsin 28