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Best universities for psychology degrees in the US 2024

Explore the best universities the US for psychology degrees using data from the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024

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November 7 2023
best universities in the US for psychology degrees

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Top 10 universities in the US for psychology degrees 2024

Scroll down for the full list of best universities for psychology in the US

US psychology rank 2024 Psychology rank 2024 UniversityState 
1 1 Stanford UniversityCalifornia
2 2 Princeton UniversityNew Jersey
3 4 Harvard UniversityMassachusetts
4 5 University of California, BerkeleyCalifornia
5 7 Yale UniversityConnecticut
6 8 University of PennsylvaniaPennsylvania
7 9 The University of ChicagoIllinois
8 11 University of Michigan-Ann ArborMichigan
9 12 University of California, Los AngelesCalifornia
10 13 Columbia UniversityNew York

The US higher education system offers flexible course options, and most undergraduates can study a range of subjects before declaring their specialisation or major at the end of their second year.

Psychology is a popular major or minor choice for students in the US. Students can study a range of topics, including cognitive psychology, social behaviours and abnormal psychology. Students often get the chance to be involved in research projects with academics at their institutions.

Postgraduate options are varied and usually require students to undertake a large independent research project. 

Below are the best universities in the US for psychology degrees. 


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5. Yale University

Yale University's department of psychology offers programmes in psychology to undergraduates, postgraduates and PhD candidates.

Undergraduate students are able to pursue a psychology major or students more interested in neuroscience can take the neuroscience track. Students are able to then specialise further based on their interests and career goals. Undergraduate students are also able to take part in research opportunities within the department. 

The department offers doctoral training in the following areas: clinical psychology, cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, neuroscience, and social/personality psychology. Applicants must indicate which of these areas they wish to focus on. 

The Psychology department was established at Yale University in the 1940s by Carl Hovland.

4. University of California, Berkeley

The University of California, Berkeley’s department of psychology was established as a stand-alone department in 1921, having previously been part of the department of philosophy.

UC Berkeley offers undergraduate and graduate degree programmes in psychology, focusing on six areas: behavioural neuroscience; cognition; development; clinical science; cognitive neuroscience and social-personality psychology.

Undergraduates can study either a major or a minor in psychology. There is a wide range of co-curricular activities for undergraduates, such as research, internships and field study.

The UC Berkeley Psychology Clinic has served the public of the Bay Area for more than 50 years and provides training to psychology students to help them prepare for their professional future.


What can you do with a psychology degree?


3. Harvard University

Psychology is one of the most popular courses among Harvard University undergraduates, and the subject can be studied alongside a range of other disciplines.

The undergraduate major in psychology at Harvard offers courses from introductory level to more advanced as students progress through their degree. 

Students are given flexibility in their learning through a number of tracks, such as the general cognitive neuroscience and evolutionary psychology track or the cognitive science track.

The graduate programme in psychology at Harvard covers four major research areas: cognition, brain and behaviour; developmental psychology; social psychology and clinical science. 

2. Princeton University

Princeton University is a member of the Ivy League and its psychology department, was established more than a century ago.

Princeton undergraduates can study the psychology major as part of the Bachelor of Arts programme.

As well as learning about the psychology of language, movement and social interaction, students will learn basic statistical methods. They will also undertake courses in neuroscience.

At the graduate level, students can undertake the Doctor of Philosophy with psychology as their specialism.

The department is closely affiliated with the Center for the Study of Brain, Mind and Behaviour (CSBMB), which conducts research on the neural underpinnings of psychological function. The CSBMB houses facilities for the study of brain function, including a research-dedicated, high-field fMRI scanner, an EEG laboratory, an eye-tracking laboratory and high-performance computing facilities for data analysis and computational modelling.

1. Stanford University

Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, Stanford University was founded in 1885 by Jane and Leland Stanford.

The psychology department was one of the first to be established at the institution. 

Psychology courses at Stanford are split into five major areas: affective science, neuroscience, cognitive psychology, developmental psychology and social psychology. Students can choose courses from any of these departments.

Undergraduates can take the psychology major or minor programme as part of a Bachelor of Arts degree. They will study a range of topics, including abnormal psychology, cultural psychology and clinical psychology. Undergraduates also have the opportunity to conduct independent research for course credit. 

Graduate courses are available through Stanford’s extended doctorate in psychology programme, where no master’s degree is required. 

Among the department’s famous work is the Stanford prison experiment of the 1970s, which investigated the effects of perceived power on people’s conduct. The Stanford marshmallow experiment looked at delayed gratification in children and was completed in the same decade.


Top universities in the US for psychology degrees 2024

Click each institution to view its full World University Rankings 2024 results 

US psychology rank 2024Psychology rank 2024 UniversityState 
11 Stanford UniversityCalifornia
22 Princeton UniversityNew Jersey
34 Harvard UniversityMassachusetts
45 University of California, BerkeleyCalifornia
57 Yale UniversityConnecticut
68 University of PennsylvaniaPennsylvania
79 The University of ChicagoIllinois
811 University of Michigan-Ann ArborMichigan
912 University of California, Los AngelesCalifornia
1013 Columbia UniversityNew York
1114 New York UniversityNew York
=12=20 Duke UniversityNorth Carolina
=12=20 Johns Hopkins UniversityMaryland
1424 Northwestern UniversityIllinois
15=25 University of MinnesotaMinnesota
1627 Carnegie Mellon UniversityPennsylvania
1729 Cornell UniversityNew York
1833 University of Texas at AustinTexas
1934 University of California, DavisCalifornia
2035 University of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignIllinois
2138 University of California, IrvineCalifornia
22=39 University of California, San DiegoCalifornia
2341 Vanderbilt UniversityTennessee
2442 University of WashingtonWashington
2543 University of Wisconsin-MadisonWisconsin
2645 University of Virginia (Main campus)Virginia
27=46 Ohio State University (Main campus)Ohio
2848 Brown UniversityRhode Island
2949 University of North Carolina at Chapel HillNorth Carolina
3052 Washington University in St LouisMissouri
31=54 Indiana UniversityIndiana
3257 Boston UniversityMassachusetts
3358 Penn State (Main campus)Pennsylvania
3460 University of Maryland, College ParkMaryland
3567 Purdue University West LafayetteIndiana
36=74 University of California, Santa BarbaraCalifornia
3778 University of RochesterNew York
3881 Michigan State UniversityMichigan
3985 University of FloridaFlorida
4087 Dartmouth CollegeNew Hampshire
4190 University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh campusPennsylvania
=42=95 University of Colorado BoulderColorado
=42=95 University of IowaIowa
44100 University of Southern CaliforniaCalifornia
=45101–125 Arizona State University (Tempe)Arizona
=45101–125 University of ConnecticutConnecticut
=45101–125 Emory UniversityGeorgia
=45101–125 University of MassachusettsMassachusetts
=45101–125 University of Notre DameIndiana
=50126–150 University of ArizonaArizona
=50126–150 Florida State UniversityFlorida
=50126–150 University of GeorgiaGeorgia
=50126–150 Georgia Institute of TechnologyGeorgia
=50126–150 Northeastern University, USIllinois
=50126–150 Stony Brook UniversityNew York
=56151–175 University of DenverColorado
=56151–175 George Washington UniversityWashington
=56151–175 Mizzou - University of MissouriMissouri
=56151–175 Rutgers University – New BrunswickNew Jersey
=56151–175 Washington State UniversityWashington
=61176–200 Boston CollegeMassachusetts
=61176–200 University of California, RiversideCalifornia
=61176–200 University of California, Santa CruzCalifornia
=61176–200 Drexel UniversityPennsylvania
=61176–200 University of MiamiFlorida
=61176–200 University of Nebraska-LincolnNebraska
=61176–200 Texas A&M UniversityTexas
=61176–200 Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityVirginia
=69201–250 University of DelawareDelaware
=69201–250 Florida International UniversityFlorida
=69201–250 George Mason UniversityVirginia
=69201–250 University of Illinois ChicagoIllinois
=69201–250 Iowa State UniversityIowa
=69201–250 University of KansasKansas
=69201–250 North Carolina State UniversityNorth Carolina
=69201–250 University of OregonOregon
=69201–250 Rice UniversityTexas
=69201–250 University of South FloridaFlorida
=69201–250 Temple UniversityPennsylvania
=69201–250 Tufts UniversityMassachusetts
=69201–250 Virginia Commonwealth UniversityVirginia
=82251–300 Baylor UniversityTexas
=82251–300 Bowling Green State UniversityOhio
=82251–300 University at BuffaloNew York
=82251–300 University of California, MercedCalifornia
=82251–300 Case Western Reserve UniversityOhio
=82251–300 Clark UniversityMassachusetts
=82251–300 University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical CampusColorado
=82251–300 Georgia State UniversityGeorgia
=82251–300 University of HoustonTexas
=82251–300 University of KentuckyKentucky
=82251–300 Saint Louis UniversityMissouri
=82251–300 University of ToledoOhio
=82251–300 University of UtahUtah
=82251–300 Wake Forest UniversityNorth Carolina
=96301–400 University of ArkansasArkansas
=96301–400 Auburn UniversityAlabama
=96301–400 Brandeis UniversityMassachusetts
=96301–400 University of Central FloridaFlorida
=96301–400 Colorado State University, Fort CollinsColorado
=96301–400 Florida Atlantic UniversityFlorida
=96301–400 University of Hawai’i at MānoaHawai'i
=96301–400 Kansas State UniversityKansas
=96301–400 Lehigh UniversityPennsylvania
=96301–400 Louisiana State UniversityLouisiana
=96301–400 University of MemphisTennessee
=96301–400 University of Nevada, Las VegasNevada
=96301–400 The New SchoolNew York
=96301–400 Northern Illinois UniversityIllinois
=96301–400 Ohio University (Main campus)Ohio
=96301–400 Oklahoma State UniversityOklahoma
=96301–400 Portland State UniversityOhio
=96301–400 San Diego State UniversityCalifornia
=96301–400 University of South Carolina-ColumbiaSouth Carolina
=96301–400 SUNY Binghamton UniversityNew York
=96301–400 Syracuse UniversityNew York
=96301–400 University of Texas at ArlingtonTexas
=96301–400 Texas Tech UniversityTexas
=96301–400 Tulane UniversityLouisiana
=96301–400 Wayne State UniversityMichigan
=121401–500 University of AlabamaAlabama
=121401–500 American UniversityWashington
=121401–500 Central Michigan UniversityMichigan
=121401–500 Chapman UniversityCalifornia
=121401–500 Illinois Institute of TechnologyIllinois
=121401–500 Marquette UniversityWisconsin
=121401–500 Mississippi State UniversityMississippi
=121401–500 University of North Carolina at CharlotteNorth Carolina
=121401–500 Old Dominion UniversityVirginia
=121401–500 University of Rhode IslandRhode Island
=121401–500 Rochester Institute of TechnologyNew York
=121401–500 The University of Tennessee-KnoxvilleTennessee
=121401–500 University of Texas at DallasTexas
=121401–500 University of Texas at El PasoTexas
=121401–500 The University of Texas at San AntonioTexas
=121401–500 Texas State UniversityTexas
=121401–500 Western Michigan UniversityMichigan
=121401–500 William & MaryVirginia
=121401–500 University of WyomingWyoming
=140501–600 Adelphi UniversityNew York
=140501–600 Florida Institute of TechnologyFlorida
=140501–600 Georgia Southern UniversityGeorgia
=140501–600 University of Maryland, Baltimore CountyMaryland
=140501–600 Montana State UniversityMontana
=140501–600 New Mexico State University (Main campus)New Mexico
=140501–600 Nova Southeastern UniversityFlorida
=140501–600 Oakland UniversityMichigan
=140501–600 Rowan UniversityNew Jersey
=140501–600 University of South DakotaSouth Dakota
=140501–600 University of Texas Rio Grande ValleyTexas

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