California · Psychology

Best institutions to study Psychology in California

The Psychology program, specifically in General Psychology, explores the complexities of human behavior and mental processes. This program is ideal for students interested in understanding psychological principles and applying them to…

Institutions
186
offering CIP 42.01
States & territories
54
with a program page
Degrees / yr
27,882
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median grad earnings
$37,567
1 year after graduation
With earnings data
61
College Scorecard
Median net price
$26,655
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
46%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Clinical and Counseling Psychologists
$123,570
BLS OEWS May 2025

Top 10 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings

Earnings = median 1 year after graduation (College Scorecard).

#InstitutionGrad earnings (1 yr)CompletionsGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1University of Massachusetts Global
Aliso Viejo Public · Bachelor's degree
$40,7268343%$26,703
2The Chicago School at Los Angeles
Los Angeles Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$39,5961660%$40,645
3Santa Clara University
Santa Clara Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$38,58710288%$44,094$17,667
4National University
San Diego Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$38,52334143%$31,817$31,250
5California State University - East Bay
Hayward Public · Bachelor's degree
$37,70230648%$15,000
6California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles Public · Bachelor's degree
$37,56744853%$24,994
7Simpson University
Redding Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$37,4513849%$27,545$22,250
8University of San Francisco
San Francisco Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$36,73416070%$37,121$24,315
9University of San Diego
San Diego Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$35,59510384%$26,035$24,293
10Westmont College
Santa Barbara Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$34,8263170%$28,035$25,500

Career outlook

What this program leads to: Clinical and Counseling Psychologists (SOC 19-3033).

Projected growth (2024–2034)
+11.2%
Much faster than average
Openings / yr (US)
~4,800
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$95,830
typically Doctoral or professional degree

Top skills

Reading ComprehensionCritical ThinkingActive ListeningWritingSpeakingActive Learning

What Clinical and Counseling Psychologists earn in California

Jobs in California
12,840
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$123,570
median $116,000
Best-paying metro
$166,470
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA

Related careers

Clinical and Counseling Psychologists
$123,570 avg · 12,840 jobs
Social Science Research Assistants
$70,260 avg · 5,300 jobs
Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary
$126,620 avg · 4,410 jobs
Psychologists, All Other
$139,610 avg · 1,600 jobs
Industrial-Organizational Psychologists

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Psychology programs in California.

Which Psychology program in California has the highest-earning graduates?+

By median earnings one year after graduation (College Scorecard), University of Massachusetts Global tops the list at $40,726. Compare it against completions, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

How much do Clinical and Counseling Psychologists earn in California?+

The average annual wage for Clinical and Counseling Psychologists in California is $123,570 (median $116,000), across about 12,840 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.

What is the focus of the Psychology program?+

The Psychology program, specifically in General Psychology, explores the complexities of human behavior and mental processes. This program is ideal for students interested in understanding psychological principles and applying them to…

What skills will I develop in this program?+

You will develop reading comprehension, critical thinking, active listening, writing, and related professional skills.

What is the job outlook for Clinical and Counseling Psychologists?+

The national job outlook is about +11.2% growth with around 4,800 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).

What is the typical education requirement?+

A Doctoral or professional degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).

About the data on this page

Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
PSEO graduate earnings2019–21 graduation cohorts (release V4.13.0)
Earnings and employment outcomes of graduates by institution, degree level, and field of study, measured from state wage records.
BLS wages & outlookOEWS May 2025 release
Occupational employment and wage estimates plus 10-year job outlook, used to connect programs to real-world earnings.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.

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