Best Psychology Teacher, Postsecondary programs in Illinois, ranked by enrollment
Teach courses in psychology, such as child, clinical, and developmental psychology, and psychological counseling.
54 schools in Illinois run programs that feed this job, graduating 6,478 people a year. The job pays a median of $77,860 in Illinois across about 2,260 jobs (BLS OEWS May 2025).
Fields of study in Illinois that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level. Numbers are graduates per year in this state.
21 programs in Illinois that lead to this job
Ranked by graduates per year in Illinois (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are national College Scorecard figures reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. Each program also links to its own Illinois page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CIP 42.0101In Illinois → | 3,194 | 49.3% | 46 | $31,426 | $25,250 |
| 2 | CIP 42.2803In Illinois → | 961 | 14.8% | 15 | $33,805 | $27,000 |
| 3 | CIP 42.2799In Illinois → | 697 | 10.8% | 6 | $34,454 | $21,878 |
| 4 | CIP 42.2801In Illinois → | 418 | 6.5% | 13 | $33,805 | $27,000 |
| 5 | CIP 42.2804In Illinois → | 232 | 3.6% | 8 | $33,805 | $27,000 |
| 6 | CIP 42.2813In Illinois → | 209 | 3.2% | 4 | $33,805 | $27,000 |
| 7 | CIP 42.2805In Illinois → | 180 | 2.8% | 9 | $33,805 | $27,000 |
| 8 | CIP 30.1701In Illinois → | 127 | 2.0% | 6 | $36,206 | $29,240 |
| 9 | CIP 51.1505In Illinois → | 111 | 1.7% | 4 | $37,335 | $22,861 |
| 10 | CIP 42.2704In Illinois → | 78 | 1.2% | 2 | $34,454 | $21,878 |
| 11 | CIP 42.2812In Illinois → | 57 | 0.9% | 2 | $33,805 | $27,000 |
| 12 | CIP 42.2802In Illinois → | 54 | 0.8% | 3 | $33,805 | $27,000 |
| 13 | CIP 42.2814In Illinois → | 40 | 0.6% | 2 | $33,805 | $27,000 |
| 14 | CIP 42.2806In Illinois → | 38 | 0.6% | 3 | $33,805 | $27,000 |
| 15 | CIP 42.2701In Illinois → | 30 | 0.5% | 1 | $34,454 | $21,878 |
| 16 | CIP 42.2899In Illinois → | 24 | 0.4% | 2 | $33,805 | $27,000 |
| 17 | CIP 30.1001In Illinois → | 8 | 0.1% | 2 | $43,343 | $22,125 |
| 18 | CIP 42.2707In Illinois → | 7 | 0.1% | 1 | $34,454 | $21,878 |
| 19 | CIP 42.2703In Illinois → | 6 | 0.1% | 2 | $34,454 | $21,878 |
| 20 | CIP 42.2708In Illinois → | 5 | 0.1% | 1 | $34,454 | $21,878 |
| 21 | CIP 42.9999In Illinois → | 2 | 0.0% | 2 | $36,890 | $18,200 |
Top 25 schools in Illinois
Ranked by graduates per year into this job. Graduate earnings are reported for 34 of the 54 schools in this state.
| # | School | Graduates / yr | Top feeder program | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Grad rate | Net price | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northwestern University Evanston, IL Private not-for-profit · 8 feeder programs | 605 | Counseling Psychology | — | 95% | $14,799 | 8% |
| 2 | University of Illinois Urbana - Champaign Champaign, IL Public · 1 feeder programs | 591 | Research and Experimental Psychology, Other | $33,384 | 85% | — | 42% |
| 3 | University of Illinois Chicago Chicago, IL Public · 3 feeder programs | 482 | Psychology, General | $30,565 | 62% | — | 77% |
| 4 | Loyola University Chicago Chicago, IL Private not-for-profit · 9 feeder programs | 428 | Psychology, General | $32,463 | 73% | $33,454 | 82% |
| 5 | Adler University Chicago, IL Private not-for-profit · 7 feeder programs | 414 | Counseling Psychology | — | — | — | — |
| 6 | National Louis University Chicago, IL Private not-for-profit · 7 feeder programs | 348 | Counseling Psychology | — | 30% | $18,904 | 95% |
| 7 | The Chicago School at Chicago Chicago, IL Private not-for-profit · 7 feeder programs | 302 | Counseling Psychology | — | — | — | 34% |
| 8 | DePaul University Chicago, IL Private not-for-profit · 6 feeder programs | 294 | Psychology, General | $33,820 | 68% | $28,141 | 76% |
| 9 | Northern Illinois University Dekalb, IL Public · 3 feeder programs | 285 | Psychology, General | $33,150 | 49% | — | 70% |
| 10 | Illinois State University Normal, IL Public · 3 feeder programs | 259 | Psychology, General | $32,104 | 65% | — | 88% |
| 11 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Edwardsville, IL Public · 2 feeder programs | 203 | Psychology, General | $32,459 | 57% | — | 97% |
| 12 | Governors State University University Park, IL Public · 3 feeder programs | 163 | Psychology, General | $29,449 | 22% | — | 48% |
| 13 | Roosevelt University Chicago, IL Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 154 | Psychology, General | $33,795 | 35% | $21,085 | 97% |
| 14 | Wheaton College Wheaton, IL Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 144 | Clinical Psychology | — | 85% | $23,461 | 87% |
| 15 | Western Illinois University Macomb, IL Public · 3 feeder programs | 139 | Psychology, General | $30,471 | 45% | — | 71% |
| 16 | Eastern Illinois University Charleston, IL Public · 3 feeder programs | 106 | Psychology, General | $35,740 | 47% | — | 65% |
| 17 | University of Chicago Chicago, IL Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 105 | Experimental Psychology | $31,986 | 96% | $13,333 | 4% |
| 18 | Aurora University Aurora, IL Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 99 | Psychology, General | $31,484 | 60% | $18,431 | 81% |
| 19 | Elmhurst University Elmhurst, IL Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 99 | Psychology, General | $32,553 | 70% | $20,794 | 74% |
| 20 | University of Illinois Springfield Springfield, IL Public · 2 feeder programs | 99 | Psychology, General | $31,978 | 53% | — | 86% |
| 21 | Southern Illinois University - Carbondale Carbondale, IL Public · 1 feeder programs | 94 | Psychology, General | $32,287 | 62% | — | 87% |
| 22 | Benedictine University Lisle, IL Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 89 | Psychology, General | $32,314 | 50% | $23,570 | 95% |
| 23 | Lewis University Romeoville, IL Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 73 | Psychology, General | $31,104 | 67% | $17,632 | 71% |
| 24 | Northeastern Illinois University Chicago, IL Public · 2 feeder programs | 72 | Psychology, General | $35,637 | 22% | — | 75% |
| 25 | North Central College Naperville, IL Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 59 | Psychology, General | $27,688 | 64% | $20,052 | 77% |
All 54 schools in Illinois
Every school in Illinois with a program that feeds this job, ordered by graduates per year. Earnings are shown for the ranked schools above; open a school profile for the rest.
| School | City | Control | Graduates / yr | Feeder programs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northwestern University | Evanston | Private not-for-profit | 605 | 8 |
| University of Illinois Urbana - Champaign | Champaign | Public | 591 | 1 |
| University of Illinois Chicago | Chicago | Public | 482 | 3 |
| Loyola University Chicago | Chicago | Private not-for-profit | 428 | 9 |
| Adler University | Chicago | Private not-for-profit | 414 | 7 |
| National Louis University | Chicago | Private not-for-profit | 348 | 7 |
| The Chicago School at Chicago | Chicago | Private not-for-profit | 302 | 7 |
| DePaul University | Chicago | Private not-for-profit | 294 | 6 |
| Northern Illinois University | Dekalb | Public | 285 | 3 |
| Illinois State University | Normal | Public | 259 | 3 |
| Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | Edwardsville | Public | 203 | 2 |
| Governors State University | University Park | Public | 163 | 3 |
| Roosevelt University | Chicago | Private not-for-profit | 154 | 4 |
| Wheaton College | Wheaton | Private not-for-profit | 144 | 4 |
| Western Illinois University | Macomb | Public | 139 | 3 |
What psychology teachers, postsecondary earn in Illinois
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
U.S. median $80,340. Illinois pays below the national figure.
Concentrated here: Illinois employs more of this job per worker than the U.S. average.
Metro areas in Illinois
Job outlook
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
Growth and openings are national. The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not publish employment projections at state level, so these figures describe the occupation across the whole U.S., not this state alone.
How to get in
The full skills, tools, and day-to-day breakdown lives on the national Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary page.
How to become a Psychology Teacher, Postsecondary
Job zone 5 of 5 · SVP 8.0 and above- Typical entry education
- Doctoral or professional degree
Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
Top skills
The same job in other states
Where else this occupation employs the most people, and what it pays there.
Related careers in Illinois
Every major mapped to this job
The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.
All 25 majors mapped to Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary24 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
- 13.1335Psychology Teacher Education
- 30.1001Biopsychology
- 30.1701Behavioral Sciences
- 30.5301Thanatology
- 42.0101Psychology, General
- 42.2701Cognitive Psychology and Psycholinguistics
- 42.2702Comparative Psychology
- 42.2703Developmental and Child Psychology
- 42.2704Experimental Psychology
- 42.2705Personality Psychology
- 42.2706Behavioral Neuroscience
- 42.2707Social Psychology
- 42.2708Psychometrics and Quantitative Psychology
- 42.2710Developmental and Adolescent Psychology(no graduates reported)
- 42.2799Research and Experimental Psychology, Other
- 42.2801Clinical Psychology
- 42.2802Community Psychology
- 42.2803Counseling Psychology
- 42.2804Industrial and Organizational Psychology
- 42.2805School Psychology
- 42.2806Educational Psychology
- 42.2807Clinical Child Psychology
- 42.2808Environmental Psychology
- 42.2809Geropsychology
- 42.2810Health/Medical Psychology
Common questions
Answers for people weighing psychology teachers, postsecondary programs in Illinois.
What degree do you need to become a Psychology Teacher, Postsecondary?+
Doctoral or professional degree is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is Psychology, General, which awarded 3,194 degrees in Illinois in 2024-25, 49.3% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.
Which college majors lead to becoming a Psychology Teacher, Postsecondary?+
The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 21 programs to this occupation. The largest are Psychology, Clinical, Research and Experimental Psychology, Behavioral Sciences, plus 3 more. Together they graduate about 6,478 people a year in Illinois.
How much do psychology teachers, postsecondary earn in Illinois?+
The median is $77,860 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). That is 3.1% below the U.S. median of $80,340. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.
Is demand for psychology teachers, postsecondary growing?+
BLS projects a +3.6% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, about as fast as average, with roughly 4,000 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.
How many schools offer programs for this career in Illinois?+
54 institutions in Illinois reported graduates from at least one of the 21 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.
What other job titles do psychology teachers, postsecondary work under?+
Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Professor, Instructor, Psychology Professor, Psychology Instructor among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 25-1066.
About the data on this page
Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024–25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).
BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics
May 2025Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.
BLS Employment Projections
2024–34Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.
IPEDS Completions
2024-25 (provisional)Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.
College Scorecard, Field of Study
2020-21 cohortsMedian graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.
Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes
latest availableGraduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.
NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk
CIP 2020 / SOC 2018Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.
O*NET Database 30.3
30.3Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.
Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA
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