Best colleges for Psychology in North Carolina
Ranked by graduate earnings
Elon University, Wake Forest University and Campbell University are the top bachelor's Psychology programs in North Carolina by graduate earnings. Elon University leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $36,668, College Scorecard. University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Appalachian State University and East Carolina University award the most Psychology degrees in North Carolina: 485, 416 and 327 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 47 North Carolina colleges offer Psychology and award 3,779 degrees and certificates a year in all.
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…
Top 10 bachelor's programs, ranked by graduate earnings
Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elon University Elon Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $36,668 | 97 | 84% | $33,688 | $23,250 |
| 2 | Wake Forest University Winston-Salem Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $34,823 | 140 | 89% | $20,914 | $21,500 |
| 3 | Campbell University Buies Creek Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $33,892 | 50 | 61% | $23,331 | $27,000 |
| 4 | Fayetteville State University Fayetteville Public · Bachelor's degree | $31,217 | 190 | 38% | — | $27,000 |
| 5 | North Carolina Wesleyan University Rocky Mount Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $30,570 | 30 | 42% | $18,905 | $30,830 |
| 6 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte Charlotte Public · Bachelor's degree | $30,359 | 485 | 69% | — | $24,250 |
| 7 | East Carolina University Greenville Public · Bachelor's degree | $30,086 | 327 | 63% | — | $24,774 |
| 8 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh Raleigh Public · Bachelor's degree | $29,738 | 327 | 85% | — | $22,373 |
| 9 | University of North Carolina Wilmington Wilmington Public · Bachelor's degree | $29,418 | 317 | 71% | — | $23,250 |
| 10 | North Carolina Central University Durham Public · Bachelor's degree | $29,400 | 109 | 42% | — | $29,727 |
Colleges awarding the most Psychology degrees in North Carolina
Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Certificate and associate programs, online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte Charlotte Public | 485 | $30,359 |
| 2 | Appalachian State University Boone Public | 416 | $27,484 |
| 3 | East Carolina University Greenville Public | 327 | $30,086 |
| 4 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh Raleigh Public | 327 | $29,738 |
| 5 | University of North Carolina Wilmington Wilmington Public | 317 | $29,418 |
| 6 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro Greensboro Public | 257 | $28,485 |
| 7 | North Carolina A & T State University Greensboro Public | 207 | $27,653 |
| 8 | Fayetteville State University Fayetteville Public | 190 | $31,217 |
| 9 | Western Carolina University Cullowhee Public | 149 | $27,505 |
| 10 | Wake Forest University Winston-Salem Private not-for-profit | 140 | $34,823 |
ShowHide the other 37 North Carolina colleges offering Psychology
| Institution | City | Control | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina Central University | Durham | Public | 109 |
| Elon University | Elon | Private not-for-profit | 97 |
| University of North Carolina Asheville | Asheville | Public | 88 |
| Winston-Salem State University | Winston-Salem | Public | 67 |
| Wingate University | Wingate | Private not-for-profit | 55 |
| High Point University | High Point | Private not-for-profit | 53 |
| University of North Carolina at Pembroke | Pembroke | Public | 52 |
| Campbell University | Buies Creek | Private not-for-profit | 50 |
| Methodist University | Fayetteville | Private not-for-profit | 31 |
| North Carolina Wesleyan University | Rocky Mount | Private not-for-profit | 30 |
| Meredith College | Raleigh | Private not-for-profit | 29 |
| Queens University of Charlotte | Charlotte | Private not-for-profit | 24 |
| Lenoir-Rhyne University | Hickory | Private not-for-profit | 21 |
| Elizabeth City State University | Elizabeth City | Public | 19 |
| Mars Hill University | Mars Hill | Private not-for-profit | 18 |
| Chowan University | Murfreesboro | Private not-for-profit | 17 |
| Belmont Abbey College | Belmont | Private not-for-profit | 16 |
| Barton College | Wilson | Private not-for-profit | 15 |
| Gardner-Webb University | Boiling Springs | Private not-for-profit | 14 |
| Pfeiffer University | Misenheimer | Private not-for-profit | 14 |
| Johnson C Smith University | Charlotte | Private not-for-profit | 13 |
| Warren Wilson College | Swannanoa | Private not-for-profit | 13 |
| University of Mount Olive | Mount Olive | Private not-for-profit | 12 |
| Guilford College | Greensboro | Private not-for-profit | 11 |
| Lees-McRae College | Banner Elk | Private not-for-profit | 11 |
| William Peace University | Raleigh | Private not-for-profit | 11 |
| Bennett College | Greensboro | Private not-for-profit | 10 |
| Brevard College | Brevard | Private not-for-profit | 10 |
| Shaw University | Raleigh | Private not-for-profit | 10 |
| Catawba College | Salisbury | Private not-for-profit | 9 |
| Greensboro College | Greensboro | Private not-for-profit | 6 |
| Livingstone College | Salisbury | Private not-for-profit | 6 |
| Montreat College | Montreat | Private not-for-profit | 5 |
| Saint Augustine's University | Raleigh | Private not-for-profit | 5 |
| Salem College | Winston-Salem | Private not-for-profit | 5 |
| Johnson & Wales University - Charlotte | Charlotte | Private not-for-profit | 4 |
| Carolina University | Winston-Salem | Private not-for-profit | 4 |
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Clinical and Counseling Psychologists (SOC 19-3033).
Top skills
What Clinical and Counseling Psychologists earn in North Carolina
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Psychology programs in North Carolina.
Which North Carolina colleges award the most Psychology degrees?+
University of North Carolina at Charlotte (485 graduates a year), Appalachian State University (416 graduates a year) and East Carolina University (327 graduates a year) award the most Psychology degrees in North Carolina, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 47 North Carolina colleges offer Psychology.
What is the best college for Psychology in North Carolina?+
By graduate earnings, Elon University leads among bachelor's Psychology programs in North Carolina, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $36,668, College Scorecard. Wake Forest University and Campbell University follow. By degrees awarded, University of North Carolina at Charlotte is the largest, with 485 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Psychology program in North Carolina has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Elon University tops the list at $36,668. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Clinical and Counseling Psychologists earn in North Carolina?+
The average annual wage for Clinical and Counseling Psychologists in North Carolina is $106,270 (median $92,130), across about 2,770 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.
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