Psychology Schools in Pennsylvania

This guide to psychology programs in Pennsylvania provides a comprehensive list of key metrics to help you choose the degree that meets your needs.

Table of Contents

• Pennsylvania Psychology School Facts
• Top-Ranked Psychology Programs
• Top 25 Bachelor’s in Psychology Programs
• Graduate Psychology Program Comparison
• Related Articles
• Student Reviews

Pennsylvania Psychology School Facts

• There are 124 not-for-profit colleges and universities with psychology degree programs in Pennsylvania.¹
• 19 schools offer an associate degree in psychology.¹
• 106 schools offer a bachelor’s degree in psychology.¹
• 29 schools offer a master’s or advanced degree in psychology.¹
• 11 schools ranked in College Factual’s Best General Psychology Schools 2024.²
• No schools ranked in Psychology Degree 411’s Top Schools With Online Psychology Programs.³
• 8 schools ranked in The Princeton Review’s Great Schools for Psychology Majors 2024.⁴
• 5 schools ranked in Times Higher Education’s Best Universities for Psychology 2023.⁵
• 10 schools ranked in Lowest-Priced Schools With a Bachelor’s in Psychology.¹

Nationally Ranked Top Psychology Programs in Pennsylvania

Our curated list of third-party and proprietary rankings can be useful in measuring the overall value and reputation of a program. Lists include College Factual, Psychology Degree 411, The Princeton Review, and Times Higher Education. Note if one of these lists is not present below, no schools in the state were named on it. Generally, schools and programs ranked on multiple lists tend to be stronger in academic quality.

Schools Ranked on Multiple Lists

• Bucknell University
• Carnegie Mellon University
• Haverford College
• Temple University
• University of Pennsylvania
• University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus
• West Chester University of Pennsylvania

College Factual’s Best Psychology Schools 2024

• University of Pennsylvania (#3)
• Carnegie Mellon University (#12)
• Bucknell University (#32)
• Villanova University (#42)
• Haverford College (#97)
• West Chester University of Pennsylvania (#100)
• Temple University (#103)
• Drexel University (#128)
• University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus (#143)
• Saint Joseph’s University (#176)
• Dickinson College (#179)²

The Princeton Review’s Great Schools for Psychology Majors 2024

• Allegheny College
• Bucknell University
• Carnegie Mellon University
• Franklin & Marshall College
• Gettysburg College
• Moravian University
• Temple University
• University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus⁴

Times Higher Education’s Best Universities for Psychology 2023

• University of Pennsylvania (#9)
• Carnegie Mellon University (#23)
• Pennsylvania State University (Penn State)-Main Campus) (#60)
• University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus (#90)
• Temple University (#201-250)⁵

Lowest-Priced Schools With a Bachelor’s in Psychology

The following Pennsylvania schools with bachelor’s degrees in psychology have the lowest average net prices. Please note that we grouped regional campuses together and included a range for the net price of these schools. We have included each school’s graduation rate, a key quality metric.

• Cheyney University of Pennsylvania ($11,588 / Grad rate: 15%)
• Holy Family University ($12,379 / Grad rate: 59%)
• Lincoln University ($15,502 / Grad rate: 45%)
• Keystone College ($15,559 / Grad rate: 43%)
• Pennsylvania State University Regional Campuses ($15,897-$17,252 / Grad rate: 26-34%)
• University of Pittsburgh Regional Campuses ($16,505-$17,545 / Grad rate: 42-48%)
• East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania ($17,278 / Grad rate: 46%)
• Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania ($17,412 / Grad rate: 54%)
• Carlow University ($17,437 / Grad rate: 54%)
• La Salle University ($17,552 / Grad rate: 62%)¹

Top 25 Bachelor’s in Psychology Programs in Pennsylvania

This table compares the top 25 bachelor’s in psychology programs from not-for-profit schools in Pennsylvania based on a graduation rate of 60% or above and an annual net price of below $26,500. High graduation rate is a top indicator of student success, and affordability is a key consideration for prospective undergrad students. Programs in bold text offer hybrid or online options.

*See Table Notes at bottom of page.

Comparison of All Graduate Psychology Programs in Pennsylvania

This table compares all of Pennsylvania’s graduate-level psychology programs from not-for-profit schools on multiple factors.

We’ve included accreditation status by the American Psychological Association (APA), the Masters in Psychology and Counseling Accreditation Council (MPCAC), and the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP). We also highlight the levels offered, 2020-2022 pass rates for the Examination for Professional Practice of Psychology (EPPP), and tuition information. Note EPPP scores are reported by degree type (clinical, counseling, or school psychology) and level (PhD or PsyD), so some schools may be listed more than once to include all pass rates. Schools in bold text offer hybrid or online options. Tuition per credit hour is more relevant for master’s and PsyD programs due to the fact that PhD students typically receive more program-awarded funding.

Related Articles

• Degree Levels Overview: Associate to PhD
• Pennsylvania Licensure Guide
• Top Online Bachelor’s Programs Ranking
• Psychology Careers by Degree Level

Pennsylvania Schools With Psychology Degree Programs

Note: Student Reviews are based on the experiences of a few individuals and not everyone has the same results. Please review the “Data, Student Reviews, and Other Information” section in our Terms of Use and Disclaimers.

Bucknell University
701 Moore Ave
Lewisburg, PA 17837
(570) 577-2000
https://www.bucknell.edu/

Student Review: “The psychology program at Bucknell offers a wide range of classes with a good student to teacher ratio. The professors are very involved in with the students and always available to discuss material covered in classes. Additionally, there are many opportunities to do research with professors, not only in the psych department but through biology as well. The department sponsors lectures with visiting faculty members in order to keep the students updated on research being conducted around them and help make sure they know the most recent information. The students are also very involved in the department and help each other with research and learning the tough material. There are tutoring programs available and student clubs for different areas of interest.” – Student at Bucknell University

Harrisburg Area Community College
1 HACC Dr
Harrisburg, PA 17110
(800) 222-4222
https://www.hacc.edu/

Student Review: “The psychology program at Harrisburg Area Community College at the Lancaster campus was extremely valuable to me. The psychology professors were knowledgeable, experienced, and always able to help me after class or during office hours. My professors helped me start a group for students while I was attending. I was even able to contribute by suggesting texts the library could stock for the multicultural psychology course; the professor, librarian, and I worked together to decide on some new books, and some were ordered. If you are willing to work hard, the psychology professors are willing to go above and beyond their duties to help you. The program itself was fun, interesting, and challenging. There are a variety of courses, such as Abnormal Psychology and Social Psychology. Another great thing about the program at HACC is that classes are held at a variety of times and online, so even if you are working full-time you can fit a class in. They are extremely flexible. All in all, a wonderful experience.” – Student at Harrisburg Area Community College

Indiana University of Pennsylvania
1011 South Dr
Indiana, PA 15705
(724) 357-2100
https://www.iup.edu/

Student Review: “The IUP psychology program was excellent in introducing research methods and statistics. The program and the professors really pushed the importance of graduate school and how to get in by improving research experience, grades, and internships. The honors program was particularly effective at slowly introducing me to graduate school work and getting accepted. I feel as if I know more about statistics than my entire current cohort. The introduction classes on each subfield of psychology were adequate, with my only dislike being that the program was very clinically oriented, with few professors outside of clinical, cognitive, developmental, or biological specialties. One who wishes to continue to graduate school in psychology should attend here first.” – Student at Indiana University of Pennsylvania

Lehigh Carbon Community College
4525 Education Park Dr
Schnecksville, PA 18078
(610) 799-2121
https://www.lccc.edu/

Student Review: “The Lehigh Carbon Community College psychology program was an overall positive experience for me. The courses were not difficult as long as I attended my classes, and the teachers were willing to work with me when my grades were suffering. My psychology professor was fair and offered numerous extra credit opportunities. I did not like that the introduction to psychology course was primarily centered online, as it made studying difficult and did not offer any student-to-teacher interaction aside from in class. In the classroom, we went over slides that were pre-made by Pearson, which often had mistakes and grammatical errors that made comprehension difficult. I went to the teacher and discussed the issue, and he replied that he did not enjoy that aspect of the course either, but his hands were tied as the college was the creator of the curriculum. The other teachers in the program were just as friendly and receptive to suggestions, and I found the rest of the program to be fair and structured.” – Student at Lehigh University

Lehigh University
27 Memorial Dr W
Bethlehem, PA 18015
(610) 758-3000
https://www1.lehigh.edu/

Student Review: “The psychology program at Lehigh University is very flexible, only about 48 credits. This allowed me to double major in Economics and to study abroad in my junior year. We have both the B.A. and B.S. allowing you to have one of the many concentrations. At the moment I am also doing an experiment lab group, where we help a professor conduct experiments and collect data to then be analyzed. The professors within this major have been nothing but helpful to me. They are almost always open for office hours. We also have the opportunity to do a thesis paper in the psychology honors class which includes a presentation to the psychology staff at the end of the year. The thing I dislike about this major at this school is that they do not really prepare us for the real world after graduation. Many other students after graduation do not have job offers and are unsure of what to do career-wise.” – Student at Lehigh University

Pennsylvania State
201 Old Main
University Park, PA 16802
(814) 865-4700
https://www.psu.edu/

Student Review: “Studying psychology at Penn State has been a challenging but positive experience for me. I began the program with online study at Penn State’s World Campus program. Because it was self-directed, I mostly learned from reading the textbooks and doing online quizzes. Sadly, there was very little interaction with the professors. One class I took, Cognitive Psychology, was really cool. The professor set up online lab tasks that were a lot like what a person would experience in a real testing lab, and we got to see how our brains process information. The school kept online learning interesting in that way. Eventually, I transferred to Penn State’s main campus, and it was one of the better decisions I’ve ever made. Being immersed in the college culture makes it easy to really get into your studies. The offerings and class settings are so diverse. I sat in a class of 300+ students in the Forum building, basically a rite of passage at Penn State, but I’ve also had classes of just 20-30 students getting to really interact with each other and the professor. I learned a lot, and it’s been knowledge that I can use in my career.” – Student at Pennsylvania State

Student Review: “I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Penn State. The psychology program offered 5 different degree paths, one of which was a BS with a focus on biology and evolution which I chose. I had some great professors (a few not-so-great that were mainly there for research, but still were great people). I loved that on top of many psych courses available I also was able to take anthropology and biology coursework toward my degree. My favorite courses, however, revolved around neuroscience and developmental psychology; my interest in these courses led me to work as a research assistant in a related lab. Today I still value the experience PSU gave me as an assistant as I got to help run experiments and work alongside professors and PhD candidates. The way in which the program was set up was enough to allow an undergraduate to see what the future would hold for them if they chose to continue down the psychology path. At first, I had thought it was terrible to have PhDs teaching courses when their main focus was research, but it really benefited the psychology research program as a whole.” – Student at Pennsylvania State

Pennsylvania State Altoona
3000 Ivyside Park
Altoona, PA 16601
(814) 949-5000
https://altoona.psu.edu/

Student Review: “I applied to Penn State in 2011 and was accepted into the psychology program. The first psych class I took was pretty rough. The professor was nice, but the material was just too much. However, I didn’t give up on the major. I took the same class with a different professor and she brought me into the world of psychology and now I’m in love. Everything about psychology program at Penn State is fascinating and I’d highly recommend it to anyone looking to major in psychology.” – Student at Pennsylvania State

Robert Morris University
6001 University Blvd
Pittsburgh, PA 15108
(800) 762-0097
https://www.rmu.edu/

Student Review: “Robert Morris University, although a smaller private school, has a fantastic psychology program. Small class size allow for students to become close to the professors. This closeness often allows for many unique experiences. As a freshman, I participated in an event that allowed psychology majors to teach local high school students about areas of psychology. This event gave me first-hand experience in applying what I had learned in the classroom to a real-life scenario. The program also had a wonderful focus on preparing me for graduate school, making sure I had the proper grade, GRE scores, and contacts necessary to become accepted. The variety of part-time faculty allows for a diverse set of views and opinions from professionals in the field to be shared. One aspect that could be improved would be the Hybrid class, which are part online, part on-campus. These classes don’t properly utilize the online aspect and simply feel like a waste of an opportunity.” – Student at Robert Morris University

Shippensburg University
1871 Old Main Dr
Shippensburg, PA 17257
(717) 477-7447
https://www.ship.edu/

Student Review: “The psychology program at Shippensburg University for both the Bachelor’s of Arts and Master’s of Science was a wonderful experience for me. While I was challenged to learn a lot, the professors also took an interest in their students and helped everyone to achieve success. The campus was beautiful and, for me, there was a perfect balance of things to do on campus and off. The CUB was perhaps my favorite as it had a variety of food choices and was a good place to either study or hang out.” – Student at Shippensburg University

University of Pittsburgh
4200 Fifth Ave
Pittsburgh, PA 15260
(412) 624-4141
https://www.pitt.edu/

Student Review: “I really enjoyed my time at the University of Pittsburgh in the psychology department. The curriculum was engaging and I felt like I was introduced to more topics than I would have been in a program elsewhere. My professors really put in an effort to not only expose me to psychological concepts, but also the medical treatments for them where applicable. I found that there was plenty of academic support to be found on campus, such as tutoring, group study sessions, and one-on-one assistance from professors during their office hours. Also, there were many opportunities to participate in research studies. Some research was on a small scale and independent, but professors were often looking for assistance on large-scale studies that frequently resulted in publications. The only thing I did not like about my time there is that the campus is spread out quite a bit around Pittsburgh. It would be nice if it was in one central location to make commuting much easier.” – Student at the University of Pittsburgh

Student Review: “At the University of Pittsburgh, I received my Bachelor’s of Science in Psychology. The program was varied and covered many areas of psychology in the beginning to help students decide which area of psychology they were most interested in. I took classes in Child Development, Sense and Perception, Psychology and the Media, and many more, including classes that required hands-on research and writing of lab reports. I appreciated that there were many elective choices within the program, allowing me to tailor my degree to my needs and plans for the future. Since I was thinking about going into education, I took mainly classes that dealt with child psychology and education. I had great professors in the program, and always felt that I could contact them with any questions or concerns.” – Student at the University of Pittsburgh

Student Review: “The psychology program at the University of Pittsburgh was a fantastic experience for me. My first classes were general psychology classes – Introduction to Psychology, Research Methods – and really build a foundation of knowledge in the field of psychology for me. These first classes also allowed me to determine which area of psychology I wanted to look at in a more in-depth way. I then moved on to my high-level classes, such as Psychology in the Media, and Developmental Psychology. All of my professors in my major really seemed to understand and care about their subject matter, and taught me so much. The only part of this program I wished there was more of was practical field experience.” – Student at the University of Pittsburgh

Student Review: “I graduated from a psychology program that, unfortunately, mainly focused on research. I think this is the reason why I rated the program as a 3 rather than a 4. The requirements for the classes were very easy and thus had lots of people in the major that were just looking for an easy degree. This decreased the intelligence of the classes because every class had to teach and reteach basic psychological definitions like “x variable” and “Freudianism.” However, if a student was willing to put in the extra effort, the school offered many out-of-class experiences for the student to excel. This included opportunities to assist in research or a clinical trial or conduct their own research under the guidance of a professor. It was a relatively large major but the advisors were not professors and were hired to specifically help the students with their studies, therefore, it made the major much easier to go through. All in all, I think it was a great experience.” – Student at the University of Pittsburgh

Villanova University
800 Lancaster Ave
Villanova, PA 19085
(610) 519-4500
https://www1.villanova.edu/university.html

Student Review: “The Villanova University Psychology program was a wonderful experience for me. The courses were challenging but very interesting. The professors made the classes enjoyable to sit through and created an atmosphere where students enjoyed learning and fully understood what they were being taught. The professors were all very relatable which I believe was the key to how the psychology material was absorbed by students. The topics and courses offered within Psychology included Abnormal Psychology, Cognitive, Social, Developmental and Organizational Psychology. The psychology department also offered many courses at night, taken once a week in a 3-hour sitting. I enjoyed this option and felt that it was a more beneficial atmosphere to learn the material as opposed to two or three one-hour classes over the course of a week. My psychology classes taught me so much that I was able to carry with me and apply in the real world, post-graduation.” – Student at Villanova University

Widener University
1 University Pl
Chester, PA 19013
(610) 499-4000
https://www.widener.edu/

Student Review: “I would recommend Widener University’s psychology program to anyone pursuing a career in a psychology-related field. The courses offered are interesting and challenging which keeps you engaged throughout the semester. The professors in the psychology department are qualified in their field, with many who currently do research. Widener also offers you many opportunities for career growth, such as internships and practicums. In addition, there is a graduate program for students who wish to obtain professional degrees. The learning experience at Widener is very personal. Class sizes are relatively small and professors make an effort to not only know your name but also know you as a student. They often make themselves available to help students even outside of office hours. The only complaint I have about Widener’s program is that classes fill up quickly to maintain small class sizes. My advice to any prospective students is to register in a timely manner. Overall this is a great program, I would choose it again if I had the chance.” – Student at Widener University

*Table Notes:
-N.Av. indicates data is not available.
-Metrics are institution-wide unless otherwise noted.
-Graduation rate is completion percentage within six years of start.
-Median (average) debt is cumulative federal loan debt for undergraduate completers in 2020-2021.
-Median earnings are from the 2020-2021 cohort 10 years post school entry.
-Net price is the average yearly price paid by full-time, first-year undergraduate students receiving financial aid. See NCES for more in-depth information.

References:
1. National Center for Education Statistics College Navigator: https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/
2. College Factual, Best Colleges Offering Degrees in Psychology (Nationwide): https://www.collegefactual.com/majors/psychology/rankings/top-ranked/#
3. Psychology Degree 411 Top Schools With Online Psychology Programs: https://www.psychologydegree411.com/degrees/online/
4. The Princeton Review. The Best 388 Colleges, 2023 Edition. The Princeton Review, 2022.
5. Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2023 – Psychology: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/2023/subject-ranking/psychology
6. Department of Education College Scorecard: https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/data/
7. American Psychological Association Accredited Programs: https://accreditation.apa.org/accredited-programs
8. Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Programs, Directory: https://www.cacrep.org/directory/
9. Masters in Psychology and Counseling Accreditation Council Accredited Programs: https://mpcacaccreditation.org/accredited-programs/
10. National Association for School Psychologists, Approved Programs: https://apps.nasponline.org/standards-and-certification/graduate-program-approval-and-accreditation/approved-accredited.aspx
11. The Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards, 2023 Psychology Licensing Exam Scores by Doctoral Program: https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.asppb.net/resource/resmgr/eppp_/doctoralreportoct2023.pdf