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2025 Best Child Development & Psychology Schools

139 Colleges in the United States
19,646 Child Development Degrees Awarded
$38,732 Avg Early-Career Salary
If you plan on majoring in child development & psychology, you won't be alone since the degree program is ranked #57 in the country in terms of popularity. This means you won't have too much trouble finding schools that offer the degree.

In 2025, College Factual analyzed 139 schools in order to identify the top ones for its Best Child Development & Psychology Schools ranking. Combined, these schools handed out 19,646 degrees in child development & psychology to qualified students.

What's on this page: * Degree-Level Rankings

Choosing a Great Child Development & Psychology School

Best Child Development & Psychology Schools Your choice of child development & psychology school matters, so we have put together these rankings to help you make your decision. In order to come up with a best overall ranking for child development & psychology schools, we combine our degree-level rankings, weighting them by the number of degrees awarded at each level.

In order to find the schools that are the best fit for you, you may want to filter to one of the degree levels below.

Pick Your Child Development & Psychology Degree Level

Associate Degrees in Child Development
Bachelor's Degrees in Child Development
Master's Degrees in Child Development
Doctor's Degrees in Child Development

The child development school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we've developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of the Best Child Development & Psychology Schools. You can also filter this list by location to find schools closer to you.

In addition to College Factual's rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don't forget it.

More information on how we come up with our rankings can be found here: College Factual's Data Methodology.

Best Schools for Child Development & Psychology in the United States

The schools below may not offer all types of child development degrees so you may want to filter by degree level first. However, they are great for the degree levels they do offer. Only those schools that rank in the top 20% of all the schools we analyze get awarded with a place on this list.

25 Top Schools in Child Development

1
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
186 Child Development Degrees Awarded
$53,156 Median Starting Salary

Columbia University in the City of New York is a good choice for students pursuing a degree in child development & psychology. Columbia is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the city of New York. A Best Colleges rank of #15 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Columbia is a great university overall.

There were approximately 186 child development & psychology students who graduated with this degree at Columbia in the most recent year we have data available. Those child development & psychology students who get their degree from Columbia University in the City of New York make $14,424 more than the standard child development student.

More information about a degree in child development & psychology from Columbia University in the City of New York

2
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
624 Child Development Degrees Awarded
$29,830 Median Starting Salary

It is hard to beat University of California - Irvine if you want to pursue a degree in child development & psychology. Located in the city of Irvine, UC Irvine is a public university with a very large student population. This university ranks 12th out of 161 schools for overall quality in the state of California.

There were roughly 624 child development & psychology students who graduated with this degree at UC Irvine in the most recent year we have data available. Soon after graduation, child development degree recipients typically earn around $29,830 in their early careers.

More information about a degree in child development & psychology from University of California - Irvine

Sponsored
Bachelors Degree Type
BA in Psychology - Child & Adolescent Development Program Name

Gain practical experience working with children in a variety of settings with this specialized online bachelor's from Southern New Hampshire University.

More information about a degree in BA in Psychology - Child & Adolescent Development from Southern New Hampshire University

Related Programs

3
NYU crest
New York University
New York, NY
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
882 Child Development Degrees Awarded
23.5% Growth in Graduates

It is difficult to beat New York University if you wish to pursue a degree in child development & psychology. NYU is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of New York. A Best Colleges rank of #16 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means NYU is a great university overall.

There were roughly 882 child development & psychology students who graduated with this degree at NYU in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the child development program state that they receive average early career income of $40,540.

More information about a degree in child development & psychology from New York University

4
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
773 Child Development Degrees Awarded
3.1% Growth in Graduates

It is difficult to beat University of Michigan - Ann Arbor if you want to pursue a degree in child development & psychology. Located in the medium-sized city of Ann Arbor, U-M is a public university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #22 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means U-M is a great university overall.

There were approximately 773 child development & psychology students who graduated with this degree at U-M in the most recent data year. Graduates who receive their degree from the child development program earn about $31,872 in their early career salary.

More information about a degree in child development & psychology from University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

5
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
581 Child Development Degrees Awarded
3.4% Growth in Graduates

UW Seattle is a very large public university located in the large city of Seattle. This university ranks 1st out of 50 schools for overall quality in the state of Washington.

There were roughly 581 child development & psychology students who graduated with this degree at UW Seattle in the most recent year we have data available. Soon after graduation, child development degree recipients usually earn an average of $34,715 in their early careers.

More information about a degree in child development & psychology from University of Washington - Seattle Campus

6
Duke crest
Duke University
Durham, NC
Graduate Certificate Highest Degree Type
154 Child Development Degrees Awarded
9.1% Growth in Graduates

Duke is a large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Durham. A Best Colleges rank of #7 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means Duke is a great university overall.

There were approximately 154 child development & psychology students who graduated with this degree at Duke in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the child development program report average early career wages of $39,359.

More information about a degree in child development & psychology from Duke University

7
UPenn crest
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
146 Child Development Degrees Awarded
$44,542 Median Starting Salary

UPenn is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Philadelphia. A Best Colleges rank of #2 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means UPenn is a great university overall.

There were roughly 146 child development & psychology students who graduated with this degree at UPenn in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the child development & psychology major at University of Pennsylvania make $5,810 more than the typical graduate with the same degree shortly after graduation.

More information about a degree in child development & psychology from University of Pennsylvania

Sponsored
Masters Degree Type
MS in Psychology - Child & Adolescent Development Psychology Program Name

Learn assessment, intervention and consultation strategies that address the unique individual, cultural and psychological needs of children and families with this specialized online master's from Southern New Hampshire University.

More information about a degree in MS in Psychology - Child & Adolescent Development Psychology from Southern New Hampshire University

Related Programs

8
Boston College crest
Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
13th Most Popular In MA

Located in the small city of Chestnut Hill, Boston College is a private not-for-profit college with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #17 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means Boston College is a great college overall.

There were roughly 14 child development & psychology students who graduated with this degree at Boston College in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in child development & psychology from Boston College

9
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
634 Child Development Degrees Awarded
8.8% Growth in Graduates

UCSB is a fairly large public university located in the midsize suburb of Santa Barbara. This university ranks 7th out of 161 schools for overall quality in the state of California.

There were about 634 child development & psychology students who graduated with this degree at UCSB in the most recent data year. Graduates who receive their degree from the child development program earn about $34,431 for their early career.

More information about a degree in child development & psychology from University of California - Santa Barbara

10
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
185 Child Development Degrees Awarded
$39,732 Median Starting Salary

University of Rochester is a large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Rochester. This university ranks 8th out of 136 colleges for overall quality in the state of New York.

There were roughly 185 child development & psychology students who graduated with this degree at University of Rochester in the most recent year we have data available. Soon after graduating, child development degree recipients generally make around $39,732 in their early careers.

More information about a degree in child development & psychology from University of Rochester

11
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
4th Most Popular In IN
4.2% Growth in Graduates

Notre Dame is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the suburb of Notre Dame. This university ranks 1st out of 41 colleges for overall quality in the state of Indiana.

There were about 24 child development & psychology students who graduated with this degree at Notre Dame in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in child development & psychology from University of Notre Dame

Sponsored
Bachelors Degree Type
BA in Psychology Program Name

Advance in your human services or psychology career, or prepare for graduate studies in a variety of fields at Southern New Hampshire University.

More information about a degree in BA in Psychology from Southern New Hampshire University

Related Programs

12
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
1st Most Popular In PA
490 Child Development Degrees Awarded

Pitt is a very large public university located in the large city of Pittsburgh. This university ranks 6th out of 103 schools for overall quality in the state of Pennsylvania.

There were approximately 490 child development & psychology students who graduated with this degree at Pitt in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in child development & psychology from University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus

13
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
924 Child Development Degrees Awarded
4.9% Growth in Graduates

UC Davis is a very large public university located in the suburb of Davis. This university ranks 10th out of 161 schools for overall quality in the state of California.

There were roughly 924 child development & psychology students who graduated with this degree at UC Davis in the most recent year we have data available. Graduates who receive their degree from the child development program earn about $32,301 in their early career salary.

More information about a degree in child development & psychology from University of California - Davis

14
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
14th Most Popular In CA
52.6% Growth in Graduates

Located in the large city of Los Angeles, USC is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #13 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means USC is a great university overall.

There were approximately 19 child development & psychology students who graduated with this degree at USC in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in child development & psychology from University of Southern California

15
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
16th Most Popular In NY
33 Child Development Degrees Awarded

Located in the city of Ithaca, Cornell is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #9 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Cornell is a great university overall.

There were approximately 33 child development & psychology students who graduated with this degree at Cornell in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in child development & psychology from Cornell University

Sponsored
Masters Degree Type
MS in Psychology Program Name

Our Master of Science in Psychology program is designed to extend your knowledge and discipline in psychology, preparing you for a wide variety of professions and contexts.

More information about a degree in MS in Psychology from Southern New Hampshire University

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16
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
11th Most Popular In NY
52 Child Development Degrees Awarded

Fordham U is a large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Bronx. This university ranks 7th out of 136 schools for overall quality in the state of New York.

There were roughly 52 child development & psychology students who graduated with this degree at Fordham U in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in child development & psychology from Fordham University

17
Brown crest
Brown University
Providence, RI
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
59 Child Development Degrees Awarded
$39,493 Median Starting Salary

Brown is a large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Providence. A Best Colleges rank of #26 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Brown is a great university overall.

There were roughly 59 child development & psychology students who graduated with this degree at Brown in the most recent year we have data available. After graduating, child development degree recipients typically earn an average of $39,493 in the first five years of their career.

More information about a degree in child development & psychology from Brown University

18
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
162 Child Development Degrees Awarded
24.7% Growth in Graduates

UChicago is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Chicago. A Best Colleges rank of #3 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means UChicago is a great university overall.

There were roughly 162 child development & psychology students who graduated with this degree at UChicago in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the child development program state that they receive average early career wages of $31,986.

More information about a degree in child development & psychology from University of Chicago

19
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
606 Child Development Degrees Awarded
$33,384 Median Starting Salary

UIUC is a fairly large public university located in the small city of Champaign. This university ranks 3rd out of 85 schools for overall quality in the state of Illinois.

There were about 606 child development & psychology students who graduated with this degree at UIUC in the most recent data year. Students who receive their degree from the child development program earn an average of $33,384 in their early career salary.

More information about a degree in child development & psychology from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Sponsored
Bachelors Degree Type
BA in Human Services - Child & Family Services Program Name

Gain the fundamental tools required to improve the lives of children and families in crisis with this specialized online bachelor's from Southern New Hampshire University.

More information about a degree in BA in Human Services - Child & Family Services from Southern New Hampshire University

Related Programs

20
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
371 Child Development Degrees Awarded
12.1% Growth in Graduates

Located in the medium-sized city of Berkeley, UC Berkeley is a public university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #14 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means UC Berkeley is a great university overall.

There were approximately 371 child development & psychology students who graduated with this degree at UC Berkeley in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the child development program report average early career earnings of $34,450.

More information about a degree in child development & psychology from University of California - Berkeley

21
Vanderbilt crest
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
2nd Most Popular In TN
36 Child Development Degrees Awarded

Located in the large city of Nashville, Vanderbilt is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #18 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means Vanderbilt is a great university overall.

There were approximately 36 child development & psychology students who graduated with this degree at Vanderbilt in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in child development & psychology from Vanderbilt University

22
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
181 Child Development Degrees Awarded
3.9% Growth in Graduates

UMN Twin Cities is a fairly large public university located in the city of Minneapolis. This university ranks 1st out of 52 schools for overall quality in the state of Minnesota.

There were approximately 181 child development & psychology students who graduated with this degree at UMN Twin Cities in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the child development program state that they receive average early career income of $31,027.

More information about a degree in child development & psychology from University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

23
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
644 Child Development Degrees Awarded
92.4% Growth in Graduates

Located in the city of Columbus, Ohio State is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 1st out of 91 schools for overall quality in the state of Ohio.

There were about 644 child development & psychology students who graduated with this degree at Ohio State in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the child development & psychology major at Ohio State University - Main Campus make $52,543 more than the standard college graduate in this field shortly after graduation.

More information about a degree in child development & psychology from Ohio State University - Main Campus

24
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
122 Child Development Degrees Awarded
$38,463 Median Starting Salary

Located in the large city of Boston, Northeastern is a private not-for-profit university with a very large student population. This university ranks 6th out of 63 schools for overall quality in the state of Massachusetts.

There were approximately 122 child development & psychology students who graduated with this degree at Northeastern in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the child development program state that they receive average early career earnings of $38,463.

More information about a degree in child development & psychology from Northeastern University

25

Located in the city of New Orleans, Tulane is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population. This university ranks 1st out of 30 schools for overall quality in the state of Louisiana.More information about a degree in child development & psychology from Tulane University of Louisiana

Rest of the Top Best Child Development & Psychology Schools

26
27
Tufts crest
Tufts University
Medford, MA

Honorable Mentions

Here are some additional great schools for Child Development & Psychology students that almost earned our Best Child Development & Psychology Schools award.

Rank College Location
28 University of Oregon Eugene, OR
29 Montclair State University Montclair, NJ
30 University of California - Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA
31 Lehigh University Bethlehem, PA
32 University of California - San Diego La Jolla, CA
33 University of Delaware Newark, DE
34 University of California - Riverside Riverside, CA
35 Dartmouth College Hanover, NH
36 Northwestern University Evanston, IL
37 University of Connecticut Storrs, CT
38 George Washington University Washington, DC
39 Indiana University - Bloomington Bloomington, IN
40 Texas A&M University - College Station College Station, TX
41 University of Georgia Athens, GA
42 University of South Carolina - Columbia Columbia, SC
43 Bates College Lewiston, ME
44 Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, MD
45 University of Utah Salt Lake City, UT
46 Brandeis University Waltham, MA

Child Development & Psychology by Region

View the Best Child Development & Psychology Schools for a specific region near you.

Region
Southeast
New England
Rocky Mountains
Plains States
Middle Atlantic
Far Western US
Southwest
Other U.S. Territories
Great Lakes

View All Rankings >

One of 24 majors within the Psychology area of study, Child Development & Psychology has other similar majors worth exploring.

Child Development Focus Areas

Major Annual Graduates
Other Research & Experimental Psychology 11,427
Experimental Psychology 4,227
Developmental & Child Psychology 1,490
Behavioral Neuroscience 1,362
Social Psychology 689
Cognitive Psychology & Psycholinguistics 284
Psychometrics & Quantitative Psychology 90
Personality Psychology 32
Psychopharmacology 24
Comparative Psychology 21

View All Child Development Focus Areas >

Related Major Annual Graduates
General Psychology 143,648
Clinical, Counseling & Applied Psychology 36,293
Other Psychology 2,728

View All Child Development Related Majors >

Notes and References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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