2025 Best Child Development & Psychology Schools in California
12
Colleges in California
4,266
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.
College Factual looked at 12 colleges and universities when compiling its 2025 Best Child Development & Psychology Schools in California ranking. Combined, these schools handed out 4,266 degrees in child development & psychology to qualified students.
Jump to one of the following sections: * Degree-Level Rankings
Choosing a Great Child Development & Psychology School
The child development program you select can have a big impact on your future. That's why we developed our collection of Best Schools for Child Development & Psychology rankings. 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.
You may want to choose one of the degree levels below to find the schools of most interest to you.
Child Development & Psychology Rankings by Degree Level
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we've developed a number of rankings, including this Best Child Development & Psychology Schools in California list, to help you choose the best school for you.
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 California
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.
10 Top California Schools in Child Development
University of California - Irvine is one of the best schools in the country for getting a degree in child development & psychology. UC Irvine is a very large public university located in the large city of Irvine. This university ranks 12th out of 161 colleges for overall quality in the state of California.
There were about 624 child development & psychology students who graduated with this degree at UC Irvine in the most recent year we have data available. Soon after graduating, child development degree recipients generally make around $29,830 in their early careers.
More information about a degree in child development & psychology from University of California - Irvine
Every student who is interested in child development & psychology has to take a look at University of California - Santa Barbara. Located in the midsize suburb of Santa Barbara, UCSB is a public university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #47 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means UCSB is a great university overall.
There were about 634 child development & psychology students who graduated with this degree at UCSB in the most recent year we have data available. Graduates who receive their degree from the child development program make an average of $34,431 for their early career.
More information about a degree in child development & psychology from University of California - Santa Barbara
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 UniversityRelated Programs
University of California - Davis is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a degree in child development & psychology. Located in the suburb of Davis, UC Davis is a public university with a very large student population. This university ranks 10th out of 161 colleges for overall quality in the state of California.
There were approximately 924 child development & psychology students who graduated with this degree at UC Davis in the most recent data year. Students who receive their degree from the child development program earn about $32,301 in the first couple years of working.
More information about a degree in child development & psychology from University of California - Davis
University of Southern California is a great choice for students interested in a degree in child development & psychology. USC is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Los Angeles. 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
UC Berkeley is a fairly large public university located in the medium-sized city of Berkeley. A Best Colleges rank of #14 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means UC Berkeley is a great university overall.
There were roughly 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 state that they receive average early career income of $34,450.
More information about a degree in child development & psychology from University of California - Berkeley
Located in the city of Los Angeles, UCLA is a public university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #28 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means UCLA is a great university overall.
There were about 381 child development & psychology students who graduated with this degree at UCLA in the most recent data year. After graduating, child development degree recipients typically make around $27,748 in the first five years of their career.
More information about a degree in child development & psychology from University of California - Los Angeles
UCSD is a very large public university located in the city of La Jolla. A Best Colleges rank of #49 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means UCSD is a great university overall.
There were roughly 135 child development & psychology students who graduated with this degree at UCSD in the most recent data year. Students who graduate with their degree from the child development program report average early career wages of $23,420.
More information about a degree in child development & psychology from University of California - San Diego
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 UniversityRelated Programs
Located in the city of Riverside, UCR is a public university with a very large student population. This university ranks 28th out of 161 colleges for overall quality in the state of California.
There were about 602 child development & psychology students who graduated with this degree at UCR 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 $25,654.
More information about a degree in child development & psychology from University of California - Riverside
Doctor's Degree
Highest Degree Type
193
Child Development Degrees Awarded
UC Merced is a medium-sized public university located in the medium-sized suburb of Merced. This university ranks 51st out of 161 colleges for overall quality in the state of California.More information about a degree in child development & psychology from University of California - Merced
Bachelor's Degree
Highest Degree Type
39
Child Development Degrees Awarded
Oxy is a small private not-for-profit college located in the large city of Los Angeles. This college ranks 83rd out of 161 schools for overall quality in the state of California.More information about a degree in child development & psychology from Occidental College
