by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 1,570 U.S. colleges awarded 150,830 degrees and certificates in General Psychology. Bachelor’s degrees are the most popular award, at 80% of graduates. College Factual ranks 1,344 schools in its 2027 Best General Psychology Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $33,011 one year after completing, rising to $51,572 after four years.
General Psychology will allow you to explore the way humans and animals respond and interact to their circumstances and environment. This major involves the study of human and animal behavior through scientific research. Your coursework will help you understand the inner workings of a person including personality types, how we learn language, inherited traits, what role environment plays in development and more.
Classes that you can expect when majoring in General Psychology include: abnormal psychology, sensation and perception, research methods, cognition, personality, learning, social psychology, general psychology, developmental psychology, and neuroscience.
Studying General Psychology covers Psychology, General.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Nationwide, general psychology is a widely-pursued major, with 150,830 degrees awarded annually. 1,570 colleges award general psychology degrees, an average of 96 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 4,942.
By level, the 150,830 awards include 200 certificates, 20,050 associate degrees, 121,170 bachelor’s degrees, 7,604 master’s degrees and 1,796 doctorates.
Women earned 80% of general psychology degrees and certificates in the latest year (120,769 of 150,830). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (69,424) and Hispanic or Latino (38,921), and international students earned 3,561.
College Factual ranks 1,344 schools in its 2027 Best General Psychology Schools ranking, including 243 for associate degrees, 1,090 for bachelor’s degrees, 159 for master’s degrees and 53 for doctorates. It also ranks general psychology schools within 52 states. In all, 1,570 colleges offer general psychology programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value General Psychology Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common general psychology credential is the bachelor’s degree: 121,170 of the 150,830 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to general psychology call most for Reading Comprehension, Active Listening and Speaking, and for knowledge of English Language, Education and Training and Psychology, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Oral Expression, Written Comprehension and Oral Comprehension.
General Psychology requires a great deal of memorization as you learn specific terminology and theories. A sense of curiosity will help you investigate and understand behavior and genetics. Students should be adaptable and work well with others. This major requires a lot of group work and interaction with people from diverse backgrounds.
In addition to people skills, you should also be comfortable working with numbers and performing scientific experiments. Learn to quickly extract important information from readings and data. Problem solving skills will help you work through difficult labs, as well as apply theories and strategies to life situations.
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How long a general psychology degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 200 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 20,050 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 121,170 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 7,604 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 1,796 |
Bachelor’s degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to general psychology, at 32.6%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 32.6% |
| Post-doctoral training | 23.7% |
| Doctoral degree | 17.5% |
| Master’s degree | 11.3% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 4.8% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 3.5% |
| Some college courses | 2.4% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 2.3% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 1.6% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 0.2% |
Source: O*NET Online.
14 occupations are related to General Psychology, with an average median salary of $95,842; the strongest outlook belongs to Clinical and Counseling Psychologists, at 14.7% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Human Relations Teacher, Human Relations Professor, Applied Psychology Teacher and Adjunct Psychology Faculty Member.
Students interested in becoming a clinical, counseling, or research psychologist will need a doctoral degree. You will need to obtain a master's degree to become a school psychologist. Psychology graduates who don't wish to continue their education can also find jobs in social work, marketing, human resources, advertising or public health programs.
The occupation related to general psychology with the most projected jobs is Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary, at 513,614.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary | 513,614 | -3.0% |
| Managers, All Other | 468,025 | 6.2% |
| Compliance Managers | 310,203 | 13.0% |
| Loss Prevention Managers | 265,210 | 2.2% |
| Clinical Neuropsychologists | 216,013 | 8.9% |
| Regulatory Affairs Managers | 206,415 | 9.9% |
| Neuropsychologists | 186,493 | 6.5% |
| Social Science Research Assistants | 153,535 | 4.7% |
General Psychology graduates earn a median $33,011 one year after completing their program, $51,572 after four years and $50,868 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $33,011 |
| 4 years | $51,572 |
| 5 years | $50,868 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The highest-paying occupation related to general psychology is Wind Energy Development Managers, with a median salary of $169,952.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Wind Energy Development Managers | $169,952 |
| Loss Prevention Managers | $165,723 |
| Wind Energy Operations Managers | $122,567 |
| Compliance Managers | $117,178 |
| Brownfield Redevelopment Specialists and Site Managers | $99,321 |
| Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary | $98,479 |
| Managers, All Other | $95,684 |
| Neuropsychologists | $83,690 |
General Psychology includes 1 concentration; by graduates, the largest is Psychology, General (150,830). It has 3 similar majors in the Psychology field, which together award 70,388 degrees a year; the largest are Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology (43,187), Research and Experimental Psychology (24,503) and Psychology, Other (2,698). Browse all Psychology majors or the full list of college majors.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Psychology, General | 150,830 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology | 43,187 |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | 24,503 |
| Psychology, Other | 2,698 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
