by our College Data Analytics TeamCollege Factual reviewed 51 schools in California to determine which ones were the best for master's degree seekers in the field of psychology. Combined, these schools handed out 7,489 master's degrees in psychology to qualified students.
What's on this page: * Our Methodology
The psychology master's degree program you select can have a big impact on your future. Important measures of a quality psychology program can vary widely even among the top schools. Below we explain some of the most important factors to consider before making your choice:
The overall quality of a master's degree school is important to ensure a good education, not just how well they do in a particular major. To take this into account we consider a school's overall Best Colleges for a Master's Degree ranking which itself looks at a collection of different factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.
Average early-career salary of those graduating with their master's degree is one indicator we use in our analysis to find the schools that offer the highest-quality education. After all, your master's degree won't mean much if it doesn't help you find a job that will help you earn a living.
The metrics below are just some of the other metrics that we use to determine our rankings.
Our full ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best schools for psychology students working on their master's degree.
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we've developed the Best Psychology Master's Degree Schools in California ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
Below you'll see a list of the best colleges and universities for pursuing a master's degree in psychology. Only those schools that rank in the top 20% of all the schools we analyze get awarded with a place on this list.
University of California - Los Angeles is one of the finest schools in the United States for getting a master's degree in psychology. UCLA is a very large public university located in the large city of Los Angeles.More information about a master’s in psychology from University of California - Los Angeles
It is hard to beat University of Southern California if you wish to pursue a master's degree in psychology. Located in the large city of Los Angeles, USC is a private not-for-profit university with a very large student population.More information about a master’s in psychology from University of Southern California
University of California - Davis is a good decision for individuals pursuing a master's degree in psychology. UC Davis is a fairly large public university located in the suburb of Davis.More information about a master’s in psychology from University of California - Davis
Santa Clara University is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a master's degree in psychology. SCU is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university located in the medium-sized city of Santa Clara.More information about a master’s in psychology from Santa Clara University
Pepperdine is a medium-sized private not-for-profit university located in the suburb of Malibu.More information about a master’s in psychology from Pepperdine University
Located in the large city of San Francisco, USFCA is a private not-for-profit university with a moderately-sized student population.More information about a master’s in psychology from University of San Francisco
Located in the large city of San Diego, SDSU is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a master’s in psychology from San Diego State University
National University is a large private not-for-profit university located in the city of San Diego.More information about a master’s in psychology from National University
Cal Baptist is a large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Riverside.More information about a master’s in psychology from California Baptist University
Located in the large city of Long Beach, CSULB is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a master’s in psychology from California State University - Long Beach
These are some additional schools worth mentioning that are also great but just didn't quite make the cut to earn our top Best Psychology Master's Degree Schools in California award.
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | California State University - Monterey Bay | Seaside, CA |
| 12 | Azusa Pacific University | Azusa, CA |
| 13 | University of California - San Diego | La Jolla, CA |
| 14 | Chapman University | Orange, CA |
| 15 | California State University - Fullerton | Fullerton, CA |
| 16 | Loyola Marymount University | Los Angeles, CA |
| 17 | Brandman University | Irvine, CA |
Explore all the Best Psychology Colleges in the Far Western US Area or other specific states within that region.
| State | Colleges | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | 31 | 333 |
| Oregon | 29 | 194 |
| Hawaii | 27 | 114 |
| Nevada | 27 | 32 |
| Alaska | 21 | 12 |
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Clinical, Counseling & Applied Psychology | 5,685 |
| General Psychology | 1,327 |
| Other Psychology | 272 |
| Child Development & Psychology | 205 |
