If you are considering a career in psychology, you might be researching the most innovative psychology degree programs at small colleges in the U.S. There are many benefits to pursuing a degree from a larger academic institution. However, smaller schools offer opportunities for more focused, personalized studies as students collaborate more closely with peers and faculty members.
Whether you plan to enter the workforce immediately after graduating or you are looking to pursue graduate training in management, human resources, business, law, medicine, or social work, an undergraduate degree in psychology can get you there. At both the undergraduate and graduate levels, there are many innovative degrees offered at top-rated, nationally recognized small institutions across the country.
Methodology
To help students narrow down their program options in terms of smaller schools offering Bachelor’s in Psychology degrees, we researched post-secondary institutions throughout the U.S. To start our list, we used the College Navigator Database at the National Center for Education Statistics and conducted a search for the term “Bachelor’s in Psychology degree with an undergraduate enrollment of under 10,000.” We were given an initial pool of more than 100 schools that matched this search term. We narrowed down the list into the top 10 most innovative programs offered by small schools based on the following methodology.
Average Annual Cost of Attendance
Although pursuing a high-quality program is of the utmost importance, one of the first things undergraduate students ask is, “How much is this program going to cost me?” Before you spend a great deal of time compiling this information, you should know that we have done the hard work for you. We used the College Navigator database and each school’s website to gather the most up-to-date tuition information and awarded points based on the following cost ranges.
Points:
Under $20,000: 3 points
$20,001 to $39,999: 2 points
$40,000 ore more: 1 point
College Ranking
It can be overwhelming wading through all of the “best of” and “top” program lists and rankings put out every year. The major source of these rankings, U.S. News & World Report, is known for recognizing areas such as “Best National University,” “Best National Liberal Arts College,” and “Best Regional University.” We took these ranking lists as well as lists for the schools considered to be the best value and the most innovative and awarded points according to the following categories.
Points:
U.S. News & World Report: Most Innovative College Ranking:
Top 10: 3 points
Top 25: 2 points
Top 50: 1 point
U.S. News & World Report: Best National University, Best National Liberal Arts College Ranking:
Top 10: 4 points
Top 25: 3 points
Top 50: 2 point
Top 100: 1 point
U.S. News & World Report: Best Regional University, Best Value School, Top Public School Ranking:
Top 25: 3 points
Top 50: 2 points
Top 100: 1 point
Undergraduate Enrollment:
There are certain merits to larger institutions, including greater opportunities, more degree offerings, and a greater selection of specialization areas. However, there are many pros to pursuing a degree from a smaller college. Students can form closer relationships with faculty members and their peers as they receive more individualized attention and the opportunity to study specific topics in-depth. We awarded the most points to the schools with the lowest undergraduate enrollment.
Points:
5,000 or fewer: 3 points
5,001 to 8,499: 2 points
8,500 to 10,000: 1 point
Accreditation
Accreditation is a strong indicator that a program and institution are of high academic quality. Accreditation, earned via a comprehensive peer review process, lets prospective students, current students, and the public know that any given school has met and is expected to continue to meet standards set forth by the accrediting organization. For the purpose of this ranking, we did not look at programmatic accreditation; rather, we focused on national and regional accreditation.
Points:
Each Accreditation: 1 point
Ranking Top 10 Graduate Degree Programs in Forensic Psychology
10. Elon University
Elon, North Carolina
Points: 13
Program Website
Founded in 1889, Elon University is a private liberal arts university. It offers undergraduate and graduate degrees to more than 6,000 students each year. Elon’s Department of Psychology is the school’s largest liberal arts major. The undergraduate program features an emphasis on psychology as an applied, basic science. The department is large enough to offer a range of research opportunities, internships, and courses normally associated with a bigger university. However, it’s small enough to provide close personal mentoring.
The psychology program offers a grounding in research methodology as well as courses in these psychology areas:
- educational
- cross-cultural
- abnormal
- social
- developmental
- cognitive
Other areas of study include:
- animal behavior
- behavior neuroscience
- psychology of leadership.
Degree Options:
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology
Average Program Cost: $35,319
Enrollment: 6,045
U.S. News & World Report Ranking:
#1 in Regional Universities South
#1 in Most Innovative Schools
#30 in Best Value Schools
Accreditations:
SACSCOC
9. Grinnell College
Grinnell, Iowa
Points: 14
Program Website
Grinnell College was founded in 1846. It’s a small private liberal arts college known for its:
- innovative pedagogy
- rigorous academics
- commitment to social justice
The Department of Psychology offers an undergraduate degree in psychology that highlights the behavior of biological organisms in their social habitats. All students must complete their introductory courses in a specific order, including classes in:
- research methods
- statistics
- general psychology
Electives allow students to move toward advanced courses for in-depth study. They may also provide the basis for individual research projects. The department also encourages undergraduates to pursue experiential learning via internships. Graduates are prepared for careers in:
- law
- medicine
- clinical work
- scientific research
- teaching.
Degree Options:
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology
Average Program Cost: $52,392
Enrollment: 1,712
U.S. News & World Report Ranking:
#6 (tie) in Most Innovative Schools
#11 (tie) in National Liberal Arts Colleges
#12 in Best Value Schools
Accreditations:
HLC
8. Stanford University
Stanford, California
Points: 14
Program Website
One of the top universities in the world Stanford University is a private university. It’s known for its proximity to Silicon Valley and its academic strength. Stanford’s Department of Psychology offers an undergraduate major in psychology that consists of studies in:
- cognitive neuroscience
- learning and memory
- perception psychology
- abnormal psychology
- clinical psychology
- personality psychology
- cultural psychology
- social psychology
- developmental psychology
Students round out the program with electives. They may choose to count up to 10 units of practica, independent study, and research toward the psychology major. Undergraduates may also choose to specialize in one of four areas, including:
- neuroscience
- cognitive sciences
- health and development
- mind, culture, and society.
Degree Options:
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology
Average Program Cost: $51,354
Enrollment: 7,064
U.S. News & World Report Ranking:
#5 in Best Value Schools
#5 in Most Innovative Schools
#7 in National Universities
Accreditations:
WSCUC
7. Butler University
Indianapolis, Indiana
Points: 14
Program Website
Named after founder Ovid Butler and founded in 1855, Butler University is a private university. It has more than 60 major academic fields of study across six colleges. The College of Liberal Arts & Sciences offers an undergraduate degree in psychology. Students in this program get a thorough understanding of psychological science through experiential learning training in the classroom.
The curriculum consists of a general overview of the basic methods and topics in psychology. Students will later have the opportunity to advance to a more thorough exploration of specific content areas. Graduates are prepared for further studies in the field or for careers in:
- public service
- medical
- education
- government
- business.
Degree Options:
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology
Average Program Cost: $41,120
Enrollment: 4,293
U.S. News & World Report Ranking:
#1 in Most Innovative Schools
#1 (tie) in Regional Universities Midwest
#21 in Best Value Schools
Accreditations:
HLC
6. Amherst College
Amherst, Massachusetts
Points: 15
Program Website
Founded in 1821 as a men’s college, Amherst College is now a coeducational, private liberal arts college. In the school’s Department of Psychology, Amherst faculty approach the field from different angles to better understand human experience and behavior. The program follows an interdisciplinary approach. It exposes students to the different methods of psychological research that reveal the complex web of interacting influences affecting behaviors.
Students take courses in:
- the psychology of globalization
- the psychology of play
- close relationships
The Department provides numerous laboratories in which students may investigate the different aspects of psychology. These range from behavioral neuroscience and physiological psychology to cognitive psychology and more.
Degree Options:
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology
Average Program Cost: $56,426
Enrollment: 1,836
U.S. News & World Report Ranking:
#2 in National Liberal Arts Colleges
#3 in Best Value Schools
#8 (tie) in Most Innovative Schools
Accreditations:
NECHE
5. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Points: 15
Program Website
Commonly referred to as MIT, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university. It was founded in 1861 in response to the increasing industrialization in the U.S. MIT’s Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences offers an undergraduate degree in psychology. The program is organized into a tier system. Courses build on the expertise students gained in the preceding level.
The first year consists of an introduction to:
- computation
- cognitive science
- neuroscience
There’s an emphasis on classes that further develop students’ skills in statistics and programming. Students also have the opportunity to focus on individual interest areas as they move through the program.
Degree Options:
Bachelor of Science in Psychology
Average Program Cost: $56,426
Enrollment: 4,547
U.S. News & World Report Ranking:
#3 in Best Value Schools
#3 in Most Innovative Schools
#3 (tie) in National Universities
Accreditations:
NECHE
4. Davidson College
Davidson, North Carolina
Points: 15
Program Website
Davidson College is a small private liberal arts college. It enrolls about 2,000 students from 40 countries and 47 states. Davidson’s Psychology Department offers a bachelor’s in psychology degree that consists of courses in:
- the social sciences
- natural sciences
- humanities
Students benefit from numerous research opportunities and field experiences to gain hands-on instruction in real-world settings. The broad curriculum also integrates the study of animal and human behavior with the empirical scientific method. Students learn how cognitive and physiological processes affect behavior. Graduates are prepared for careers directly after graduation or to pursue graduate studies at the master’s or doctoral levels.
Degree Options:
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology
Average Program Cost: $51,447
Enrollment: 1,810
U.S. News & World Report Ranking:
#5 in Most Innovative Schools
#8 in Best Value Schools
#10 in National Liberal Arts Colleges
Accreditations:
SACSCOC
3. Creighton University
Omaha, Nebraska
Points: 15
Program Website
Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1878, Creighton University is a private, Jesuit, Roman Catholic university. Creighton’s Department of Psychological Science offers an undergraduate psychology degree. The program provides insight into the complete range of human emotions, cognitions, and behaviors. Students can pursue independent research and/or internship courses in which they learn valuable skills outside of the traditional classroom.
Graduates often pursue master’s or doctoral training in specific areas that they were introduced to in the undergraduate program. These areas of psychology include:
- industrial/organizational
- physiological
- social
- forensic
- developmental
- cognitive
- educational/school
- counseling/clinical
Psychology majors may also choose to minor in Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience, a relevant minor for those interested in the biological sciences.
Degree Options:
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology
Average Program Cost: $39,916
Enrollment: 4,255
U.S. News & World Report Ranking:
#1 (tie) in Regional Universities Midwest
#2 in Most Innovative Schools
#4 in Best Value Schools
Accreditations:
HLC
2. Evergreen State College
Olympia, Washington
Points: 15
Program Website
Founded in 1967, Evergreen State College is a public liberal arts college. It offers a non-traditional undergraduate curriculum in which students can design their own paths of study. The school’s undergraduate program in psychology takes an interdisciplinary approach to the field. This includes different methods to build understanding of the biological, psychological, and social elements that affect human behavior and health.
Students may choose an area of emphasis in which to focus their degree. Graduates are prepared in both practice and theory for graduate work and study in:
- psychological research
- human and social services
- clinical psychology.
Degree Options:
Bachelor of Science in Psychology
Average Program Cost: $7,944
Enrollment: 3,610
U.S. News & World Report Ranking:
#2 in Most Innovative Schools
#7 (tie) in Top Public Schools
#35 (tie) in Regional Universities West
Accreditations:
NWCCU
1. Truman State University
Kirksville, Missouri
Points: 18
Program Website
Truman State University is a public sciences and liberal arts university. It enrolls 6,000 undergraduate and 300 graduate students. Psychology majorsinvestigate mental processes and behavior through a combination of experiential opportunities outside the classroom and rigorous coursework. B.S. majors become involved in all aspects of research, including:
- forming a hypothesis
- designing the study
- collecting and evaluating data
They present their findings at national, regional, and local conferences. Research students also have access to numerous study abroad and internship opportunities.
B.A. students are not as exposed to research as their B.S. counterparts as the B.A. curriculum is more generalized and focused on the psychology field as a whole. They still discover the tenets of the scientific method. Ultimately, students pursuing one of these innovative programs benefit from more valuable classroom and real-world experiences.
Degree Options:
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology
Bachelor of Science in Psychology
Average Program Cost: $7,656
Enrollment: 5,898
U.S. News & World Report Ranking:
#1 in Top Public Schools
#2 in Best Value Schools
#6 (tie) in Most Innovative Schools
#9 in Regional Universities Midwest
Accreditations:
HLC
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the Career Options for a Bachelor’s in Psychology Degree?
If you want to study human behavior, master topics in the sciences and humanities, and take challenging classes, a bachelor’s degree in psychology from a small school in the U.S. is a great option. Psychology undergraduates study human behavior and why people act the way they do. A degree in this field can prepare graduates for careers in:
- counseling
- social work
- medicine
- sales
- business
- therapy
Students may pursue graduate work for more specialized training, or they may take on an entry-level job immediately after graduation. The following are several popular career options for those with a bachelor’s degree in psychology:
- Writer
- Teacher
- Social Service Specialist
- Sales Representative
- Rehabilitation Specialist
- Probation and Parole Officer
- Psychiatric Technician
- Market Researcher
- Laboratory Assistant
- Child Care Worker
- Case Manager
- Career Counselor
- Advertising Agent
To work as a psychologist, a doctorate or master’s is required. However, a bachelor’s in psychology degree can still function as a valuable starting point for the above career paths.
How Much Can You Earn in This Field?
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), psychologists reported a median annual pay of $77,030 per year in May 2017. The highest 10 percent of psychologists reported earnings of more than $124,520, while the lowest 10 percent earned less than $42,330. The highest-paid psychologists during the same year included industrial-organizational psychologists and clinical, counseling, and school psychologists.
ZipRecruiter indicates that, as of January 2019, the average annual pay for someone with a bachelor’s in psychology degree is $46,476 per year. While annual salaries for psychologists range from $21,000 to $98,000 per year or more, the majority of salaries for graduates with a bachelor’s degree in psychology range from $33,500 to $52, 000 across the U.S. Although there may be fewer opportunities for advancement based on skills, graduates may enjoy increased pay based on location and years of experience.
The BLS also reports that, in May 2017, the median annual wages for psychologists in the top industries in which they were employed were:
- State, local, and private elementary and secondary schools: $74,470
- Ambulatory healthcare services: $77,030
- State, local, and private hospitals: $83,910
- Government: $94,910
A number of factors influence salary earnings for psychologists such as:
- specialty practice area
- location
- experience
- level of education
Although graduates may seek entry-level positions with only a bachelor’s degree, the highest salaries are reserved for those with licensure, certification, and doctoral degrees such as:
- clinical
- counseling
- research psychologists.
What Courses Will You Take in a Bachelor’s in Psychology Degree Program?
If you are just beginning your psychology degree, you can expect to take a number of courses that focus on the science of human behavior. Your goal is to fulfill the course requirements of your chosen program’s department. You will also develop:
- research competence
- critical thinking skills
- an in-depth knowledge of psychology
The following are some of the most important courses you will find in an undergraduate psychology program:
- Personality Psychology
- Social Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
- Abnormal Psychology
- Cognitive Psychology
- Physiological Psychology
- Experimental Psychology
- Statistics
- History of Psychology
- General Psychology
Should You Get a Bachelor’s in Psychology?
Do you like learning about abnormal behavior, neurology, developmental processes, and human cognition? If so, you may want to consider a bachelor’s degree in psychology. A psychology degree teaches students the skills they need to work with a diverse population, including:
- business
- counseling
- sales
- clinical settings
The combination of courses in humanities and science gives undergraduates a comprehensive education that they can then apply to many career paths.
A number of universities and colleges offer on-campus and online programs, each suited to a different type of student. On-campus programs benefit those looking to enter college immediately after graduating high school, seeking a traditional collegiate experience. On-campus programs, particularly at smaller schools, allow students more opportunities to develop personal relationships with:
- potential employers
- local professionals
- professors
On the other hand, online bachelor’s programs in psychology typically appeal to students with families and working professionals.
Earning a psychology degree from an accredited school can also help when it comes to finding employment. Established institutions often carry reputations in the psychology community. Many universities, large and small, offer:
- alumni networking opportunities
- internships
- job placement assistance
If you aren’t sure of your career path, having access to additional resources and a variety of courses may help you narrow down the topics that interest you. We hope that our list of the most innovative psychology degree programs at small colleges in the U.S. will be of some help.
By OPD Staff