Does diving into the study of human behavior and using your studies to help others interest you?
Our list of best online bachelor's in Psychology can help you find the right high quality degree program to set you on the path towards a rewarding career.
What kind of psychology degree should you get?
The increasingly popular field of psychology has many branches of study and opportunities for specialization. More than ever, the cost of higher education plays a role in determining which degree to pursue.
Online education has made many inroads with students because it is affordable and flexible, enabling busy professionals and parents with families to balance the multiple demands of life with a college education. If you're interested in other online programs, take a look at our list of the top online colleges.
What can you do with a degree in psychology?
At it's core, a degree in psychology gives you the skills to predict and understand the behavior of individuals and groups, and how to use and interpret data. Job opportunities for those holding a bachelor's degree in psychology are limited compared to those who hold graduate level education.
Common careers for undergraduate degree holders include: advertising agent, career counselor, probation officer, and marketing researcher. With a master's or doctoral degree, you can work more directly in the field of psychology as a school counselor, behavioral counselor, psychologist, or therapist.
What are the requirements for a degree in psychology?
Reputable psychology degree programs consistently require: foundation courses for declaration of the major, followed by four sub-discipline core courses. Courses in behavioral and systems neuroscience, clinical psychology, and cognitive psychology are also standard requirements.
High-quality degree programs then require five psychology electives and a practicum field placement experience in the third or fourth year of the program. The practicum is an important opportunity to put what you have learned in the classroom into real-world practice.
How much money can you make with a psychology degree?
A bachelor's degree in psychology can give you insight into the fundamental workings of the human mind and behavior. For this reason, psychology majors often find themselves working in Human Resources, as Office Managers or Executive Assistants, or in Marketing.
Psychology degree-holders who enter these jobs can expect a median salary of around $45,000 to $62,000, according to data from PayScale.
Of course, a bachelor's in psychology can also prepare you to become a psychologist. If you take this route (which includes grad school), you can expect an even higher salary. PayScale estimates a median salary of more than $75,000, though many psychologists earn into six figures.
What are the best online bachelor's in psychology degrees?
Using the nationally recognized U.S. News & World Report and The National Center for Education Statistics, as well as university and colleges' websites, College Choice has created a definitive ranking of the nation's thirty-five best online psychology programs.
Factors for determining this ranking include: academic reputation, student satisfaction, affordability, and average annual salary of graduates from online psychology programs.
Starting with programs with the most renowned academic reputation, the list was narrowed down to those with high retention rates—a reflection of student satisfaction. Programs with the most economical accessibility were and the averages of early career salaries (care of PayScale) were added to arrive at a list marked by extensive research and data compilation.
Rankings
See our rankings methodology page.
