Find Schools

Study Area & Zipcode

Child Development & Psychology

Find Schools Near

2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Child Development & Psychology in California (With Aid)

14 Ranked Colleges
3,586 Degrees Awarded
$19,400 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Child Development Schools for a Bachelor's in California For Those Getting Aid

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Child Development Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid” ranking is part of that endeavor.

In 2019-2020, 15,161 people earned their degree in child development and psychology, making the major the 72nd most popular in the United States. In 2017-2018, child development and psychology graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $32,673 and had an average of $25,889 in loans still to pay off.

Across California, there were 3,820 child development and psychology graduates with average earnings and debt of $28,900 and $17,780 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 3,586 child development and psychology graduates with average earnings and debt of $37,907 and $21,546 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Child Development Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid” ranking, we looked at 14 colleges that offer a degree in child development and psychology. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great child development and psychology programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the child development and psychology program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank Child Development & Psychology Schools

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Child Development Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Best Value Child Development Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Child Development Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid.

Top 14 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Child Development & Psychology in California (With Aid)

#1

Stanford University

Stanford, California
#1 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Stanford University. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Child Development Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid list. Stanford, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s child development degrees to 52 students in 2019-2020.

Stanford also took the #1 spot in our “Best Child Development & Psychology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Stanford is $11,496 for California Bachelor’s Degree Child Development students with aid.

The low student loan default rate of 0.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Stanford Child Development & Psychology Report

#4 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Berkeley. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Child Development Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid list. University of California - Berkeley is a public institution located in Berkeley, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 275 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UC Berkeley also made our “Best Child Development & Psychology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #4. It costs about $15,329 for California Bachelor’s Degree Child Development students with aid per year to attend UC Berkeley.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. The low student loan default rate of 1.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Child Development & Psychology at UC Berkeley

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Irvine. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Child Development Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid. UC Irvine is a large public school situated in Irvine, California. It awarded 698 bachelors’s child development degrees in 2019-2020.

UC Irvine also took the #8 spot in our “Best Child Development & Psychology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UC Irvine is $14,783 for california bachelor’s degree child development students with aid.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Child Development & Psychology at University of California - Irvine

#9 in overall quality

Out of the 14 schools in the Best Value Child Development Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Riverside landed the #4 spot on the list. Riverside, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s child development degrees to 600 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCR, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Child Development & Psychology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UCR is $12,871 for california bachelor’s degree child development students with aid.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Child Development & Psychology at University of California - Riverside

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Davis. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Child Development Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Davis, California, this large public school awarded 806 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s child development students in 2019-2020.

UC Davis also took the #5 spot in our “Best Child Development & Psychology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $14,669 for California Bachelor’s Degree Child Development students with aid per year to attend University of California - Davis.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Child Development & Psychology at UC Davis

#6

University of California - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, California

University of California - Los Angeles ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Child Development Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid list. This large school is located in Los Angeles, California, and it awarded 398 bachelors’s child development degrees in 2019-2020.

UCLA did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Child Development & Psychology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - Los Angeles is $14,279 for California Bachelor’s Degree Child Development students with aid.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Child Development & Psychology at UCLA

#7

University of California - Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara, California

With a ranking of #7, University of California - Santa Barbara did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Child Development Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid list. University of California - Santa Barbara is a large school located in Santa Barbara, California that handed out 579 bachelors’s child development degrees in 2019-2020.

UCSB also took the #6 spot in our “Best Child Development & Psychology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UCSB is $15,884 for California Bachelor’s Degree Child Development students with aid.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Child Development & Psychology at University of California - Santa Barbara

University of California - San Diego ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Child Development Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid list. UCSD is a public institution located in La Jolla, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 85 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCSD, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best Child Development & Psychology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - San Diego is $14,232 for California Bachelor’s Degree Child Development students with aid.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The low student loan default rate of 1.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Child Development & Psychology at UCSD

#9

Pomona College

Claremont, California
#3 in overall quality

With a ranking of #9, Pomona College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Child Development Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid list. Pomona is a small school located in Claremont, California that handed out 16 bachelors’s child development degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree child development students with aid list, Pomona has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Child Development & Psychology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Pomona is $17,458 for California Bachelor’s Degree Child Development students with aid.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Pomona College Child Development & Psychology Report

#10

Holy Names University

Oakland, California
#11 in overall quality

With a ranking of #10, Holy Names University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Child Development Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid list. Holy Names University is located in Oakland, California and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 1 bachelors’s child development degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at HNU, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Child Development & Psychology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for HNU is $23,034 for california bachelor’s degree child development students with aid.

The low student loan default rate of 3.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Holy Names University Child Development & Psychology Report

#11

Brandman University

Irvine, California
#14 in overall quality

Brandman University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Child Development Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #11. Brandman is a private not-for-profit institution located in Irvine, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 2 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Brandman also took the #14 spot in our “Best Child Development & Psychology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $21,604 for california bachelor’s degree child development students with aid per year to attend Brandman University.

Read more about Child Development & Psychology at Brandman

#12

Scripps College

Claremont, California
#2 in overall quality

Scripps College came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Child Development Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. Scripps College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Claremont, California. It awarded 21 bachelors’s child development degrees in 2019-2020.

Scripps also made our “Best Child Development & Psychology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #2. The yearly cost to attend Scripps is $32,709 for California Bachelor’s Degree Child Development students with aid.

The low student loan default rate of 0.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read more about Child Development & Psychology at Scripps

#13

Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, California

Mount Saint Mary’s University ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Child Development Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid list. MSMU is a private not-for-profit institution located in Los Angeles, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 17 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

MSMU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #13 on our “Best Child Development & Psychology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend Mount Saint Mary’s University is $29,214 for California Bachelor’s Degree Child Development students with aid.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low student loan default rate of 2.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Mount Saint Mary’s University Child Development & Psychology Report

#12 in overall quality

With a ranking of #14, Saint Mary’s College of California did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Child Development Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid list. This small school is located in Moraga, California, and it awarded 7 bachelors’s child development degrees in 2019-2020.

SMC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best Child Development & Psychology Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend SMC is $34,392 for California Bachelor’s Degree Child Development students with aid.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Saint Mary’s College of California Child Development & Psychology Report

Switch to a Different Ranking Method

Notes and References

References

  • The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
  • Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

Featured Psychology Schools

Find Schools Near You