2026 Best Value Child Development & Psychology Schools in Washington

[Child Development & Psychology](/majors/psychology/child-development-psychology/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
College Factual analyzed 8 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value child development & psychology schools.
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2026 Best Value Child Development & Psychology Schools in Washington
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the child development & psychology degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Child Development & Psychology Schools
Leading the list is Eastern Washington University, our #1 best value for child development & psychology in Washington. Set in the town of Cheney, Eastern Washington University is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,586, while out-of-state students pay about $26,583. Students borrow a median of $19,938 to complete the child development & psychology program here. Child Development & Psychology graduates of Eastern Washington University earn a median of $33,455 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $19,938 median debt. Eastern Washington University admits about 91% of applicants.
University Of Washington Seattle Campus came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value child development & psychology schools. University Of Washington Seattle Campus is a very large public school located in the city of Seattle. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,973, with out-of-state students paying around $43,209. Students borrow a median of $15,754 to complete the child development & psychology program here. Early-career child development & psychology graduates make about $34,715. Set against $15,754 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Washington Seattle Campus admits about 39% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in child development & psychology will find it at Western Washington University, which ranked #3. Located in the city of Bellingham, Western Washington University is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,582, compared with $28,707 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for child development & psychology graduates is $20,361. Child Development & Psychology graduates of Western Washington University earn a median of $41,118 early in their careers. Set against $20,361 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 93% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #4 makes The Evergreen State College one of the best values for child development & psychology. The Evergreen State College is a mid-sized public school located in the suburb of Olympia. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,264, compared with $31,905 for out-of-state students. Child Development & Psychology graduates carry a median of $21,850 in student loans. Early-career child development & psychology graduates make about $26,942. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The Evergreen State College admits about 96% of applicants.
Whitman College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in child development & psychology, landing the #5 spot this year. Set in the city of Walla Walla, Whitman College is a small private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $64,050. Students borrow a median of $17,518 to complete the child development & psychology program here. Child Development & Psychology graduates of Whitman College earn a median of $32,345 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 38% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 8 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 ranked schools only.
- 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.