2026 Best Value Child Development & Psychology Schools in Kentucky

[Child Development & Psychology](/majors/psychology/child-development-psychology/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 6 schools to find the best return on investment for child development & psychology students.
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2026 Best Value Child Development & Psychology Schools in Kentucky
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in child development & psychology, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Child Development & Psychology Schools
Murray State University tops our 2026 list of the best value child development & psychology schools in Kentucky. Located in the town of Murray, Murray State University is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,900, while out-of-state students pay about $19,836. Typical student debt for child development & psychology graduates is $20,500. Soon after graduation, child development & psychology degree recipients from Murray State University generally make around $23,674. That is a strong return on a $20,500 median debt. Roughly 86% of applicants are accepted.
Western Kentucky University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value child development & psychology schools. Set in the city of Bowling Green, Western Kentucky University is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $11,652, while out-of-state students pay about $27,000. Students borrow a median of $24,499 to complete the child development & psychology program here. Early-career child development & psychology graduates make about $44,778. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Western Kentucky University admits about 94% of applicants.
A rank of #3 makes Centre College one of the best values for child development & psychology. Centre College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the town of Danville. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $52,820. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the child development & psychology program here. Soon after graduation, child development & psychology degree recipients from Centre College generally make around $32,327. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 54% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 6 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 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.