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2023 Most Popular Master’s Degree Colleges for Child Development & Psychology

120 Ranked Colleges
1,686 Degrees Awarded
$49,734 Avg Salary
Most Well Attended Child Development Major for a Master's

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Most Well Attended Child Development Major for a Master’s” ranking.

In 2020-2021, 17,542 people earned their degree in child development and psychology, making the major the 57th most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, child development and psychology graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $34,186 and had an average of $22,623 in loans still to pay off.

At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 1,686 child development and psychology graduates with average earnings and debt of $58,425 and $0 respectively.

This year’s “Most Well Attended Child Development Major for a Master’s” ranking analyzed 120 colleges that offered a degree in child development and psychology. To top this list, a school must have a successful child development and psychology program that graduates more students in the field than other colleges that offer the same major.

Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank Child Development & Psychology Schools

Rankings by Degree Other Award Levels
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More Child Development Rankings Other Ranking Categories

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Most Well Attended Child Development Major for a Master’s” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Most Well Attended Child Development Major for a Master’s

The colleges and universities below are the best for master’s degree child development students.

1
NYU crest
New York University
New York, New York

Out of the 120 schools in the Most Well Attended Child Development Major for a Master’s that were part of this year’s ranking, New York University landed the #1 spot on the list. NYU is located in New York, New York and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 262 masters’s child development degrees to qualified students.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%.

Read more about Child Development & Psychology at NYU

2
Capella University crest
Capella University
Minneapolis, Minnesota

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Capella University. The school came in at #2 for the Most Well Attended Child Development Major for a Master’s. Minneapolis, Minnesota is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out masters’s child development degrees to 135 students in 2020-2021.

Read more about Child Development & Psychology at Capella University

3

Out of the 120 schools in the Most Well Attended Child Development Major for a Master’s that were part of this year’s ranking, Teachers College at Columbia University landed the #3 spot on the list. New York, New York is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s child development degrees to 86 students in 2020-2021.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Child Development & Psychology at Teachers College at Columbia University

4
Montclair State crest
Montclair State University
Montclair, New Jersey

Out of the 120 schools in the Most Well Attended Child Development Major for a Master’s that were part of this year’s ranking, Montclair State University landed the #4 spot on the list. Montclair State is located in Montclair, New Jersey and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 76 masters’s child development degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Montclair State Child Development & Psychology Report

5
Walden University crest
Walden University
Minneapolis, Minnesota

Out of the 120 schools in the Most Well Attended Child Development Major for a Master’s that were part of this year’s ranking, Walden University landed the #5 spot on the list. Walden University is a private for-profit institution located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The school has a large population, and it awarded 75 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Child Development & Psychology at Walden University

6
UPenn crest
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

University of Pennsylvania ranked #6 on this year’s Most Well Attended Child Development Major for a Master’s list. Located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this large private not-for-profit school handed out 64 diplomas to qualified masters’s child development students in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Child Development & Psychology at University of Pennsylvania

7
Northcentral University crest
Northcentral University
San Diego, California

Northcentral University landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Child Development Major for a Master’s ranking. Northcentral University is a fairly large school located in San Diego, California that handed out 38 masters’s child development degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read more about Child Development & Psychology at Northcentral University

8
Fordham U crest
Fordham University
Bronx, New York

Fordham University landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Child Development Major for a Master’s ranking. Fordham University is located in Bronx, New York and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 35 masters’s child development degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Fordham U Child Development & Psychology Report

9
Yale crest
Yale University
New Haven, Connecticut

Yale University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Child Development Major for a Master’s ranking. Yale is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in New Haven, Connecticut. It awarded 34 masters’s child development degrees in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Child Development & Psychology at Yale

10
Pace University crest
Pace University - New York
New York, New York

Pace University - New York did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Child Development Major for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #10. Pace University - New York is located in New York, New York and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 32 masters’s child development degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Child Development & Psychology at Pace University - New York

11

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Child Development Major for a Master’s ranking. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is a large school located in Minneapolis, Minnesota that handed out 30 masters’s child development degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%.

Read full report on Child Development & Psychology at University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

12
The Graduate Center crest
The Graduate Center, CUNY
New York, New York

The Graduate Center, CUNY ranked #12 on this year’s Most Well Attended Child Development Major for a Master’s list. The Graduate Center is a medium-sized school located in New York, New York that handed out 29 masters’s child development degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full The Graduate Center Child Development & Psychology Report

13

Ohio State University - Main Campus landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Child Development Major for a Master’s ranking. Ohio State University - Main Campus is a large school located in Columbus, Ohio that handed out 28 masters’s child development degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Ohio State University - Main Campus Child Development & Psychology Report

14

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Child Development Major for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #14. Located in Champaign, Illinois, this large public school awarded 26 degrees to qualified masters’s child development students in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.3% 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 UIUC

14

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Child Development Major for a Master’s ranking. Located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, this large public school awarded 26 degrees to qualified masters’s child development students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Child Development & Psychology at U-M

16
Duquesne crest
Duquesne University
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Duquesne University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Child Development Major for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #16. Duquesne is a private not-for-profit institution located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 23 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.3% 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 Duquesne

16
UChicago crest
University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

University of Chicago landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Child Development Major for a Master’s ranking. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 23 diplomas to qualified masters’s child development students in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 100%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Child Development & Psychology at UChicago

16

University of Nevada - Reno did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Child Development Major for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #16. University of Nevada - Reno is a public institution located in Reno, Nevada. The school has a large population, and it awarded 23 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.3% 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 UNR Child Development & Psychology Report

16

With a ranking of #16, The University of Texas at Dallas did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Child Development Major for a Master’s list. This large school is located in Richardson, Texas, and it awarded 23 masters’s child development degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Child Development & Psychology at UT Dallas

20
Hunter crest
Hunter College
New York, New York

Hunter College came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Child Development Major for a Master’s ranking. Hunter is a large school located in New York, New York that handed out 20 masters’s child development degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Child Development & Psychology at Hunter

20
Ball State crest
Ball State University
Muncie, Indiana

With a ranking of #20, Ball State University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Child Development Major for a Master’s list. Ball State is a large school located in Muncie, Indiana that handed out 20 masters’s child development degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Ball State University Child Development & Psychology Report

20

University of California - Irvine ranked #20 on this year’s Most Well Attended Child Development Major for a Master’s list. University of California - Irvine is a public institution located in Irvine, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 20 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.4% 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 more about Child Development & Psychology at UC Irvine

23
Boston College crest
Boston College
Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts

Boston College ranked #23 on this year’s Most Well Attended Child Development Major for a Master’s list. Boston College is a fairly large school located in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts that handed out 18 masters’s child development degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Child Development & Psychology at Boston College

23
UNF crest
University of North Florida
Jacksonville, Florida

With a ranking of #23, University of North Florida did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Child Development Major for a Master’s list. UNF is a fairly large public school situated in Jacksonville, Florida. It awarded 18 masters’s child development degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.4% 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 University of North Florida Child Development & Psychology Report

25
Harvard crest
Harvard University
Cambridge, Massachusetts

Harvard University came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Child Development Major for a Master’s ranking. Harvard is a private not-for-profit institution located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The school has a large population, and it awarded 17 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Harvard Child Development & Psychology Report

Notes and References

References

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