2026 Best Child Development & Psychology Schools in Pennsylvania
Child Development & Psychology is a field worth a close look when choosing where to study. A focused field like this rewards careful comparison of the schools that offer it.
College Factual analyzed 21 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best child development & psychology schools.
What’s on this page:
Best Schools for Child Development & Psychology in Pennsylvania
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall child development & psychology education in Pennsylvania.
Top Schools in Child Development & Psychology
Pennsylvania State University Main Campus tops our 2026 ranking of the best child development & psychology schools. Located in the city of University Park, Pennsylvania State University Main Campus is a very large public university. About 86% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 42 child development & psychology students who graduated with this degree at Pennsylvania State University Main Campus in the most recent data year.
Get the full child development & psychology details for Pennsylvania State University Main Campus
University Of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best child development & psychology schools. Located in the city of Pittsburgh, University Of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus is a very large public university. University Of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus graduates 86% of students within six years. About 481 child development & psychology degrees were awarded at University Of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus in the most recent year. Graduates of the child development & psychology program make about $56,926 in their early career. University Of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus graduates carry a median of $24,958 in student loans.
More information about a degree in child development & psychology from University Of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus
Lafayette College came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best child development & psychology schools. Set in the suburb of Easton, Lafayette College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Roughly 88% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 60 child development & psychology students who graduated with this degree at Lafayette College in the most recent data year. Graduates of the child development & psychology program make about $59,513 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $16,931.
Read more about the child development & psychology program at Lafayette College
Lehigh University came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best child development & psychology schools. This moderately-sized private not-for-profit university is located in the city of Bethlehem. About 88% of students finish within six years. Lehigh University awarded about 31 child development & psychology degrees in the most recent data year. Child Development & Psychology graduates of Lehigh University earn a median of $70,321 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $23,008.
Read more about the child development & psychology program at Lehigh University
Drexel University is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in child development & psychology, landing the #5 spot this year. Drexel University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Philadelphia. The six-year graduation rate is 78%. There were roughly 100 child development & psychology students who graduated with this degree at Drexel University in the most recent data year. Students who receive their child development & psychology degree from Drexel University earn around $67,556 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $28,838.
Read more about the child development & psychology program at Drexel University
Duquesne University landed the #6 spot for child development & psychology this year. Set in the city of Pittsburgh, Duquesne University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. The six-year graduation rate is 77%. Duquesne University awarded about 14 child development & psychology degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their child development & psychology degree from Duquesne University earn around $54,826 in the first couple years of their career. Duquesne University graduates carry a median of $26,297 in student loans.
More information about a degree in child development & psychology from Duquesne University
University Of Pennsylvania placed #7 among the best child development & psychology schools. University Of Pennsylvania is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Philadelphia. University Of Pennsylvania graduates 96% of students within six years. University Of Pennsylvania awarded about 165 child development & psychology degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the child development & psychology program make about $45,674 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $18,125 to complete this degree.
See the full child development & psychology program report for University Of Pennsylvania
Swarthmore College landed the #8 spot for child development & psychology this year. This small private not-for-profit university is located in the suburb of Swarthmore. The six-year graduation rate is 92%. About 23 child development & psychology degrees were awarded at Swarthmore College in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, child development & psychology degree recipients from Swarthmore College generally make around $66,971. Swarthmore College graduates carry a median of $19,500 in student loans.
See the full child development & psychology program report for Swarthmore College
Haverford College landed the #9 spot for child development & psychology this year. Set in the suburb of Haverford, Haverford College is a small private not-for-profit institution. Roughly 90% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 27 child development & psychology students who graduated with this degree at Haverford College in the most recent data year.
More information about a degree in child development & psychology from Haverford College
Villanova University earned the #10 position for child development & psychology this year. This large private not-for-profit university is located in the suburb of Villanova. Roughly 92% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 22 child development & psychology degrees were awarded at Villanova University in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, child development & psychology degree recipients from Villanova University generally make around $39,218. Students borrow a median of $26,250 to complete this degree.
Read more about the child development & psychology program at Villanova University
Pennsylvania Western University ranked #11 on our 2026 list of the best child development & psychology schools. Pennsylvania Western University is a large public school located in the town of California. About 52% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 106 child development & psychology students who graduated with this degree at Pennsylvania Western University in the most recent data year.
See the full child development & psychology program report for Pennsylvania Western University
Temple University earned the #12 position for child development & psychology this year. Temple University is a very large public school located in the city of Philadelphia. About 75% of students finish within six years. Temple University awarded about 18 child development & psychology degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the child development & psychology program make about $54,642 in their early career. Temple University graduates carry a median of $26,259 in student loans.
See the full child development & psychology program report for Temple University
Pennsylvania State University Penn State Abington ranked #13 on our 2026 list of the best child development & psychology schools. Set in the suburb of Abington, Pennsylvania State University Penn State Abington is a mid-sized public institution. The six-year graduation rate is 20%. There were roughly 44 child development & psychology students who graduated with this degree at Pennsylvania State University Penn State Abington in the most recent data year.
Get the full child development & psychology details for Pennsylvania State University Penn State Abington
Gettysburg College earned the #14 position for child development & psychology this year. Gettysburg College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the town of Gettysburg. The six-year graduation rate is 82%. Gettysburg College awarded about 51 child development & psychology degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their child development & psychology degree from Gettysburg College earn around $41,599 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete this degree.
More information about a degree in child development & psychology from Gettysburg College
Thomas Jefferson University landed the #15 spot for child development & psychology this year. This moderately-sized private not-for-profit university is located in the city of Philadelphia. About 69% of students finish within six years. About 13 child development & psychology degrees were awarded at Thomas Jefferson University in the most recent year. Child Development & Psychology graduates of Thomas Jefferson University earn a median of $64,243 early in their careers. Thomas Jefferson University graduates carry a median of $32,256 in student loans.
See the full child development & psychology program report for Thomas Jefferson University
More Child Development & Psychology Rankings
View All Child Development & Psychology Rankings >
Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 21 schools evaluated.
- 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.