by our College Data Analytics Team
[General Psychology](/majors/psychology/general-psychology/) programs reward a close look at where graduates go on to earn the most. A top-earning program sends graduates into careers with strong starting pay.
College Factual analyzed 8 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the highest-paying general psychology schools.
What’s on this page:
If you want to know which schools send general psychology graduates into the highest-paying careers, see the list below.
Our analysis ranked University Of Illinois At Chicago the top school for general psychology graduate earnings in Illinois. University Of Illinois At Chicago is a public school located in the city of Chicago. Early-career general psychology graduates from University Of Illinois At Chicago make a median of around $110,855 per year.
Strong graduate earnings at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville earned it the #2 place for general psychology. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is a public school located in the suburb of Edwardsville. General Psychology graduates of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville earn a median of about $61,801 a year early in their careers.
Strong graduate earnings at Illinois State University earned it the #3 place for general psychology. Located in the suburb of Normal, Illinois State University is a public institution. Early-career general psychology graduates from Illinois State University make a median of around $55,779 per year.
National Louis University came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying general psychology schools. Set in the city of Chicago, National Louis University is a private not-for-profit institution. General Psychology graduates of National Louis University earn a median of about $55,534 a year early in their careers.
Northern Illinois University produces some of the highest-paid graduates in general psychology, landing the #5 spot this year. Set in the suburb of Dekalb, Northern Illinois University is a public institution. General Psychology graduates of Northern Illinois University earn a median of about $84,125 a year early in their careers.
Adler School Of Professional Psychology placed #6 among the highest-paying schools for general psychology. Located in the city of Chicago, Adler School Of Professional Psychology is a private not-for-profit institution. Students who complete the general psychology program here go on to a median salary of roughly $54,426.
Illinois Institute Of Technology placed #7 among the highest-paying schools for general psychology. Set in the city of Chicago, Illinois Institute Of Technology is a private not-for-profit institution. Students who complete the general psychology program here go on to a median salary of roughly $74,025.
Western Illinois University ranked #8 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying general psychology schools. Western Illinois University is a public school located in the town of Macomb. Early-career general psychology graduates from Western Illinois University make a median of around $44,741 per year.
The ranking above is published by College Factual, 2026 edition. Schools are ranked on the median early-career earnings of their general psychology graduates, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 8 schools evaluated.
*Salary figures reflect median early-career earnings (about 5 years after graduation) and may vary by how long a person takes to complete their degree.
More about our data sources and methodologies.