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2023 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Psychology in California

85 Ranked Colleges
6,247 Degrees Awarded
$50,359 Avg Salary
Schools for a Master's Highly Focused on Psychology Major in California

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Psychology Major in California” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

In 2020-2021, 195,678 psychology students received their degree, making the major the 8th most popular in the country. In 2019-2020, psychology graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $35,611 and had an average of $25,989 in loans still to pay off.

Across California, there were 40,588 psychology graduates with average earnings and debt of $40,013 and $22,554 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 6,247 psychology graduates with average earnings and debt of $62,974 and $0 respectively.

This year’s “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Psychology Major in California” ranking analyzed 85 colleges that offered a degree in psychology. That schools that top this list have a program in psychology in which the largest percentage of students at the school are enrolled.

Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

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When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Psychology Major in California” list to help you make the college decision.

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. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Psychology Major in California

The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Psychology Major in California”.

Top 25 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Psychology in California

1
Meridian University crest
Meridian University
Petaluma, California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Meridian University. The school came in at #1 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Psychology Major in California. Petaluma, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out masters’s psychology degrees to 14 students in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Psychology at Meridian University

2
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The Wright Institute
Berkeley, California

Out of the 85 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Psychology Major in California that were part of this year’s ranking, The Wright Institute landed the #2 spot on the list. The Wright Institute is located in Berkeley, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 115 masters’s psychology degrees to qualified students.

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 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Psychology at The Wright Institute

3
Antioch University - Los Angeles crest
Antioch University - Los Angeles
Culver City, California

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Antioch University - Los Angeles. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Psychology Major in California list. Antioch University - Los Angeles is located in Culver City, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 194 masters’s psychology degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. 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.

Read full report on Psychology at Antioch University - Los Angeles

4
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Pacifica Graduate Institute
Carpinteria, California

Out of the 85 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Psychology Major in California that were part of this year’s ranking, Pacifica Graduate Institute landed the #4 spot on the list. This small school is located in Carpinteria, California, and it awarded 124 masters’s psychology degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. 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.

Full Pacifica Graduate Institute Psychology Report

5

Out of the 85 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Psychology Major in California that were part of this year’s ranking, The Chicago School of Professional Psychology at Los Angeles landed the #5 spot on the list. The Chicago School of Professional Psychology at Los Angeles is a small school located in Los Angeles, California that handed out 338 masters’s psychology degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Psychology at The Chicago School Los Angeles Campus

6

With a ranking of #6, California Institute of Integral Studies did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Psychology Major in California list. CIIS is a private not-for-profit institution located in San Francisco, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 201 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full California Institute of Integral Studies Psychology Report

7
Antioch University - Santa Barbara crest
Antioch University - Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, California

Antioch University - Santa Barbara ranked #7 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Psychology Major in California list. Located in Santa Barbara, California, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 52 diplomas to qualified masters’s psychology students in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 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 4.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Psychology at Antioch University - Santa Barbara

8

The Chicago School of Professional Psychology at San Diego landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Psychology Major in California ranking. The Chicago School of Professional Psychology at San Diego is a private not-for-profit institution located in San Diego, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 10 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. 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%.

Read full report on Psychology at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology at San Diego

9

The Chicago School of Professional Psychology at Irvine did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Psychology Major in California ranking, coming in at #9. Located in Irvine, California, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 27 degrees to qualified masters’s psychology students in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. 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%.

Read more about Psychology at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology at Irvine

10
Pacific Graduate School of Psychology crest
Palo Alto University
Palo Alto, California

Palo Alto University came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Psychology Major in California ranking. Palo Alto University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Palo Alto, California. It awarded 102 masters’s psychology degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% 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 Pacific Graduate School of Psychology Psychology Report

11
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Touro University Worldwide
Los Alamitos, California

Touro University Worldwide did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Psychology Major in California ranking, coming in at #11. This small school is located in Los Alamitos, California, and it awarded 216 masters’s psychology 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.

Full TUW Psychology Report

12
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Fielding Graduate University
Santa Barbara, California

With a ranking of #12, Fielding Graduate University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Psychology Major in California list. Fielding Graduate University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Santa Barbara, California. It awarded 85 masters’s psychology degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read full report on Psychology at Fielding

13
Pepperdine crest
Pepperdine University
Malibu, California

Pepperdine University landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Psychology Major in California ranking. Pepperdine University is located in Malibu, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 671 masters’s psychology degrees to qualified students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, 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 1.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Psychology at Pepperdine

14
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Hope International University
Fullerton, California

Hope International University ranked #14 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Psychology Major in California list. Fullerton, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s psychology degrees to 68 students in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.5% 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 Psychology at Hope

15
Saybrook University crest
Saybrook University
Oakland, California

Saybrook University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Psychology Major in California ranking, coming in at #15. Saybrook University is a small school located in Oakland, California that handed out 13 masters’s psychology degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read full report on Psychology at Saybrook University

16
National University crest
National University
La Jolla, California

National University landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Psychology Major in California ranking. National University is located in La Jolla, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1,058 masters’s psychology degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.7% 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 Psychology at National University

17
Presbyterian Theological Seminary in America crest
Presbyterian Theological Seminary in America
Santa Fe Springs, California

Presbyterian Theological Seminary in America ranked #17 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Psychology Major in California list. Presbyterian Theological Seminary in America is located in Santa Fe Springs, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 3 masters’s psychology degrees to qualified students.

Full Presbyterian Theological Seminary in America Psychology Report

18
Southern California Seminary crest
Southern California Seminary
El Cajon, California

Southern California Seminary ranked #18 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Psychology Major in California list. El Cajon, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s psychology degrees to 4 students in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Psychology at Southern California Seminary

19
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Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, California

Notre Dame de Namur University ranked #19 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Psychology Major in California list. Located in Belmont, California, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 53 degrees to qualified masters’s psychology students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Psychology at NDNU

20
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Holy Names University
Oakland, California

Holy Names University ranked #20 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Psychology Major in California list. HNU is located in Oakland, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 32 masters’s psychology degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read full report on Psychology at HNU

21
Northcentral University crest
Northcentral University
San Diego, California

Northcentral University came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Psychology Major in California ranking. Northcentral University is a private not-for-profit institution located in San Diego, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 238 masters’s 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 undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full Northcentral University Psychology Report

22

Vanguard University of Southern California ranked #22 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Psychology Major in California list. Vanguard is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Costa Mesa, California. It awarded 53 masters’s psychology degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 5.0% 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 Psychology at Vanguard

23
Alliant crest
Alliant International University
San Diego, California

Alliant International University came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Psychology Major in California ranking. Located in San Diego, California, this small private for-profit school handed out 92 degrees to qualified masters’s psychology students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full Alliant International University Psychology Report

24
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Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, California

Mount Saint Mary’s University ranked #24 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Psychology Major in California list. This small school is located in Los Angeles, California, and it awarded 66 masters’s psychology degrees in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full MSMU Psychology Report

25
Claremont Graduate University crest
Claremont Graduate University
Claremont, California

Claremont Graduate University ranked #25 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Psychology Major in California list. Claremont Graduate University is located in Claremont, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 44 masters’s psychology degrees to qualified students.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.9% 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%.

Full Claremont Graduate University Psychology Report

Notes and References

References

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