15 of the Most Affordable Bachelor’s Degrees in Psychology

(source)

Do you have an interest in psychology-related careers but you’re not sure yet whether or not you want to be a psychologist due to the time and cost commitment for completing a Master’s or Doctoral degree, as well as preparing for certification/ licensing? The good news is that a bachelor’s degree in psychology can lead to a number of different career opportunities without necessarily requiring the completion of graduate programs. Of course, that option is also available should you so choose.

The BLS (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics), in their Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH) Web pages, profile the job growth potential for occupations similar to Psychologist. We’ve listed some of these below. The % value include with each occupation is the BLS’s predicted percent change in job numbers between 2012 and 2022. (Note that some of these do not specifically require a bachelor’s in psychology while some require a master’s or doctoral degree as well as certification.) The occupation list is sorted by descending job growth percentage.

Substance Abuse and Behavioral Disorder Counselors: 31%
Mental Health Counselors and Marriage and Family Therapists: 29%
Rehabilitation Counselors: 20%
Social Workers: 19%
Psychologists : +12%
Special Education Teachers: 6%

Some of these occupations show more promise than others in the specified period, including several which are expected to beat the national job growth average of 11% (for all careers in the U.S. between 2012 and 2022). This is only a partial list of possible opportunities for graduates of a bachelor’s degree in psychology (including careers requiring graduate studies and/or licensing/ certification). Additional career opportunities are mentioned in the college rankings entries below. Also see the links to BLS OOH pages in the Reference section at the end of this article for more information.

If you are interested in one of these or a related career, this ranking of affordable bachelor’s programs in psychology may help you choose a college. This list includes related areas of study and “minor” topics, and continues our series of “Affordable Schools” for various bachelor’s degree programs.

NOTES:

As accreditation can change or only be valid regionally, please verify accreditation of any college to which you are planning to apply.
See the “Methodology” section of the ranking list article 15 of the Most Affordable Bachelor’s Degrees in Marketing for an explanation of the process we use to rank colleges in each list.
NCES data is subject to change and some of these “affordable degrees” guides may use more recent data than described in the Methodology.
For the full list of programs covered to date, please check our School Rankings page.

15: University of Arkansas-Fort Smith

Bell tower and greens, University of Arkansas-Fort Smith (source)

The University of Arkansas-Fort Smith (UAFS) is a public university established in 1928 as Fort Smith Junior College. It is part of the University of Arkansas System and is located in Fort Smith, Arkansas, about 150 miles northwest of Little Rock, AR, and some 185 miles east of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

UAFS offers one Psychology-related Bachelor’s program — its Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Psychology. With this BA, students further their analytical skills, behavioral understanding, and critical thinking. This enables them to pursue such career opportunities as: administrative and direct care roles with human services organizations; behavioral and market research roles with governments and non-profits; HR work for businesses and consulting firms; or advertising/ PR efforts for agencies and corporations. Students can also pursue advanced degrees to unlock professional psychology/ counseling opportunities. The BA requires 120 credit-hours (approx. 40 courses), with about 18 for a required minor. The major requires around 46 hours (incl. courses in conditioning and learning; industrial-organizational psychology; psychology of personality; research methods; independent study or internship options; and a senior-year capstone). Finally, students in other majors can study Psychology via UAFS’s 18-hour minor. See site for additional requirements/ details, or contact the school.

Graduation rate: 26%.
Transfer-out rate: 13%.
In-state tuition: $4,727.
Out-of-state tuition: $10,511.
Yearly average net price: $7,679.
Student population: 6830.
# undergraduates: 6830.
Campus setting: City: Small.
Campus housing avail.: Yes.
Areavibes.com cost of living score: A+.

14: Southern University at New Orleans

Southern University at New Orleans (source)

The Southern University at New Orleans (SUNO) is a public university established in 1956. It is part of the Southern University System, America’s only HBCU (Historically Black College/University) system. SUNO’s two main campuses are located in New Orleans, Louisiana.

SUNO offers one Psychology-related Bachelor’s program — its Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Psychology. With this BA, students gain improved analytical capabilities, behavioral understanding, problem-solving abilities, and research and writing skills. This means students can proceed to graduate studies, or pursue opportunities as advertising/ marketing specialists, child care workers, computer programmers, parole officers, public relations co-ordinators, research assistants, or staffing specialists. The BA requires 123 hours (approx. 42-44 courses), with at least 18 for a required minor and a minimum of 39 for General Education requirements. The major requires at least 42 hours (incl. such course options as clinical psychology; personality theories; psychological testing; sensation and perception; social psychology; senior-year independent research; and a senior-year counseling psychology practicum). Finally, students in other majors can study Psychology via SUNO’s 18-hour minor. See site for additional requirements/ details, or contact the school.

Graduation rate: 12%.
Transfer-out rate: n/a.
In-state tuition: $5,218.
Out-of-state tuition: $6,517.
Yearly average net price: $7,531.
Student population: 2103.
# undergraduates: 1658.
Campus setting: City: Large.
Campus housing avail.: Yes.
Areavibes.com cost of living score: B+.

13: University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff

UAPB band at Mardi Gras parade. (source)

The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) is a public HBCU (Historically Black College/University) established in 1873 as the Branch Normal College. It is part of the University of Arkansas System and its main campus is in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, some 45 miles southeast of Little Rock, AR, and about 145 miles southwest of Memphis, Tennessee.

UAPB offers one Psychology-related Bachelor’s program — its Bachelor of Science (BS) in Psychology. This BS prepares students to pursue careers in such fields as advertising, business, community/ social services, education, human resources, marketing, mental health, or substance abuse counseling. The BS requires 120 semester-hours (approx. 41 courses), with 18 for an optional minor and 45 for General Education requirements (incl. communication; health and physical education; humanities; math and natural sciences; and social sciences). The major accounts for 45 hours of required courses and electives (incl. such options as cognitive psychology; developmental psychology; human factors; independent study; psychology of learning; social psychology; stress, health, and disease; a senior-year capstone; and a senior-year internship). Finally, students in other majors can study Psychology via UAPB’s 21-hour minor. See site for additional requirements/ details, or contact the school.

Graduation rate: 27%.
Transfer-out rate: 16%.
In-state tuition: $6,178.
Out-of-state tuition: $11,908.
Yearly average net price: $7,452.
Student population: 2513.
# undergraduates: 2401.
Campus setting: City: Small.
Campus housing avail.: Yes.
Areavibes.com cost of living score: A+.

12: University of Houston-Downtown

University of Houston-Downtown Commerce building (source)

The University of Houston-Downtown (UHD) is a public university originally established in 1974 as the University of Houston-Downtown College. UHD became a standalone institution and a member of the University of Houston System in 1979. Its main campus is comprised of five buildings located in the neighboring Downtown and Northside districts of Houston, Texas.

UHD offers one Psychology-related Bachelor’s program — its Bachelor of Science (BS) in Psychology. This BS prepares students for positions in business management, counseling services, community relations, education, human resources, market research, personnel management, public relations, sales, or training. The BS requires 120 credit-hours (approx. 40 courses), with about 18 for an optional minor. Common Core requirements account for 42 hours (incl. courses in American history; government/ political science; language, philosophy, and culture; and life and physical sciences). The major requires 45 hours (incl. courses from the following Psychology clusters: advanced writing; clinical; cognitive/ neuroscience; developmental; diversity; social/ personality; and career, which provides a field experience or research opportunity). The BS can also be completed through UHD’s online studies option. Finally, students in other majors can study Psychology via UHD’s 15-18 hour minor. See site for additional requirements/ details, or contact the school.

Graduation rate: 19%.
Transfer-out rate: 48%.
In-state tuition: $5,516.
Out-of-state tuition: $14,204.
Yearly average net price: $7,436.
Student population: 14439.
# undergraduates: 13830.
Campus setting: City: Large.
Campus housing avail.: No.
Areavibes.com cost of living score: A+.

11: Louisiana State University-Shreveport

Louisiana State University in Shreveport (LSUS) is a public university that was originally established in 1967 as a two-year community college. LSUS is now part of the Louisiana State University System and is located in Shreveport, Louisiana, about 190 miles roughly east of Dallas, Texas.

LSUS offers one Psychology-related Bachelor’s program — its Bachelor of Science (BS) in Psychology. This BS prepares students for entry-level positions in businesses, labs, hospitals/ mental health clinics, human services agencies, or any organization requiring an employee with a comprehensive understanding of “human interaction and behavior.” Students can also continue on to advanced studies in specialty areas of psychology, or in fields such as law or medicine. This BS requires 120 credit-hours (approx. 42 courses) for graduation, with a minimum of 39 for General Education requirements (incl. courses in English composition; humanities; math; natural sciences; and social and behavioral sciences). The major requires 39-42 hours (incl. course options such as clinical psychology; dispute resolution strategies; ethical, legal, and professional issues in psychology; health psychology; psychology of behavior modification; and independent research and field experience opportunities). See site for additional requirements/ details, or contact the school.

Graduation rate: 31%.
Transfer-out rate: n/a.
In-state tuition: $6,168.
Out-of-state tuition: $6,168.
Yearly average net price: $7,433.
Student population: 4186.
# undergraduates: 3202.
Campus setting: City: Midsize.
Campus housing avail.: No.
Areavibes.com cost of living score: A+.

10: Concord University

Concord University library (source)

Concord University is a public university that was established in 1872 as a normal school. Its main campus is in Athens, West Virginia, some 90 miles southeast of Charleston, WV, and about 180 miles roughly north of Charlotte, North Carolina.

Concord offers one Psychology-related Bachelor’s program — its Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Psychology. This BA prepares students for a diversity of careers (with or without advanced degrees). This includes opportunities in business (HR, marketing, organizational development); education (counseling, teaching, program planning); the environment (behavioral research); health (health/ mental health counseling); performance (counseling athletes, entertainers, executives); or public safety (criminal justice/ law enforcement). The BA requires 120 credit-hours (approx. 40 courses), with at least 15 for the required minor and a minimum of 49 for General Studies requirements. The major requires 39 hours (incl. course options in behavioral statistics; counseling techniques; cultural psychology; cognitive psychology; experimental psychology; health psychology; and independent study and practicum opportunities). Finally, students in other majors can study Psychology via Concord’s 15-hour minor. See site for additional requirements/ details, or contact the school.

Graduation rate: 34%.
Transfer-out rate: 26%.
In-state tuition: $6,580.
Out-of-state tuition: $14,276.
Yearly average net price: $7,224.
Student population: 2545.
# undergraduates: 2243.
Campus setting: Town: Distant.
Campus housing avail.: Yes.
Areavibes.com cost of living score: A+.

9: CUNY Brooklyn College

Brooklyn College campus in winter (source)

Brooklyn College is a public college established in 1930 and is located in Brooklyn, New York, about four miles southeast of the Barclays Center. It is part of the CUNY (City University of New York) system.

Brooklyn offers several Psychology-related Bachelor’s programs. Its Bachelor of Arts (BA) and Bachelor of Science (BS) in Psychology both prepare students for a variety of career options (some requiring advanced degrees). These include HR specialist, law enforcement mental health official, school counselor or psychologist, social services case manager, or recruiter/ staffing consultant. Both degrees require 120 credits (approx. 40 courses), with 29-31 for departmental requirements (incl. field work or independent research options). BS students also have additional math and science requirements. Students wanting to become teachers can combine the Childhood Education Teacher BA or two Early Childhood Education Teacher BA options with the 30-credit concentration in Psychology. Brooklyn also has three Psychology-related minors: the 12-credit minor in Psychology, 12-13 credit interdisciplinary minor in Cognitive Science, and 18-21 credit interdisciplinary minor in Neuroscience. See site for additional requirements/ details, or contact the school.

Graduation rate: 50%.
Transfer-out rate: 26%.
In-state tuition: $6,536.
Out-of-state tuition: $13,346.
Yearly average net price: $7,220.
Student population: 17390.
# undergraduates: 14115.
Campus setting: City: Large.
Campus housing avail.: Yes.
Areavibes.com cost of living score: F.

8: Northeastern State University

Northeastern State University (NSU) is a public university established in 1909 as Northeastern State Normal School. The university’s main campus is in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, capital of the Cherokee Nation, some 70 miles southeast of Tulsa, OK.

NSU offers one Psychology-related Bachelor’s program — its Bachelor of Arts (BA) in General Psychology. This BA prepares students to work with businesses, community organizations, educational institutions, or government agencies, serving as career counselors, market researchers, mental health technicians, parole officers, personnel managers, public affairs specialists, social services case workers, or technical writers. The BA requires 124 credit-hours (approx. 42 courses), including 18-36 for a minor or second major. The Psychology major requires 42-43 hours, with 25-28 for core courses (incl. experimental psychology; physiological psychology; and a senior-year capstone). The remaining 15-18 are for Psychology electives (incl. such options as directed research; psychological consumer behavior; psychology of human resource development; sensation and perception; and theories of learning). Finally, students in other majors can study Psychology via NSU’s 18-credit minor. See site for additional requirements/ details, or contact the school.

Graduation rate: 31%.
Transfer-out rate: 25%.
In-state tuition: $5,285.
Out-of-state tuition: $12,635.
Yearly average net price: $7,211.
Student population: 8310.
# undergraduates: 7094.
Campus setting: Town: Remote.
Campus housing avail.: Yes.
Areavibes.com cost of living score: A+.

7: CUNY City College

City College of New York, North Campus (source)

The City College of New York (CCNY) is the oldest of all the City University of New York’s (CUNY’s) institutions. This public, senior college was established in 1847 as the Free Academy of the City of New York. It is located in the Harlem neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, New York, some two miles north of Central Park.

CCNY offers three Psychology-related Bachelor’s programs. The Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Psychology prepares students for positions within businesses, community organizations, or government agencies, including as drug rehab counselors, employee counselors, probation officers, recruitment/ staffing co-ordinators, social services case workers, or training specialists. The BA requires 120 credits (approx. 40 courses), with 32 for the major (incl. course options in biological psychology; developmental psychology; workplace psychology; and field work opportunities). The 120-credit Bachelor of Science (BS) in Psychology (PDF, p. 117) is for students pursuing advanced studies in such fields as allied health, medicine, or neuroscience. It requires the same 32 credits for the major, plus 27-29 for math/ science courses. Ambitious students should consider CCNY’s combined BA/ MA (Master of Arts) in Psychology. It adds an honors research course, 22 graduate credits, and an empirical thesis to the BA’s requirements. See site for additional requirements/ details, or contact the school.

Graduation rate: 44%.
Transfer-out rate: 32%.
In-state tuition: $6,389.
Out-of-state tuition: $13,199.
Yearly average net price: $7,125.
Student population: 15579.
# undergraduates: 12893.
Campus setting: City: Large.
Campus housing avail.: Yes.
Areavibes.com cost of living score: F.

6: Utah Valley University

Utah Valley University campus (source)

Utah Valley University (UVU), Utah’s largest public university, was established in 1941 as Central Utah Vocational School. It is located in Orem, Utah, about 40 miles south and slightly east of Salt Lake City, UT.

UVU offers two Psychology-related Bachelor’s programs — its Bachelor of Science (BS) in Behavioral Science and Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Behavioral Science, both with a Psychology emphasis. The two degrees differ primarily in the BA’s foreign language requirements, but otherwise have similar curricula and outcomes. Both prepare students for a wide array of career opportunities (some requiring advanced degrees), including in academic research, anthropology, counseling, education, family services, HR, law enforcement, management, marketing, mental health, PR, or social work. Both require 120 credits (approx. 40 courses), with 48 for the Psychology emphasis (incl. required courses and electives from the following categories: advanced research; cognitive neuroscience; development; interpersonal relations; and personality and clinical skills). Finally, UVU has two other Psychology options: a 19-credit emphasis for each of its Integrated Studies BA and BS degrees. See site for additional requirements/ details, or contact the school.

Graduation rate: 31%.
Transfer-out rate: 25%.
In-state tuition: $5,270.
Out-of-state tuition: $14,802.
Yearly average net price: $6,766.
Student population: 31332.
# undergraduates: 31163.
Campus setting: City: Small.
Campus housing avail.: No.
Areavibes.com cost of living score: B.

5: CUNY Queens College

Rosenthal Library, CUNY Queens College (source)

Queens College is a public, senior college that was established in 1937 and is now part of the City University of New York (CUNY) system. It is located in the Kew Gardens Hills neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City, NY (but generally goes by its postal designation of Flushing, Queens).

Queens offers two Psychology-related Bachelor’s programs. Its Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Psychology prepares students for a wide range of careers, including in advertising, human resources, human services, market research, public relations, sales, scientific/ academic research, or teaching. Students can also continue on to graduate/ doctoral degrees to obtain higher-level professional psychology/ counseling positions. This BA requires 120 credits (approx. 40 courses), with 36 for the major (incl. such course options as behavioral neuroscience; psychology of business and industry; psychology of human motivation; and fieldwork or practicum opportunities). Queens also has an interdisciplinary BA in Neuroscience from the Biology and Psychology departments. It also requires 120 credits (with 55 for the major), and prepares students to become research assistants/ associates or to pursue advanced studies. Finally, students in other majors can study Psychology via Queens’ 18-credit minor. See site for additional requirements/ details, or contact the school.

Graduation rate: 57%.
Transfer-out rate: 20%.
In-state tuition: $6,507.
Out-of-state tuition: $13,317.
Yearly average net price: $6,728.
Student population: 19310.
# undergraduates: 15773.
Campus setting: City: Large.
Campus housing avail.: Yes.
Areavibes.com cost of living score: F.

4: CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice

John Jay College, N building (source)

John Jay College of Criminal Justice is a public college established in 1964 and located in Manhattan, New York. It is part of the CUNY (City University of New York) system and has a primary focus on criminology.

John Jay offers two Psychology-related Bachelor’s programs. Its Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Forensic Psychology prepares students for careers primarily involving psychology and the legal system. These options, some requiring a graduate or professional degree, include: attorney, crime scene investigator, forensic psychologist, law enforcement officer (corrections, FBI, police), professor/ teacher, program manager, social service worker, or substance abuse/ mental health counselor. The BA requires 120 credits (approx. 40 courses), with 40-46 for the major (incl. an internship option, capstone courses, and an honors thesis option). The advanced version of the BA is the combined BA/ MA (Master of Arts) in Forensic Psychology. It requires 134 credits, with 42 for the Master’s (incl. an externship or thesis). Students in other majors can study Psychology via John Jay’s 18-19 credit minor. Qualified law enforcement personnel can take the college’s Emergency Psychology Technician certificate training program. See site for additional requirements/ details, or contact the school.

Graduation rate: 39%.
Transfer-out rate: 33%.
In-state tuition: $6,359.
Out-of-state tuition: $13,169.
Yearly average net price: $6,120.
Student population: 15045.
# undergraduates: 13305.
Campus setting: City: Large.
Campus housing avail.: Yes.
Areavibes.com cost of living score: F.

3: East Central University

East Central University (source)

East Central University (ECU) is a public university established in 1909 as East Central State Normal School. ECU is located in Ada, Oklahoma, some 85 miles southeast of Oklahoma City, OK, and about 160 miles roughly north of Dallas, Texas.

ECU offers one Psychology-related Bachelor’s program — its Bachelor of Science (BS) in Psychology. This BS prepares students for careers in a variety of business roles (incl. administrative, HR, marketing, or training). Students can also consider entry-level direct care or administrative positions in health/ human-services-related entities (incl. counseling centers, correctional services agencies, hospitals, or nursing homes). Some students continue on to advanced studies in counseling, dentistry, law, medicine, psychology, or theology. The BS requires 124 hours (approx. 42 courses), with 45 for General Education requirements and 16-21 for the required minor. The major accounts for 40 hours (incl. such course options as abnormal psychology; behavioral management; experimental psychology; industrial/ organizational psychology; psychology of aging; and psychology of learning and cognition). Finally, students in other majors can study Psychology via ECU’s 21-hour minor. See site for additional requirements/ details, or contact the school.

Graduation rate: 34%.
Transfer-out rate: 31%.
In-state tuition: $5,599.
Out-of-state tuition: $13,512.
Yearly average net price: $6,058.
Student population: 4428.
# undergraduates: 3637.
Campus setting: Town: Remote.
Campus housing avail.: Yes.
Areavibes.com cost of living score: A+.

2: CUNY York College

York College CUNY; nearby Jamaica Avenue (source)

York College is a public, senior college established in 1966 as part of the City University of New York (CUNY) system. York is located in Jamaica, Queens, NY (the Jamaica neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City, NY), about five miles north of John F. Kennedy International Airport.

York offers two Psychology-related Bachelor’s programs. Its Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Psychology prepares students for opportunities in career counseling, corrections/ parole services, HR, labor relations, marketing, PR, social services, or writing. Students can also continue on to advanced studies (incl. in business, law, or psychology). This BA requires 120 credits (approx. 40 courses), with 33-34 for the major (incl. field work and independent study/ research options). York’s BA in Psychology Childhood Education is for students who want to focus on Psychology, but become primary school teachers. With this 120-credit BA, 71-72 are for the major: 33-34 for the Psychology portion and 37 for Childhood Education requirements (incl. student teaching assignments). Finally, York has two other Psychology-related options: a 15-hour minor in Psychology (for students in other majors) and a 15-hour minor in Political Science/Cross-Cultural Studies for Psychology (for all students, incl. Psychology majors). See site for additional requirements/ details, or contact the school.

Graduation rate: 29%.
Transfer-out rate: 39%.
In-state tuition: $6,396.
Out-of-state tuition: $13,206.
Yearly average net price: $5,856.
Student population: 8493.
# undergraduates: 8438.
Campus setting: City: Large.
Campus housing avail.: No.
Areavibes.com cost of living score: F.

1: CUNY Lehman College

Lehman College Plaza and Music Building (source)

Lehman College is a public college established in 1967 and located in the Bronx part of New York City. It started as part of Hunter College in 1931, joining the City University of New York (CUNY) system in 1967. It is named after a former governor of the state, Herbert H. Lehman, also a senator and philanthropist.

Lehman offers one Psychology-related Bachelor’s program — its Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Psychology. This BA prepares students for careers both in and outside of psychology. Many students use the BA to pursue business-related positions in human resources, management, market research, public relations, sales, or training. Others pursue entry-level direct care or administrative positions in health, helping, or human service organizations. Those wanting full psychology-related careers continue on to graduate/ doctoral degrees. The BA requires 120 credits (approx. 40 courses), including a minimum of 38 for General Education requirements. The major requires 35 credits (incl. such course options as industrial/ organizational psychology; psychology of learning; psychological testing and assessment; social psychology; and a practicum in psychological services). Finally, students in other majors can study Psychology via Lehman’s 12-credit minor. See site for additional requirements/ details, or contact the school.

Graduation rate: 37%.
Transfer-out rate: 27%.
In-state tuition: $6,408.
Out-of-state tuition: $13,218.
Yearly average net price: $2,327.
Student population: 12398.
# undergraduates: 10326.
Campus setting: City: Large.
Campus housing avail.: Yes.
Areavibes.com cost of living score: F.