2026 Best Cognitive Psychology & Psycholinguistics Schools in California

Cognitive Psychology & Psycholinguistics degree programs prepare students for a range of careers in the field. The schools below stand out for the quality of their cognitive psychology & psycholinguistics programs.

To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 5 schools to find the best for cognitive psychology & psycholinguistics students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Cognitive Psychology & Psycholinguistics Schools in California

Best Schools for Cognitive Psychology & Psycholinguistics in California

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall cognitive psychology & psycholinguistics education in California.

Top Schools in Cognitive Psychology & Psycholinguistics

1

University Of California Irvine
Irvine, CA

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

39 Cognitive Psychology & Psycholinguistics Degrees Awarded

$29,830 Median Starting Salary

Leading the list is University Of California Irvine, our #1 school for cognitive psychology & psycholinguistics. Located in the city of Irvine, University Of California Irvine is a very large public university. Roughly 87% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 39 cognitive psychology & psycholinguistics students who graduated with this degree at University Of California Irvine in the most recent data year. Cognitive Psychology & Psycholinguistics graduates of University Of California Irvine earn a median of $29,830 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $13,000 to complete this degree. See the full cognitive psychology & psycholinguistics program report for University Of California Irvine

2

University Of California San Diego
La Jolla, CA

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

29 Cognitive Psychology & Psycholinguistics Degrees Awarded

$23,420 Median Starting Salary

University Of California San Diego is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in cognitive psychology & psycholinguistics, ranking #2. Set in the city of La Jolla, University Of California San Diego is a very large public institution. Roughly 86% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 29 cognitive psychology & psycholinguistics students who graduated with this degree at University Of California San Diego in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, cognitive psychology & psycholinguistics degree recipients from University Of California San Diego generally make around $23,420. Students borrow a median of $15,500 to complete this degree. Get the full cognitive psychology & psycholinguistics details for University Of California San Diego

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 · 5 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.