2026 Best Value Applied Psychology Schools in California

[Applied Psychology](/majors/psychology/clinical-counseling-applied-psychology/applied-psychology/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong applied psychology education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 11 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value applied psychology schools.
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2026 Best Value Applied Psychology Schools in California
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in applied psychology, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Applied Psychology Schools
Touro University Worldwide earned the #1 spot for value among applied psychology schools in California. Touro University Worldwide is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Los Alamitos. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $14,640. Students borrow a median of $32,289 to complete the applied psychology program here. Early-career applied psychology graduates make about $61,331. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Azusa Pacific University College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in applied psychology, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the suburb of San Dimas, Azusa Pacific University College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $12,360 in tuition and fees. Applied Psychology graduates carry a median of $46,561 in student loans. Soon after graduation, applied psychology degree recipients from Azusa Pacific University College generally make around $49,910.
Students looking for strong value in applied psychology will find it at Mount St Marys College, which ranked #3. Mount St Marys College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Los Angeles. Students from in state pay about $49,564 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for applied psychology graduates is $27,000. Applied Psychology graduates of Mount St Marys College earn a median of $41,408 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 73% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in applied psychology will find it at Biola University, which ranked #4. Set in the suburb of La Mirada, Biola University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $48,984 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $27,568 to complete the applied psychology program here. Soon after graduation, applied psychology degree recipients from Biola University generally make around $83,525. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 74% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Southern California came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value applied psychology schools. Located in the city of Los Angeles, University Of Southern California is a very large private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $71,647. Applied Psychology graduates carry a median of $15,625 in student loans. Early-career applied psychology graduates make about $71,497. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 10% of applicants are accepted.
Santa Clara University earned the #6 position for value in applied psychology this year. Set in the city of Santa Clara, Santa Clara University is a large private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $61,293. Students borrow a median of $20,144 to complete the applied psychology program here. Early-career applied psychology graduates make about $65,541. Set against $20,144 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 48% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 11 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 ranked schools only.
- 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.