by our College Data Analytics TeamGeneral Psychology will allow you to explore the way humans and animals respond and interact to their circumstances and environment. This major involves the study of human and animal behavior through scientific research. Your coursework will help you understand the inner workings of a person including personality types, how we learn language, inherited traits, what role environment plays in development and more.
Classes that you can expect when majoring in General Psychology include: abnormal psychology, sensation and perception, research methods, cognition, personality, learning, social psychology, general psychology, developmental psychology, and neuroscience.
Studying General Psychology covers Psychology, General. Read on to learn the key facts every general psychology student should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering general psychology programs.
Nationwide, general psychology is a widely-pursued major, with 147,078 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best General Psychology Schools ranking analyzes these 1,575 schools to determine the best overall colleges for general psychology students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of general psychology programs later in this article.
Coursework for General Psychology develop a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations general psychology graduates commonly enter.
General Psychology requires a great deal of memorization as you learn specific terminology and theories. A sense of curiosity will help you investigate and understand behavior and genetics. Students should be adaptable and work well with others. This major requires a lot of group work and interaction with people from diverse backgrounds.
In addition to people skills, you should also be comfortable working with numbers and performing scientific experiments. Learn to quickly extract important information from readings and data. Problem solving skills will help you work through difficult labs, as well as apply theories and strategies to life situations.
The skill set emphasized by a general psychology program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Based on O*NET data, a general psychology major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several general psychology degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 139 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 18,782 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 118,927 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 7,474 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 1,747 |
People currently working in careers related to general psychology tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 32.6% |
| Post-doctoral training | 23.7% |
| Doctoral degree | 17.5% |
| Master’s degree | 11.3% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 4.8% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 3.5% |
| Some college courses | 2.4% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 2.3% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 1.6% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 0.2% |
View the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in general psychology careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Students interested in becoming a clinical, counseling, or research psychologist will need a doctoral degree. You will need to obtain a master's degree to become a school psychologist. Psychology graduates who don't wish to continue their education can also find jobs in social work, marketing, human resources, advertising or public health programs.
Studying general psychology opens doors to a variety of career paths. Below are some of the most common occupations related to general psychology.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to general psychology.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary | 513,614 | -3.0% |
| Managers, All Other | 468,025 | 6.2% |
| Compliance Managers | 310,203 | 13.0% |
| Loss Prevention Managers | 265,210 | 2.2% |
| Clinical Neuropsychologists | 216,013 | 8.9% |
| Regulatory Affairs Managers | 206,415 | 9.9% |
| Neuropsychologists | 186,493 | 6.5% |
| Social Science Research Assistants | 153,535 | 4.7% |
College Scorecard reports median earnings of general psychology graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $33,076 |
| 4 years | $43,735 |
| 5 years | $50,901 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for general psychology graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers general psychology grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Wind Energy Development Managers | $169,952 |
| Loss Prevention Managers | $165,723 |
| Wind Energy Operations Managers | $122,567 |
| Compliance Managers | $117,178 |
| Brownfield Redevelopment Specialists and Site Managers | $99,321 |
| Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary | $98,479 |
| Managers, All Other | $95,684 |
| Neuropsychologists | $83,690 |
With 1,575 different general psychology programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased general psychology school rankings to help you.
Those considering general psychology, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Psychology, General | 147,078 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology | 40,952 |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | 22,813 |
| Psychology, Other | 2,825 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
