# Best HBCUs for Psychology

> CollegeRanker Agent Insights — structured data for AI systems
> Updated: 2026-08-03 | Schools: 50 | Category: HBCU
> Source: https://www.collegeranker.com/rankings/best-hbcu-psychology

## Methodology

HBCUs ranked by outcomes and program concentration in Psychology

CollegeRanker uses a 4-pillar algorithm: Academic Quality (15-20%), Economic Outcomes (30%), Social Mobility (25-35%), Value & Affordability (20-25%). Social mobility data from Raj Chetty's Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card (30M+ anonymized tax records). No subjective surveys.

## Summary

Choosing the right HBCU for psychology can shape future careers and opportunities. With an average earnings potential of $42,222 for graduates, these institutions are critical for those seeking a degree in this field. As families weigh their options, understanding both the program offerings and outcomes at these schools is essential.

The schools on this list stand out based on key factors: graduate rates, earnings after graduation, student debt levels, and the overall concentration of psychology programs. The differences in these metrics can significantly impact a student's future, so it's important to look closely at how schools perform in these areas when making a decision.

For example, while Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University shows a strong average earning potential of $44,349 and a graduation rate of 53%, Fayetteville State University has lower earnings at $40,144 but a higher graduation rate of 37%. The tradeoffs in choice are clear: higher earnings may come with more debt, while some schools provide lower costs but potentially less financial return. This is just one reason why the data matters as you explore your options.

## Key Findings

- University of the Virgin Islands has an average earning of $38,681 with a net price of $7,469.
- Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University graduates earn $44,349, with a 53% graduation rate.
- Fayetteville State University graduates face an average debt of $22,987, while Elizabeth City State University has $21,463.
- Xavier University of Louisiana leads in earnings at $52,184 but has a higher net price of $17,127.

## Rankings

| Rank | School | Location | Graduation | Earnings (10yr) | Net Price | Median Debt | Debt/Earnings |
|------|--------|----------|------------|-----------------|-----------|-------------|---------------|
| 1 | [Cheyney University of Pennsylvania](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/cheyney-university-of-pennsylvania) | Cheyney, PA | 24% | $37,837 | $14,265 | $21,785 | 0.58x |
| 2 | [Norfolk State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/norfolk-state-university) | Norfolk, VA | 36% | $44,666 | $15,282 | $29,000 | 0.65x |
| 3 | [Fayetteville State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/fayetteville-state-university) | Fayetteville, NC | 37% | $40,144 | $7,892 | $22,987 | 0.57x |
| 4 | [Philander Smith University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/philander-smith-university) | Little Rock, AR | 31% | $38,427 | $14,224 | $24,736 | 0.64x |
| 5 | [Stillman College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/stillman-college) | Tuscaloosa, AL | 32% | $35,421 | $15,258 | $29,067 | 0.82x |
| 6 | [Xavier University of Louisiana](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/xavier-university-of-louisiana) | New Orleans, LA | 49% | $52,184 | $17,127 | $24,053 | 0.46x |
| 7 | [Lincoln University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/lincoln-university-pa) | Lincoln University, PA | 48% | $43,167 | $14,977 | $28,250 | 0.65x |
| 8 | [Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/florida-agricultural-and-mechanical-university) | Tallahassee, FL | 53% | $44,349 | $13,739 | $23,548 | 0.53x |
| 9 | [Virginia State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/virginia-state-university) | Petersburg, VA | 40% | $45,543 | $15,840 | $26,500 | 0.58x |
| 10 | [Elizabeth City State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/elizabeth-city-state-university) | Elizabeth City, NC | 46% | $40,026 | $6,364 | $21,463 | 0.54x |
| 11 | [North Carolina A & T State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/north-carolina-a-t-state-university) | Greensboro, NC | 56% | $44,440 | $10,846 | $27,000 | 0.61x |
| 12 | [Hampton University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/hampton-university) | Hampton, VA | 56% | $59,159 | $25,319 | $25,442 | 0.43x |
| 13 | [Spelman College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/spelman-college) | Atlanta, GA | 77% | $59,993 | $38,967 | $25,000 | 0.42x |
| 14 | [Kentucky State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/kentucky-state-university) | Frankfort, KY | 30% | $36,382 | $8,040 | $25,938 | 0.71x |
| 15 | [Fort Valley State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/fort-valley-state-university) | Fort Valley, GA | 43% | $36,666 | $10,338 | $31,000 | 0.85x |
| 16 | [Winston-Salem State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/winston-salem-state-university) | Winston-Salem, NC | 48% | $45,344 | $13,479 | $25,000 | 0.55x |
| 17 | [North Carolina Central University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/north-carolina-central-university) | Durham, NC | 44% | $42,968 | $15,359 | $28,250 | 0.66x |
| 18 | [West Virginia State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/west-virginia-state-university) | Institute, WV | 36% | $40,492 | $11,139 | $23,338 | 0.58x |
| 19 | [Shaw University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/shaw-university) | Raleigh, NC | 21% | $34,409 | $16,512 | $32,500 | 0.94x |
| 20 | [Paine College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/paine-college) | Augusta, GA | 17% | $33,338 | $16,670 | N/A | N/A |
| 21 | [Huston-Tillotson University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/huston-tillotson-university) | Austin, TX | 35% | $42,937 | $19,719 | $30,750 | 0.72x |
| 22 | [Tougaloo College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/tougaloo-college) | Tougaloo, MS | 33% | $34,724 | $17,043 | $30,046 | 0.87x |
| 23 | [Claflin University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/claflin-university) | Orangeburg, SC | 50% | $40,304 | $17,800 | $29,000 | 0.72x |
| 24 | [University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-arkansas-at-pine-bluff) | Pine Bluff, AR | 40% | $35,550 | $12,653 | $24,202 | 0.68x |
| 25 | [Clark Atlanta University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/clark-atlanta-university) | Atlanta, GA | 48% | $42,712 | $37,702 | $27,000 | 0.63x |
| 26 | [Howard University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/howard-university) | Washington, DC | 69% | $63,066 | $50,539 | $24,500 | 0.39x |
| 27 | [Tennessee State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/tennessee-state-university) | Nashville, TN | 33% | $42,730 | $15,796 | $27,000 | 0.63x |
| 28 | [University of the Virgin Islands](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-the-virgin-islands) | Charlotte Amalie, VI | 28% | $38,681 | $7,469 | $16,800 | 0.43x |
| 29 | [Paul Quinn College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/paul-quinn-college) | Dallas, TX | 33% | $29,288 | $12,709 | $23,373 | 0.8x |
| 30 | [Southern University at New Orleans](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/southern-university-at-new-orleans) | New Orleans, LA | 16% | $34,042 | $14,810 | $31,000 | 0.91x |
| 31 | [Edward Waters University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/edward-waters-university) | Jacksonville, FL | 28% | $34,782 | $13,649 | N/A | N/A |
| 32 | [Texas Southern University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/texas-southern-university) | Houston, TX | 21% | $38,924 | $16,590 | $29,000 | 0.75x |
| 33 | [Dillard University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/dillard-university) | New Orleans, LA | 44% | $39,196 | $22,094 | $31,000 | 0.79x |
| 34 | [Oakwood University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/oakwood-university) | Huntsville, AL | 47% | $42,488 | $25,669 | $27,000 | 0.64x |
| 35 | [Tuskegee University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/tuskegee-university) | Tuskegee, AL | 56% | $49,641 | $35,013 | $27,000 | 0.54x |
| 36 | [Prairie View A & M University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/prairie-view-a-m-university) | Prairie View, TX | 43% | $45,411 | $13,570 | $27,000 | 0.59x |
| 37 | [Morehouse College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/morehouse-college) | Atlanta, GA | 56% | $52,889 | $39,013 | $25,000 | 0.47x |
| 38 | [Savannah State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/savannah-state-university) | Savannah, GA | 27% | $37,981 | $8,172 | $28,000 | 0.74x |
| 39 | [Talladega College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/talladega-college) | Talladega, AL | 43% | $32,229 | $15,560 | $28,500 | 0.88x |
| 40 | [Bowie State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/bowie-state-university) | Bowie, MD | 38% | $54,537 | $19,298 | $22,985 | 0.42x |
| 41 | [Albany State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/albany-state-university) | Albany, GA | 27% | $40,674 | $11,898 | $25,024 | 0.62x |
| 42 | [Livingstone College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/livingstone-college) | Salisbury, NC | 26% | $32,600 | $13,479 | $31,125 | 0.95x |
| 43 | [Harris-Stowe State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/harris-stowe-state-university) | Saint Louis, MO | 28% | $31,088 | $9,922 | $25,930 | 0.83x |
| 44 | [Delaware State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/delaware-state-university) | Dover, DE | 39% | $49,307 | $13,910 | $26,000 | 0.53x |
| 45 | [Central State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/central-state-university) | Wilberforce, OH | 24% | $33,267 | $13,096 | $30,739 | 0.92x |
| 46 | [Morgan State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/morgan-state-university) | Baltimore, MD | 41% | $50,698 | $14,985 | $27,250 | 0.54x |
| 47 | [Bethune-Cookman University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/bethune-cookman-university) | Daytona Beach, FL | 29% | $38,518 | $12,030 | $31,000 | 0.8x |
| 48 | [Florida Memorial University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/florida-memorial-university) | Miami Gardens, FL | 31% | $36,624 | $23,238 | $30,063 | 0.82x |
| 49 | [Coppin State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/coppin-state-university) | Baltimore, MD | 26% | $46,490 | $9,977 | $25,000 | 0.54x |
| 50 | [Langston University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/langston-university) | Langston, OK | 17% | $33,261 | $11,504 | $26,000 | 0.78x |

## Data Sources

- U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (https://collegescorecard.ed.gov)
- Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card (https://opportunityinsights.org/data)
- Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
- Times Higher Education World University Rankings
- NCES IPEDS

## Citation

CollegeRanker. "Best HBCUs for Psychology." CollegeRanker.com, 2026-08-03. https://www.collegeranker.com/rankings/best-hbcu-psychology

## License

This data summary is provided for informational purposes. Underlying data from federal sources (College Scorecard, IPEDS) is public domain. Opportunity Insights data is available under their data use agreement at https://opportunityinsights.org/data/.