The top Psychology unis in Australia for 2017 are

  1. Edith Cowan University
  2. Macquarie University
  3. University of New England

Uni Reviews ranked Australian universities by a formula using:

  • psychology department size (student numbers)
  • student and graduate satisfaction with psychology courses (% satisfied)
  • indicative graduate salaries (based on pay, study and unemployment rates).

Note that ECU and UNE both have large online programs. These may inflate graduate salaries because of high participation by mature-age students.

Edith Cowan University

The School of Arts and Humanities at ECU tops the subject rankings for Psychology in 2017.

ECU scores well on all quality indicators, including having the highest course satisfaction rating (92%).

Macquarie University

The Department of Psychology at Macquarie is ranked 2nd in Australia for Psychology

The Department is estimated to be the largest in Australia and has an 85% course satisfaction rating.

University of New England

The School of Behavioural, Cognitive and Social Sciences at UNE is ranked in Australia’s top 3.

The School is highly rated by Psychology students and graduates (88% satisfaction).

Psychology Subject Rankings

Rank University Size* Satisfaction Grad salary Points
1 Edith Cowan University 663 92% $51,343 231
2 Macquarie University 1,589 85% $45,942 205
3 University of New England 318 88% $51,380 177
4 Deakin University 1,107 87% $41,529 177
5 Griffith University 965 89% $38,630 171
6 University of Queensland 975 86% $42,146 169
7 University of New South Wales 523 86% $47,594 167
8 Queensland University of Technology 708 85% $44,989 161
9 Monash University 762 82% $47,854 156
10 Curtin University 518 85% $46,607 154
11 University of Canberra 376 85% $49,086 152
12 University of Southern Queensland 204 86% $51,901 152
13 Western Sydney University 761 83% $44,813 149
14 University of Wollongong 404 86% $44,983 144
15 Swinburne University of Technology 654 86% $40,770 144
16 Australian National University 361 82% $50,862 141
17 Flinders University 605 88% $38,447 139
18 Australian Catholic University 1,222 83% $36,409 134
19 University of Adelaide 673 79% $45,922 127
20 La Trobe University 811 85% $37,380 127
21 University of South Australia 560 82% $41,785 118
22 Charles Darwin University 141 79% $56,558 118
23 Charles Sturt University 403 77% $51,028 117
24 University of Sydney 375 81% $43,624 104
25 CQUniversity 390 81% $44,094 103
26 University of Newcastle 451 79% $37,187 66
27 Murdoch University 187 79% $43,558 62
28 James Cook University 274 76% $38,100 30
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Updated: 29 October 2016

* Combined sample size for student course satisfaction surveys.

Universities with small sample sizes for satisfaction or salary components are omitted from the overall ranking.

Student Course Satisfaction

Rank University Graduates Students Overall
1 Edith Cowan University 93% 91% 92%
2 Bond University 87% 91% 90%
3 Griffith University 89% 89% 89%
4 University of the Sunshine Coast 88% 90% 89%
5 Flinders University 87% 88% 88%
6 University of New England 89% 87% 88%
7 Deakin University 90% 84% 87%
8 Swinburne University of Technology 89% 85% 86%
9 University of Queensland 90% 82% 86%
10 University of Wollongong 89% 84% 86%
11 University of New South Wales 87% 85% 86%
12 University of Southern Queensland 85% 87% 86%
13 Queensland University of Technology 86% 85% 85%
14 Macquarie University 89% 83% 85%
15 Curtin University 84% 85% 85%
16 University of Notre Dame Australia 78% 90% 85%
17 La Trobe University 85% 85% 85%
18 University of Canberra 88% 83% 85%
19 Victoria University 79% 85% 84%
20 Australian Catholic University 80% 84% 83%
21 Western Sydney University 86% 79% 83%
22 University of South Australia 89% 78% 82%
23 Australian National University 87% 79% 82%
24 Monash University 82% 80% 82%
25 University of Sydney 79% 84% 81%
26 Federation University Australia 77% 84% 81%
27 CQUniversity 81% 80% 81%
28 University of Adelaide 78% 81% 79%
29 University of Newcastle 74% 85% 79%
30 Charles Darwin University 80% 78% 79%
31 Murdoch University 84% 70% 79%
32 Charles Sturt University 80% 76% 77%
33 University of Tasmania 72% 80% 77%
34 Southern Cross University 71% 80% 76%
35 James Cook University 67% 80% 76%
36 RMIT University 74% 76% 76%
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Sources: Course Experience Questionnaire (2014-2015), University Experience Survey (2014-2015)

Universities are ranked by graduate satisfaction. For further details, see Course Ratings by Students.

Indicative Graduate Salaries

Rank University Employed Studying Other Salary
1 Charles Darwin University 49% 33% 18% $56,558
2 University of Southern Queensland 50% 27% 23% $51,901
3 University of New England 42% 30% 28% $51,380
4 Edith Cowan University 41% 34% 25% $51,343
5 Charles Sturt University 60% 14% 26% $51,028
6 Australian National University 37% 40% 24% $50,862
7 University of Canberra 34% 41% 25% $49,086
8 Monash University 35% 42% 23% $47,854
9 University of New South Wales 38% 38% 24% $47,594
10 Curtin University 40% 32% 29% $46,607
11 Macquarie University 41% 37% 22% $45,942
12 University of Adelaide 20% 56% 24% $45,922
13 Queensland University of Technology 37% 37% 26% $44,989
14 University of Wollongong 25% 50% 25% $44,983
15 Western Sydney University 26% 47% 27% $44,813
16 CQUniversity 55% 17% 28% $44,094
17 University of Sydney 36% 38% 26% $43,624
18 Murdoch University 49% 15% 36% $43,558
19 University of Queensland 35% 34% 31% $42,146
20 University of South Australia 36% 35% 29% $41,785
21 Deakin University 31% 40% 29% $41,529
22 Swinburne University of Technology 33% 38% 29% $40,770
23 Griffith University 35% 30% 35% $38,630
24 Flinders University 27% 37% 36% $38,447
25 James Cook University 39% 22% 39% $38,100
26 La Trobe University 20% 49% 31% $37,380
27 University of Newcastle 29% 29% 42% $37,187
28 Australian Catholic University 24% 45% 31% $36,409
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Source: Graduate Destinations Survey (2013-2015)

The indicative graduate salary accounts for low incomes of unemployed graduates and potential incomes of students doing postgraduate courses.

For further details, see Graduate Salaries by University.