Best Online Psychology Programs in Chester, PA (2026)

Chester, Pennsylvania has a population of about 33,209. The city’s median household income is $39,809 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 13.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. There are 5 accredited psychology programs within 100 miles of Chester. In the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area, the top-earning psychology-related role is Clinical and Counseling Psychologist at a median $106,330 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2024).


Closest Psychology Schools to Chester

The five accredited institutions below are the closest options indexed in our directory that offer psychology programs. Distances are calculated from Chester city center.

SchoolCityDistanceTuitionOnline
Widener UniversityChester, PA1.4 miContact school for pricing
Neumann UniversityAston, PA4.1 miContact school for pricing
Swarthmore CollegeSwarthmore, PA4.2 miContact school for pricing
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State BrandywineMedia, PA7.0 miContact school for pricing
Delaware County Community CollegeMedia, PA8.4 miContact school for pricing

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Pennsylvania schools on the Pennsylvania psychology page.


Psychology Wages Near Chester

Chester is part of the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area (BLS area code 37980). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Pennsylvania statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Clinical and Counseling Psychologist$106,330Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD$103,635
Industrial-Organizational PsychologistN/APA statewide
School Psychologist$92,650Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD$90,302
Educational and Career Counselor$66,940Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD$65,244
Marriage and Family Therapist$80,090Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD$78,060
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Counselor$59,990Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD$58,470
Healthcare Social Worker$71,220Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD$69,415
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker$55,830Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD$54,415

Source: BLS, May 2024 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.


Chester at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population33,209Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$39,809Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+13.3%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)102.6 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024
Psychology-related employment in Delaware County17,829 workers, 1,430 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Chester-Area Cities With Psychology Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited psychology programs are near Chester, PA?

Our directory lists 5 psychology programs within 100 miles of Chester. The closest is Widener University in Chester, PA (1.4 miles), and the farthest in our top picks is Delaware County Community College (8.4 miles). 0 of these programs are offered fully online.

What are the highest-paying psychology roles near Chester?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2024 wage data, the top-paying psychology-related roles near Chester are: Clinical and Counseling Psychologist ($106,330), School Psychologist ($92,650), Marriage and Family Therapist ($80,090). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Pennsylvania statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Wilmington instead of Chester?

Wilmington, DE is 11.3 miles from Chester and has its own set of local psychology programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Chester an affordable place to study psychology?

Chester’s median household income of $39,809 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Chester while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Pennsylvania public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.