Psychology: graduate earnings, debt, and careers
Bachelor's programs in Psychology, General (CIP 42.01). Licensed psychologist roles typically require graduate study.
Median earnings, 1 yr after
$37,251
Bachelor's degree Verified data
Median earnings, 4 yrs after
$50,706
Verified data
Typical program median debt
$24,000
federal loans Calculated estimate
Programs reporting
1,471
118,927 recent graduates Verified data
Graduate earnings by credential level
| Credential | Programs | Graduates (recent year) | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Typical program median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree | 1,471 | 118,927 | $37,251 | $50,706 | $24,000 1049 programs |
National earnings are published by the Department of Education for each field and credential level Verified data. Typical program median debt is ConnectPrep's calculation: the median across programs of each program's median federal debt Calculated estimate. It covers federal loans only.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, Most Recent Field of Study Data. Varies by measure; see measure definitions. Published October 15, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Bachelor's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bentley University MA · Private, nonprofit · 73 graduates measured | $73,721 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Colby College ME · Private, nonprofit · 17 graduates measured | $72,365 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Williams College MA · Private, nonprofit · 46 graduates measured | $57,503 | $72,891 | Data unavailable |
| Charter Oak State College CT · Public · 36 graduates measured | $55,098 | $52,803 | $30,062 |
| Carnegie Mellon University PA · Private, nonprofit · 22 graduates measured | $54,429 | $82,433 | Data unavailable |
| University of Notre Dame IN · Private, nonprofit · 52 graduates measured | $53,775 | $69,793 | $19,000 |
| Southern Methodist University TX · Private, nonprofit · 52 graduates measured | $53,527 | $72,136 | $20,000 |
| Lehigh University PA · Private, nonprofit · 16 graduates measured | $52,794 | $74,939 | $19,585 |
| CUNY Graduate School and University Center NY · Public · 70 graduates measured | $51,486 | $64,619 | $14,499 |
| National University CA · Private, nonprofit · 115 graduates measured | $50,504 | $66,849 | $30,623 |
| Bucknell University PA · Private, nonprofit · 40 graduates measured | $50,105 | $66,206 | $26,524 |
| Rice University TX · Private, nonprofit · 34 graduates measured | $49,861 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| University of Alaska Fairbanks AK · Public · 23 graduates measured | $49,800 | $43,764 | $25,574 |
| The Catholic University of America DC · Private, nonprofit · 65 graduates measured | $49,511 | $52,846 | $25,804 |
| Pacific Lutheran University WA · Private, nonprofit · 20 graduates measured | $48,724 | $55,118 | $18,517 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Careers linked to Psychology, General
| Occupation | Median wage, all workers | Change 2025 to 2035 | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|
| Managers, all other | $141,900 | +4.9% | Bachelor's degree |
| Industrial-organizational psychologists | $193,950 | +6.5% | Master's degree |
| Clinical and counseling psychologists | $100,580 | +11.7% | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Psychologists, all other | $110,840 | +2.3% | Master's degree |
| Social science research assistants | $61,990 | +5.0% | Bachelor's degree |
| Psychology teachers, postsecondary | $80,340 | +4.0% | Doctoral or professional degree |
Occupations mapped to this field in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. Occupation wages describe all workers, not recent graduates.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk. CIP 2020 and SOC 2018 taxonomies. Published April 30, 2020. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, National. May 2025 reference period. Published April 30, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, Table 1.2: Occupational projections, 2025-35, and worker characteristics, 2025. Base year 2025, projected year 2035. Published August 27, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Detailed CIP codes in this field (1)
- 42.0101 Psychology, General
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