Home›Majors›Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology

FIRST PROFESSIONAL DEGREE · DEGREE PAYOFF · FEDERAL FIELD 4228

Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology: is this first professional degree worth it?

National picture across 4 reporting college programs.

Personal baseline needed

$66,437 in median year-4 earnings

A credible return for this credential must start with what the student would otherwise earn. The federal data does not provide that personal baseline.

$66,437Median year-4 earnings

$23,863Average institution net-price context

Not availableMedian federal debt

Use your actual price and alternative earnings before evaluating return. Model your own starting point →

WHAT THIS DEGREE PAYS

Observed national outcomes

$66,437Median reported earnings · year 4

$36,220Average reported earnings · year 5

Not availableMedian federal debt

16thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential

4Reporting programs

4With year-4 earnings

COMPARE CREDENTIAL LEVELS

The same field can produce a different equation.

Keep the federal field fixed and compare observed outcomes at every reportable credential level. These are separate graduate cohorts—not a promise that more schooling causes the difference.

OPEN PROFILE

Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma

Year-4 earnings: Not available
Federal debt: $13,500
Reporting programs: 1

0 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Associate's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $41,767
Federal debt: $12,000
Reporting programs: 3

2 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Bachelor's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $51,727
Federal debt: $27,000
Reporting programs: 77

66 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Post-baccalaureate Certificate

Year-4 earnings: $72,081
Federal debt: $19,000
Reporting programs: 4

4 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Master's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $65,278
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 335

335 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Doctoral Degree

Year-4 earnings: $100,222
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 97

97 report earnings →CURRENT VIEW

First Professional Degree

Year-4 earnings: $66,437
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 4

4 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Graduate/Professional Certificate

Year-4 earnings: $75,818
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 26

26 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Non-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification)

Year-4 earnings: $66,974
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 1

1 report earnings →

COLLEGE-TO-COLLEGE RANGE

Where the middle half of programs lands

Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.

Median

25th percentile$42,129National median$66,43775th percentile$69,745

4 programs report year‑4 earnings.

WHERE OUTCOMES ARE STRONGEST

See the spread, not just the national number.

1Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus$98,429 2Lewis & Clark College$69,745 3Minnesota State University Moorhead$63,129 4Columbia International University$42,129

Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking

WHERE THIS FIELD CAN LEAD

Related occupations

Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.

Psychology Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1066 · 18 crosswalk linksManagers, All OtherSOC 11-9199 · 15 crosswalk linksPsychologists, All OtherSOC 19-3039 · 13 crosswalk linksClinical and Counseling PsychologistsSOC 19-3033 · 7 crosswalk linksSchool PsychologistsSOC 19-3034 · 2 crosswalk linksCoaches and ScoutsSOC 27-2022 · 1 crosswalk linksCounselors, All OtherSOC 21-1019 · 1 crosswalk linksEducational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsSOC 21-1012 · 1 crosswalk linksHuman Resources ManagersSOC 11-3121 · 1 crosswalk linksHuman Resources SpecialistsSOC 13-1071 · 1 crosswalk linksIndustrial-Organizational PsychologistsSOC 19-3032 · 1 crosswalk linksManagement AnalystsSOC 13-1111 · 1 crosswalk links

BEST COLLEGES FOR CLINICAL, COUNSELING AND APPLIED PSYCHOLOGY

Same degree, different outcomes

Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. Automated ROI is withheld when an exact program price or personal earnings baseline is required.

#	College	Location	Earnings, year 4	Federal debt	ROI status	Cost context
1	Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan CampusFirst Professional Degree	Teaneck, NJ	$98,429	Not available	Baseline needed	$15,404
2	Lewis & Clark CollegeFirst Professional Degree	Portland, OR	$69,745	Not available	Baseline needed	$36,013
3	Minnesota State University MoorheadFirst Professional Degree	Moorhead, MN	$63,129	Not available	Baseline needed	$17,997
4	Columbia International UniversityFirst Professional Degree	Columbia, SC	$42,129	Not available	Baseline needed	$26,036

This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.