Psychology, General: is this bachelor's degree worth it?
National picture across 1,139 reporting college programs.
MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff
−$212,108 over 10 years
National scenario across reporting bachelor's degree programs, using median year-4 earnings, their institutions’ average net prices and a typical 4-year duration.
At these assumptions, the estimated earnings premium does not recover the modeled economic investment within ten years.
52.8 yrsModeled economic break-even
−81%Modeled 10-year ROI
$49,960Observed earnings · year 4
Observed national outcomes
$49,960Median reported earnings · year 4
$49,409Average reported earnings · year 5
$25,716Median federal debt
21thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
1,139Reporting programs
1,062With year-4 earnings
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
- $47,847
- Federal debt
- $22,255
- Reporting programs
- 4
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $38,612
- Federal debt
- $11,198
- Reporting programs
- 124
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $49,960
- Federal debt
- $25,716
- Reporting programs
- 1,139
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $67,973
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 92
Doctoral Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $96,534
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 39
Graduate/Professional Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $65,990
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 1
Non-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification)
- Year-4 earnings
- $55,763
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 2
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$45,390National median$49,96075th percentile$54,702
1,062 programs report year‑4 earnings.See the spread, not just the national number.
1Georgetown University$99,0072Washington University in St Louis$91,7873Dartmouth College$86,8964Carnegie Mellon University$82,4335George Washington University$79,1876Cornell University$78,0497Santa Clara University$75,7428Virginia Military Institute$75,0599Lehigh University$74,93910Gettysburg College$74,466Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
Related occupations
Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.
Clinical and Counseling PsychologistsSOC 19-3033 · 1 crosswalk linksIndustrial-Organizational PsychologistsSOC 19-3032 · 1 crosswalk linksManagers, All OtherSOC 11-9199 · 1 crosswalk linksPsychologists, All OtherSOC 19-3039 · 1 crosswalk linksPsychology Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1066 · 1 crosswalk linksSocial Science Research AssistantsSOC 19-4061 · 1 crosswalk links
Same degree, different outcomes
Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. ROI uses each institution’s average net price as a scenario—not an individual aid offer.
| # | College | Location | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | 10-year ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Georgetown UniversityBachelor's Degree | Washington, DC | $99,007 | $17,500 | +57% | Positive payoff |
| 2 | Washington University in St LouisBachelor's Degree | St. Louis, MO | $91,787 | Not available | +75% | Positive payoff |
| 3 | Dartmouth CollegeBachelor's Degree | Hanover, NH | $86,896 | Not available | +41% | Positive payoff |
| 4 | Carnegie Mellon UniversityBachelor's Degree | Pittsburgh, PA | $82,433 | Not available | +22% | Positive payoff |
| 5 | George Washington UniversityBachelor's Degree | Washington, DC | $79,187 | Not available | +5% | Positive payoff |
| 6 | Cornell UniversityBachelor's Degree | Ithaca, NY | $78,049 | $14,157 | +12% | Positive payoff |
| 7 | Santa Clara UniversityBachelor's Degree | Santa Clara, CA | $75,742 | $17,667 | -19% | Negative payoff |
| 8 | Virginia Military InstituteBachelor's Degree | Lexington, VA | $75,059 | $19,250 | +21% | Positive payoff |
| 9 | Lehigh UniversityBachelor's Degree | Bethlehem, PA | $74,939 | $21,160 | -9% | Negative payoff |
| 10 | Gettysburg CollegeBachelor's Degree | Gettysburg, PA | $74,466 | $27,000 | -4% | Negative payoff |
| 11 | University of San DiegoBachelor's Degree | San Diego, CA | $74,178 | $24,293 | -3% | Negative payoff |
| 12 | College of the Holy CrossBachelor's Degree | Worcester, MA | $74,095 | $27,000 | -13% | Negative payoff |
| 13 | Villanova UniversityBachelor's Degree | Villanova, PA | $73,684 | $21,500 | -19% | Negative payoff |
| 14 | Northwestern UniversityBachelor's Degree | Evanston, IL | $73,646 | $14,500 | -3% | Negative payoff |
| 15 | Lafayette CollegeBachelor's Degree | Easton, PA | $73,435 | $16,000 | -11% | Negative payoff |
| 16 | Clarkson UniversityBachelor's Degree | Potsdam, NY | $73,359 | $25,813 | -6% | Negative payoff |
| 17 | Duke UniversityBachelor's Degree | Durham, NC | $73,359 | $15,415 | -5% | Negative payoff |
| 18 | University of PennsylvaniaBachelor's Degree | Philadelphia, PA | $73,012 | Not available | -5% | Negative payoff |
| 19 | Williams CollegeBachelor's Degree | Williamstown, MA | $72,891 | $13,416 | +11% | Positive payoff |
| 20 | Misericordia UniversityBachelor's Degree | Dallas, PA | $72,572 | $25,000 | -16% | Negative payoff |
| 21 | Southern Methodist UniversityBachelor's Degree | Dallas, TX | $72,136 | $23,310 | -21% | Negative payoff |
| 22 | Vanderbilt UniversityBachelor's Degree | Nashville, TN | $71,584 | $11,209 | +9% | Positive payoff |
| 23 | University of Southern CaliforniaBachelor's Degree | Los Angeles, CA | $70,461 | $14,000 | -18% | Negative payoff |
| 24 | Fairfield UniversityBachelor's Degree | Fairfield, CT | $70,211 | $26,000 | -32% | Negative payoff |
| 25 | Saint Mary's College of CaliforniaBachelor's Degree | Moraga, CA | $70,123 | $26,998 | -17% | Negative payoff |
| 26 | Boston CollegeBachelor's Degree | Chestnut Hill, MA | $70,033 | $18,000 | -28% | Negative payoff |
| 27 | Elon UniversityBachelor's Degree | Elon, NC | $69,856 | $23,250 | -28% | Negative payoff |
| 28 | University of Notre DameBachelor's Degree | Notre Dame, IN | $69,793 | $19,015 | -14% | Negative payoff |
| 29 | Trinity CollegeBachelor's Degree | Hartford, CT | $69,730 | $22,944 | -23% | Negative payoff |
| 30 | Binghamton UniversityBachelor's Degree | Vestal, NY | $67,249 | $20,500 | -17% | Negative payoff |
| 31 | National UniversityBachelor's Degree | San Diego, CA | $66,849 | $31,250 | -20% | Negative payoff |
| 32 | Bucknell UniversityBachelor's Degree | Lewisburg, PA | $66,206 | $27,000 | -38% | Negative payoff |
| 33 | Saint Francis UniversityBachelor's Degree | Loretto, PA | $66,010 | $27,000 | -23% | Negative payoff |
| 34 | Drew UniversityBachelor's Degree | Madison, NJ | $65,997 | $26,059 | -24% | Negative payoff |
| 35 | Bates CollegeBachelor's Degree | Lewiston, ME | $65,926 | Not available | -30% | Negative payoff |
| 36 | Syracuse UniversityBachelor's Degree | Syracuse, NY | $65,694 | $26,865 | -38% | Negative payoff |
| 37 | Texas Christian UniversityBachelor's Degree | Fort Worth, TX | $65,356 | $23,412 | -38% | Negative payoff |
| 38 | Hood CollegeBachelor's Degree | Frederick, MD | $65,110 | $22,000 | -24% | Negative payoff |
| 39 | Baylor UniversityBachelor's Degree | Waco, TX | $65,090 | $25,212 | -42% | Negative payoff |
| 40 | University of San FranciscoBachelor's Degree | San Francisco, CA | $65,071 | $24,315 | -42% | Negative payoff |
| 41 | Wake Forest UniversityBachelor's Degree | Winston-Salem, NC | $64,814 | $21,500 | -33% | Negative payoff |
| 42 | Manhattan UniversityBachelor's Degree | Riverdale, NY | $64,684 | $26,000 | -32% | Negative payoff |
| 43 | CUNY Graduate School and University CenterBachelor's Degree | New York, NY | $64,619 | $19,462 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
| 44 | University of RichmondBachelor's Degree | University of Richmond, VA | $64,584 | $25,500 | -36% | Negative payoff |
| 45 | Bradley UniversityBachelor's Degree | Peoria, IL | $64,378 | $27,000 | -28% | Negative payoff |
| 46 | Azusa Pacific UniversityBachelor's Degree | Azusa, CA | $63,963 | $23,406 | -29% | Negative payoff |
| 47 | Stonehill CollegeBachelor's Degree | Easton, MA | $63,957 | $25,000 | -39% | Negative payoff |
| 48 | Manhattanville UniversityBachelor's Degree | Purchase, NY | $63,908 | $25,000 | -28% | Negative payoff |
| 49 | Notre Dame de Namur UniversityBachelor's Degree | Belmont, CA | $63,847 | $27,000 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
| 50 | Boston UniversityBachelor's Degree | Boston, MA | $63,838 | $26,000 | -32% | Negative payoff |
| 51 | Providence CollegeBachelor's Degree | Providence, RI | $63,746 | $27,000 | -50% | Negative payoff |
| 52 | Chapman UniversityBachelor's Degree | Orange, CA | $63,617 | $21,500 | -49% | Negative payoff |
| 53 | Yale UniversityBachelor's Degree | New Haven, CT | $63,396 | Not available | -33% | Negative payoff |
| 54 | Drexel UniversityBachelor's Degree | Philadelphia, PA | $63,287 | $30,000 | -45% | Negative payoff |
| 55 | Siena UniversityBachelor's Degree | Loudonville, NY | $63,227 | $27,000 | -42% | Negative payoff |
| 56 | Haverford CollegeBachelor's Degree | Haverford, PA | $63,040 | Not available | -36% | Negative payoff |
| 57 | University of California, BerkeleyBachelor's Degree | Berkeley, CA | $62,835 | Not available | -24% | Negative payoff |
| 58 | Marist UniversityBachelor's Degree | Poughkeepsie, NY | $62,821 | $25,000 | -49% | Negative payoff |
| 59 | University of Virginia-Main CampusBachelor's Degree | Charlottesville, VA | $62,794 | $19,500 | -33% | Negative payoff |
| 60 | St. John's University-New YorkBachelor's Degree | Queens, NY | $62,672 | $27,000 | -41% | Negative payoff |
| 61 | Jacksonville UniversityBachelor's Degree | Jacksonville, FL | $62,622 | $23,256 | -37% | Negative payoff |
| 62 | Merrimack CollegeBachelor's Degree | North Andover, MA | $62,567 | $27,000 | -47% | Negative payoff |
| 63 | George Mason UniversityBachelor's Degree | Fairfax, VA | $62,563 | $21,000 | -30% | Negative payoff |
| 64 | Pacific UniversityBachelor's Degree | Forest Grove, OR | $62,484 | $27,000 | -46% | Negative payoff |
| 65 | St Lawrence UniversityBachelor's Degree | Canton, NY | $62,479 | $25,070 | -41% | Negative payoff |
| 66 | The College of New JerseyBachelor's Degree | Ewing, NJ | $62,397 | $24,905 | -40% | Negative payoff |
| 67 | Fordham UniversityBachelor's Degree | Bronx, NY | $62,273 | $26,000 | -52% | Negative payoff |
| 68 | American UniversityBachelor's Degree | Washington, DC | $62,240 | $23,799 | -50% | Negative payoff |
| 69 | Brigham Young UniversityBachelor's Degree | Provo, UT | $62,106 | $11,000 | -29% | Negative payoff |
| 70 | North Carolina State University at RaleighBachelor's Degree | Raleigh, NC | $62,032 | $22,373 | -32% | Negative payoff |
| 71 | University of Puget SoundBachelor's Degree | Tacoma, WA | $61,919 | $27,000 | -49% | Negative payoff |
| 72 | Assumption UniversityBachelor's Degree | Worcester, MA | $61,578 | $27,000 | -44% | Negative payoff |
| 73 | Gonzaga UniversityBachelor's Degree | Spokane, WA | $61,533 | $27,000 | -48% | Negative payoff |
| 74 | Florida Institute of TechnologyBachelor's Degree | Melbourne, FL | $61,516 | Not available | -49% | Negative payoff |
| 75 | Quinnipiac UniversityBachelor's Degree | Hamden, CT | $61,510 | $26,672 | -52% | Negative payoff |
| 76 | Adelphi UniversityBachelor's Degree | Garden City, NY | $61,393 | $25,000 | -46% | Negative payoff |
| 77 | Sacred Heart UniversityBachelor's Degree | Fairfield, CT | $61,373 | $26,000 | -55% | Negative payoff |
| 78 | Pepperdine UniversityBachelor's Degree | Malibu, CA | $61,353 | $22,580 | -60% | Negative payoff |
| 79 | Dominican University of CaliforniaBachelor's Degree | San Rafael, CA | $61,339 | $27,000 | -49% | Negative payoff |
| 80 | St. Mary's College of MarylandBachelor's Degree | St. Mary's City, MD | $61,214 | $21,500 | -36% | Negative payoff |
| 81 | Widener UniversityBachelor's Degree | Chester, PA | $61,205 | $27,000 | -43% | Negative payoff |
| 82 | Clark UniversityBachelor's Degree | Worcester, MA | $61,203 | $26,000 | -45% | Negative payoff |
| 83 | Salve Regina UniversityBachelor's Degree | Newport, RI | $61,121 | $27,000 | -51% | Negative payoff |
| 84 | California Baptist UniversityBachelor's Degree | Riverside, CA | $61,103 | $27,000 | -44% | Negative payoff |
| 85 | University of California, Los AngelesBachelor's Degree | Los Angeles, CA | $61,050 | $14,500 | -30% | Negative payoff |
| 86 | Loyola Marymount UniversityBachelor's Degree | Los Angeles, CA | $60,958 | $20,500 | -57% | Negative payoff |
| 87 | Muhlenberg CollegeBachelor's Degree | Allentown, PA | $60,778 | $26,312 | -47% | Negative payoff |
| 88 | University of TulsaBachelor's Degree | Tulsa, OK | $60,700 | $21,500 | -35% | Negative payoff |
| 89 | Minot State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Minot, ND | $60,575 | $23,962 | -33% | Negative payoff |
| 90 | Iona UniversityBachelor's Degree | New Rochelle, NY | $60,525 | $26,000 | -48% | Negative payoff |
| 91 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis ObispoBachelor's Degree | San Luis Obispo, CA | $60,466 | $20,000 | -37% | Negative payoff |
| 92 | Hofstra UniversityBachelor's Degree | Hempstead, NY | $60,448 | $26,000 | -51% | Negative payoff |
| 93 | St. Thomas Aquinas CollegeBachelor's Degree | Sparkill, NY | $60,409 | $23,000 | -41% | Negative payoff |
| 94 | Marquette UniversityBachelor's Degree | Milwaukee, WI | $60,338 | $24,891 | -50% | Negative payoff |
| 95 | University of MaryBachelor's Degree | Bismarck, ND | $60,331 | $25,250 | -39% | Negative payoff |
| 96 | McDaniel CollegeBachelor's Degree | Westminster, MD | $60,264 | $25,662 | -43% | Negative payoff |
| 97 | Tulane University of LouisianaBachelor's Degree | New Orleans, LA | $60,260 | $22,250 | -55% | Negative payoff |
| 98 | The College of WoosterBachelor's Degree | Wooster, OH | $60,250 | $26,000 | -44% | Negative payoff |
| 99 | DeSales UniversityBachelor's Degree | Center Valley, PA | $60,001 | $27,000 | -51% | Negative payoff |
| 100 | University of California, Santa CruzBachelor's Degree | Santa Cruz, CA | $59,948 | $18,902 | -41% | Negative payoff |
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.