Psychology, Other: is this master's degree worth it?
National picture across 14 reporting college programs.
$67,985 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.
Observed national outcomes
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.
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $35,481
- Federal debt
- $18,949
- Reporting programs
- 2
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $50,430
- Federal debt
- $16,473
- Reporting programs
- 13
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $67,985
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 14
Doctoral Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $108,825
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 5
Graduate/Professional Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $56,601
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 1
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.
See the spread, not just the national number.
1Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus$99,8412Pennsylvania State University-World Campus$99,8413University of Baltimore$92,2844Sacred Heart University$78,6445Russell Sage College$73,2866East Central University$71,5707Azusa Pacific University$68,7978University of South Florida$67,1739Tiffin University$65,38710University of Denver$60,246Observed 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.
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 | Pennsylvania State University-Main CampusMaster's Degree | University Park, PA | $99,841 | Not available | Baseline needed | $32,875 |
| 2 | Pennsylvania State University-World CampusMaster's Degree | University Park, PA | $99,841 | Not available | Baseline needed | $19,550 |
| 3 | University of BaltimoreMaster's Degree | Baltimore, MD | $92,284 | Not available | Baseline needed | $13,868 |
| 4 | Sacred Heart UniversityMaster's Degree | Fairfield, CT | $78,644 | Not available | Baseline needed | $46,174 |
| 5 | Russell Sage CollegeMaster's Degree | Troy, NY | $73,286 | Not available | Baseline needed | $22,917 |
| 6 | East Central UniversityMaster's Degree | Ada, OK | $71,570 | Not available | Baseline needed | $8,683 |
| 7 | Azusa Pacific UniversityMaster's Degree | Azusa, CA | $68,797 | Not available | Baseline needed | $22,212 |
| 8 | University of South FloridaMaster's Degree | Tampa, FL | $67,173 | Not available | Baseline needed | $9,812 |
| 9 | Tiffin UniversityMaster's Degree | Tiffin, OH | $65,387 | Not available | Baseline needed | $26,500 |
| 10 | University of DenverMaster's Degree | Denver, CO | $60,246 | Not available | Baseline needed | $36,131 |
| 11 | Grand Canyon UniversityMaster's Degree | Phoenix, AZ | $59,759 | Not available | Baseline needed | $22,472 |
| 12 | University of Phoenix-ArizonaMaster's Degree | Phoenix, AZ | $55,380 | Not available | Baseline needed | $13,520 |
| 13 | Capella UniversityMaster's Degree | Minneapolis, MN | $55,115 | Not available | Baseline needed | $17,956 |
| 14 | Sofia UniversityMaster's Degree | Palo Alto, CA | $53,593 | Not available | Baseline needed | Not available |
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.