Program directoryPROGRAM-CATEGORY PAYOFF

Psychology, General bachelor's degree outcomes at Southern Methodist University

Dallas, TX · Private nonprofit · Federal field 4201

Data scope

Federal records group outcomes by college, four-digit field and credential level. A record may cover several catalog programs or concentrations.

The short version

Reported earnings are notably above the same-degree benchmark.

$21,430 above the national median for the same field and credential.

Debt pressure
32.3% of annual earnings
Positive-payoff price ceiling
$22,840 / year
10-year scenario
−21% · Negative payoff
Price evidence
College-wide context only
PRICE SENSITIVITY

The price can change the verdict.

Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.

What stays fixed$72,136 observed annual earnings · 4 years of study · $45,000 alternative annual earnings · ten-year horizonThe marked price is this college’s institution-wide average net price, not the exact price of this program category. This is a sensitivity test, not a tuition quote or earnings forecast.
OUTCOME SIGNALS

Graduate outcomes from several angles.

Follow earnings over time and inspect the cohort behind each federal measure.

+70%Earnings growth, year 1 → 5$38,115$64,774
35Earn above high-school thresholdGraduate count in the year-4 cohort
35Working in the college’s stateGraduate count in the year-4 cohort
60Year-5 earnings observationsCohort behind the year-5 median
50Borrowers representedCohort behind the debt median
$63,466Awarding-school debtDebt attributed to the college granting the credential
Not availableRecent awardsIPEDS 2023–24 first-major completions in this field and credential
NEW FEDERAL PROGRAM CONTEXT

Size, aid and an earnings floor.

The Department of Education’s 2026 informational preview adds current program participation and a preliminary earnings comparison. It does not make a final eligibility determination.

344Students receiving federal aid2024–25 Title IV enrollment
89Federal-aid completers2024–25 program completers
149Pell Grant recipients2024–25 program count
195Federal loan borrowers2024–25 unduplicated count
Preliminary federal earnings benchmark$33,298Informational preview, not a final accountability result
Observed year-4 earnings$72,136$38,838 above the preliminary benchmark

Additional borrowing reported for this category: 61 Parent PLUS borrowers.

Source: U.S. Department of Education PPD:2026 informational preview. Program categories use OPEID, four-digit field and credential level; federal-aid counts do not represent every enrolled student.

01 · PRICE CONTEXT$40,892

Institution-wide annual average net price, not this program’s price.

02 · BORROWING$23,310

Median federal debt across schools attended at this academic level.

03 · EARNINGS$72,136

Observed median earnings four full years after completion.

04 · REPAYMENT$247/mo

Estimated standard 10-year federal payment.

WHAT WILL IT COST?

Published college costs provide the starting point.

Your exact offering, aid, residency and time to finish determine the price you actually pay.

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AVERAGE NET PRICE$40,892Institution-wide annual figure
COST OF ATTENDANCE$85,606Institution-wide annual budget
ADMISSION RATE63.3%Institution context
COMPLETION RATE84.3%Institution-wide completion rate
WHAT DO GRADUATES EARN?

Reported earnings after completion.

Each point may represent a different federal cohort. A missing bar means the figure was unavailable or suppressed.

$38,115Year 1
$72,136Year 4
$64,774Year 5
CAN THE EARNINGS SUPPORT THE DEBT?

4.1% of gross monthly earnings

Estimated monthly payment divided by observed gross monthly earnings. This excludes taxes, other debts and income-driven repayment.

Gross monthly earnings$6,011
Estimated loan payment$247
50borrowers represented where reported
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?

$72,136 vs. $50,706

$21,430 above the national median for the same field and credential.

Same-field national median
WHAT WORK CAN IT LEAD TO?

Related occupations, wages and outlook.

Official CIP–SOC links show careers the curriculum may prepare students for, not observed jobs held by this school’s graduates. BLS wages describe everyone working in an occupation.

BLS May 2025 wage estimates and 2025–35 employment projections.
Industrial-Organizational Psychologists$139,520 median wageTX estimate · 40 jobs · 19-3032+6.5% projected U.S. growth · 0.3k openings/yrTypical entry: Master's degreeManagers, All Other$134,390 median wageTX estimate · 61,410 jobs · 11-9199+4.9% projected U.S. growth · 100.9k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreePsychologists, All Other$110,840 median wageU.S. estimate · 18,820 jobs · 19-3039+2.3% projected U.S. growth · 3.5k openings/yrTypical entry: Master's degreeClinical and Counseling Psychologists$83,660 median wageTX estimate · 3,640 jobs · 19-3033+11.7% projected U.S. growth · 4.1k openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreePsychology Teachers, Postsecondary$77,060 median wageTX estimate · 3,380 jobs · 25-1066+4.0% projected U.S. growth · 3.7k openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeSocial Science Research Assistants$58,070 median wageTX estimate · 1,180 jobs · 19-4061+5.0% projected U.S. growth · 4.9k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degree
Possible alternatives

Same degree, stronger on at least one reported measure.

Every option below reports higher earnings, lower federal debt or a lower college-wide net price. Same-state options appear first.

College Station, TX

Texas A&M University-College Station

$4,189 less debt · $19,577 lower annual net price

Earnings
$58,396
Debt
$19,121
Annual net price
$21,315
View outcomes →
Austin, TX

The University of Texas at Austin

$3,560 less debt · $21,035 lower annual net price

Earnings
$56,821
Debt
$19,750
Annual net price
$19,857
View outcomes →
Lubbock, TX

Texas Tech University

$60 less debt · $21,822 lower annual net price

Earnings
$53,051
Debt
$23,250
Annual net price
$19,070
View outcomes →
Houston, TX

University of Houston

$2,810 less debt · $26,616 lower annual net price

Earnings
$52,892
Debt
$20,500
Annual net price
$14,276
View outcomes →
Compare these programs →
DATA QUALITY

Check the evidence behind the estimate.

60 observations in the earnings cohort

June 10, 2026 College Scorecard release

Observed, estimated and contextual figures are labeled separately throughout this page

IS IT WORTH IT AT YOUR PRICE?

Your price and current earnings determine the result.

Add your grants, borrowing and current salary to estimate payment pressure, break-even time and ten-year payoff.

Calculate my payoff →