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COLLEGE + DEGREE OUTCOMES

Psychology, General bachelor's degree at University of California, Merced

Merced, CA · Public

What this page covers

Federal data group related majors at the same college and degree level. One record can include several named programs or concentrations.

The short version

Reported earnings are close to similar programs.

$2,437 above the national median for the same field and degree level.

Debt as a share of earnings
31.0% of annual earnings
Highest price with a positive payoff
Not reached
Modeled 10-year payoff
−64% · Negative payoff
Available price data
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$53,143 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.

+84%Earnings growth, year 1 → 5$28,669 → $52,632
143Earn above high-school thresholdGraduate count in the year-4 cohort
189Working in the college’s stateGraduate count in the year-4 cohort
227Year-5 earnings observationsCohort behind the year-5 median
276Borrowers representedCohort behind the debt median
$17,706Awarding-school debtDebt attributed to the college granting the credential
Not availableRecent awardsIPEDS 2024–25 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.

61Students receiving federal aid2024–25 Title IV enrollment
Not reportedFederal-aid completers2024–25 program completers
45Pell Grant recipients2024–25 program count
40Federal loan borrowers2024–25 unduplicated count
214Graduates not recorded as employedHistorical federal cohort, three years after completion
Preliminary federal earnings benchmark$36,082Informational preview, not a final accountability result
Observed year-4 earnings$53,143$17,061 above the preliminary benchmark

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. Completion and employment measures use older cohorts shown above and are not combined into the payoff estimate.

01 · PRICE CONTEXT$11,983

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

02 · BORROWING$16,500

Median federal debt across schools attended at this academic level.

03 · EARNINGS$53,143

Observed median earnings four full years after completion.

04 · REPAYMENT$175/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$11,983Institution-wide annual figure
COST OF ATTENDANCE$39,665Institution-wide annual budget
ADMISSION RATE90.5%Institution context
COMPLETION RATE68.7%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.

$28,669Year 1
$53,143Year 4
$52,632Year 5
CAN THE EARNINGS SUPPORT THE DEBT?

4.0% 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$4,429
Estimated loan payment$175
276borrowers represented where reported
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?

$53,143 vs. $50,706

$2,437 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$193,950 median wageU.S. estimate · 790 jobs · 19-3032+6.5% projected U.S. growth · 300 openings/yrTypical entry: Master's degreeManagers, All Other$174,560 median wageCA estimate · 99,580 jobs · 11-9199$132,000–$221,560 middle 50% of CA wages+4.9% projected U.S. growth · 100,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreePsychologists, All Other$157,540 median wageCA estimate · 1,600 jobs · 19-3039$95,160–$177,260 middle 50% of CA wages+2.3% projected U.S. growth · 3,500 openings/yrTypical entry: Master's degreeClinical and Counseling Psychologists$116,000 median wageCA estimate · 12,840 jobs · 19-3033$77,050–$162,360 middle 50% of CA wages+11.7% projected U.S. growth · 4,100 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreePsychology Teachers, Postsecondary$107,340 median wageCA estimate · 4,410 jobs · 25-1066$81,600–$165,660 middle 50% of CA wages+4.0% projected U.S. growth · 3,700 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeSocial Science Research Assistants$60,250 median wageCA estimate · 5,300 jobs · 19-4061$41,670–$84,990 middle 50% of CA wages+5.0% projected U.S. growth · 4,900 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.

Hayward, CA

California State University, East Bay

$1,293 higher earnings · $1,500 less debt · $2,663 lower annual net price

Earnings
$54,436
Debt
$15,000
Annual net price
$9,320
View outcomes →
Sacramento, CA

California State University, Sacramento

$94 higher earnings · $1,000 less debt · $2,645 lower annual net price

Earnings
$53,237
Debt
$15,500
Annual net price
$9,338
View outcomes →
Los Angeles, CA

University of Southern California

$17,318 higher earnings · $2,500 less debt

Earnings
$70,461
Debt
$14,000
Annual net price
$32,740
View outcomes →
Los Angeles, CA

University of California, Los Angeles

$7,907 higher earnings · $2,000 less debt

Earnings
$61,050
Debt
$14,500
Annual net price
$12,548
View outcomes →
Compare these programs →
DATA QUALITY

Check the evidence behind the estimate.

227 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 →