Vocational Index

Degree · Bachelor's

Psychology

Is a psychology degree worth it? Here is what happened to recent graduates.

$49,942
Typical earnings, 4 years after graduating
$31,680
Typical earnings, 1 year after
$23,518
Typical federal debt at graduation
1,446
Bachelor's programs in the U.S.

“Typical” is the middle program among those reporting data.

Where it leads

A degree isn't a career.
It's an option set.

PsychologyBachelor's degree
↓
Social science research assistants $61,990 · +5.0% Clinical and counseling psychologistsNeeds doctoral or professional degree $100,580 · +11.7% Psychology teachers, postsecondaryNeeds doctoral or professional degree $80,340 · +4.0% Industrial-organizational psychologistsNeeds master's degree $193,950 · +6.5% Managers, all other $141,900 · +4.9% Psychologists, all otherNeeds master's degree $110,840 · +2.3%

Median pay and projected growth, 2025–35, for occupations the federal CIP–SOC crosswalk links to this field. The crosswalk lists jobs that directly use the degree; many graduates build careers elsewhere.

Earnings

It depends on the program, not just the major.

The line spans the middle half of programs. The dot is the typical program.

All programs (1,066)$49,942Private, for-profit (16)$39,694Private, nonprofit (558)$51,282Public (492)$49,485$35,725$59,343
Median earnings four years after graduating, by type of college.

What this does not mean

These are outcomes for past graduates, not a promise for the next ones. Earnings reflect who enrolls as well as what a program teaches: programs that serve working adults can report higher earnings because their students already had jobs.

College Scorecard covers graduates who received federal aid and hides programs with too few graduates to report.

Questions to ask a college

  • What do graduates of this program earn, compared with the typical program?
  • What is the net price after aid for a family like mine, and how much do graduates borrow?
  • Where did last year's graduates actually go to work?

Compare psychology with other degrees →

Sources

  1. College Scorecard, Most Recent Cohorts: Field of Study (June 2026 release), U.S. Department of Education. Retrieved 2026-09-30.
  2. CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk, NCES and BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
  3. BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.