Psychology
Psychology · federal classification: Psychology, General
Median earnings by degree level
| Degree | Median earnings | Typical range | Schools | Clear the bar |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Associate's Degree | $39,052 | $35,373 to $42,223 | 104 | 71% |
| Bachelor's Degree | $49,609 | $44,901 to $54,707 | 997 | 96% |
| Master's Degree | $64,167 | $57,192 to $72,403 | 93 | 99% |
| Doctoral Degree | $96,204 | $83,422 to $110,654 | 40 | 100% |
"Clear the bar" is the share of programs whose graduates out-earn a typical high-school graduate (the federal earnings-premium test). Typical range is the 25th to 75th percentile of program medians.
Job outlook
Projected employment growth +5% (2025 to 2035), about 117,400 openings a year across the occupations this field commonly leads to.
| Occupation | Median pay | Growth | Openings/yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Managers, All Other | $141,900 | +4.9% | 100,900 |
| Social Science Research Assistants | $61,990 | +5% | 4,900 |
| Clinical and Counseling Psychologists | $100,580 | +11.7% | 4,100 |
| Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary | $80,340 | +4% | 3,700 |
| Psychologists, All Other | $110,840 | +2.3% | 3,500 |
| Industrial-Organizational Psychologists | $193,950 | +6.5% | 300 |
Occupation pay and outlook: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS wages, Employment Projections). A field maps to several occupations, and the same occupations serve many majors, so these are the jobs this major commonly leads to, not positions reserved for its graduates; the openings should not be added up across majors.
Where this is studied
The 8 colleges where the most students complete a psychology program, of 1,581 that report one. Ordered by number of completions only: this is where people study it, not a judgement about where to.
- Southern New Hampshire University
- Florida International University
- University of Central Florida
- Liberty University
- Arizona State University Digital Immersion
- California State University-Fullerton
- California State University-Northridge
- Arizona State University Campus Immersion
Earnings source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (release 2026-06-10), median earnings of graduates measured up to four years after completing. Figures describe past graduates and are never a promise. Method: methodology. Report an error.