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MASTER'S DEGREE · DEGREE PAYOFF · FEDERAL FIELD 4201

Psychology, General: is this master's degree worth it?

National picture across 92 reporting college programs.

Personal baseline needed

$67,973 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.

$67,973Median year-4 earnings

$19,943Average institution net-price context

Not availableMedian federal debt

Use your actual price and alternative earnings before evaluating return. Model your own starting point →

WHAT THIS DEGREE PAYS

Observed national outcomes

$67,973Median reported earnings · year 4

$63,035Average reported earnings · year 5

Not availableMedian federal debt

31thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential

92Reporting programs

92With year-4 earnings

COMPARE CREDENTIAL LEVELS

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.

OPEN PROFILE

Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma

Year-4 earnings: $47,847
Federal debt: $22,255
Reporting programs: 4

3 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Associate's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $38,612
Federal debt: $11,198
Reporting programs: 124

117 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Bachelor's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $49,960
Federal debt: $25,716
Reporting programs: 1,139

1,062 report earnings →CURRENT VIEW

Master's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $67,973
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 92

92 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Doctoral Degree

Year-4 earnings: $96,534
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 39

39 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Graduate/Professional Certificate

Year-4 earnings: $65,990
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 1

1 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Non-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification)

Year-4 earnings: $55,763
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 2

2 report earnings →

COLLEGE-TO-COLLEGE RANGE

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.

Median

25th percentile$59,656National median$67,97375th percentile$79,341

92 programs report year‑4 earnings.

DECISION CHECK

What to compare before choosing a program

The national result is only the starting point. Price, debt and the college-level earnings spread can materially change the payoff.

$79,34175th-percentile year-4 earnings among reporting programs

Not availableMedian federal debt across programs that report it

0Programs with earnings in the top quarter and debt at or below the median

WHERE OUTCOMES ARE STRONGEST

See the spread, not just the national number.

1San Diego State University$111,549 2George Mason University$102,945 3University of Pennsylvania$101,785 4University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus$95,931 5The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga$91,747 6California State University, Fresno$90,681 7Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia$88,006 8Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus$86,294 9University of Connecticut$81,683 10University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus$81,683

Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking

WHERE THIS FIELD CAN LEAD

Related occupations

Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.

Clinical and Counseling PsychologistsSOC 19-3033 · 1 crosswalk linksIndustrial-Organizational PsychologistsSOC 19-3032 · 1 crosswalk linksManagers, All OtherSOC 11-9199 · 1 crosswalk linksPsychologists, All OtherSOC 19-3039 · 1 crosswalk linksPsychology Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1066 · 1 crosswalk linksSocial Science Research AssistantsSOC 19-4061 · 1 crosswalk links

EXPLORE BY STATE

Where this degree has enough data to compare

State pages are published only when at least five operating colleges report year-4 earnings for this exact field and credential.

CA19 programs$72,392 average earnings CT6 programs$77,128 average earnings NY5 programs$67,485 average earnings NJ5 programs$76,950 average earnings IL5 programs$62,247 average earnings FL5 programs$61,339 average earnings

BEST COLLEGES FOR PSYCHOLOGY, GENERAL

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	San Diego State UniversityMaster's Degree	San Diego, CA	$111,549	Not available	Baseline needed	$15,364
2	George Mason UniversityMaster's Degree	Fairfax, VA	$102,945	Not available	Baseline needed	$17,915
3	University of PennsylvaniaMaster's Degree	Philadelphia, PA	$101,785	Not available	Baseline needed	$28,699
4	University of Oklahoma-Norman CampusMaster's Degree	Norman, OK	$95,931	Not available	Baseline needed	$15,300
5	The University of Tennessee-ChattanoogaMaster's Degree	Chattanooga, TN	$91,747	Not available	Baseline needed	$14,265
6	California State University, FresnoMaster's Degree	Fresno, CA	$90,681	Not available	Baseline needed	$7,000
7	Saint Joseph's University - PhiladelphiaMaster's Degree	Philadelphia, PA	$88,006	Not available	Baseline needed	$29,689
8	Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan CampusMaster's Degree	Teaneck, NJ	$86,294	Not available	Baseline needed	$15,404
9	University of ConnecticutMaster's Degree	Storrs, CT	$81,683	Not available	Baseline needed	$25,097
10	University of Connecticut-Waterbury CampusMaster's Degree	Waterbury, CT	$81,683	Not available	Baseline needed	$10,875
11	University of Connecticut-Avery PointMaster's Degree	Groton, CT	$81,683	Not available	Baseline needed	$13,807
12	University of Connecticut-StamfordMaster's Degree	Stamford, CT	$81,683	Not available	Baseline needed	$16,798
13	University of Connecticut-Hartford CampusMaster's Degree	Hartford, CT	$81,683	Not available	Baseline needed	$16,403
14	Middle Tennessee State UniversityMaster's Degree	Murfreesboro, TN	$81,371	Not available	Baseline needed	$13,359
15	Claremont Graduate UniversityMaster's Degree	Claremont, CA	$80,672	Not available	Baseline needed	Not available
16	Rutgers University-CamdenMaster's Degree	Camden, NJ	$79,478	Not available	Baseline needed	$18,745
17	Rutgers University-New BrunswickMaster's Degree	New Brunswick, NJ	$79,478	Not available	Baseline needed	$24,406
18	Rutgers University-NewarkMaster's Degree	Newark, NJ	$79,478	Not available	Baseline needed	$19,703
19	California State Polytechnic University-HumboldtMaster's Degree	Arcata, CA	$79,429	Not available	Baseline needed	$13,171
20	Antioch University-Los AngelesMaster's Degree	Culver City, CA	$79,347	Not available	Baseline needed	Not available
21	Antioch University-Santa BarbaraMaster's Degree	Santa Barbara, CA	$79,347	Not available	Baseline needed	Not available
22	Antioch University-SeattleMaster's Degree	Seattle, WA	$79,347	Not available	Baseline needed	Not available
23	Antioch UniversityMaster's Degree	Yellow Springs, OH	$79,347	Not available	Baseline needed	Not available
24	McNeese State UniversityMaster's Degree	Lake Charles, LA	$79,341	Not available	Baseline needed	$12,493
25	Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical CollegeMaster's Degree	Baton Rouge, LA	$78,060	Not available	Baseline needed	$19,151
26	Missouri State University-SpringfieldMaster's Degree	Springfield, MO	$76,762	Not available	Baseline needed	$17,613
27	Pace UniversityMaster's Degree	New York, NY	$75,549	Not available	Baseline needed	$30,892
28	Houston Christian UniversityMaster's Degree	Houston, TX	$75,052	Not available	Baseline needed	$20,629
29	California State University, ChicoMaster's Degree	Chico, CA	$75,000	Not available	Baseline needed	$14,480
30	American UniversityMaster's Degree	Washington, DC	$73,628	Not available	Baseline needed	$41,943
31	University of Massachusetts GlobalMaster's Degree	Aliso Viejo, CA	$73,213	Not available	Baseline needed	$32,654
32	University of North Carolina WilmingtonMaster's Degree	Wilmington, NC	$72,403	Not available	Baseline needed	$20,109
33	California State University, SacramentoMaster's Degree	Sacramento, CA	$72,365	Not available	Baseline needed	$9,338
34	Radford UniversityMaster's Degree	Radford, VA	$71,566	Not available	Baseline needed	$14,578
35	Stony Brook UniversityMaster's Degree	Stony Brook, NY	$71,005	Not available	Baseline needed	$18,784
36	National UniversityMaster's Degree	San Diego, CA	$71,001	Not available	Baseline needed	$22,878
37	Southern Illinois University EdwardsvilleMaster's Degree	Edwardsville, IL	$70,882	Not available	Baseline needed	$14,889
38	Towson UniversityMaster's Degree	Towson, MD	$70,748	Not available	Baseline needed	$17,413
39	University of Houston-Clear LakeMaster's Degree	Houston, TX	$70,718	Not available	Baseline needed	$15,563
40	Florida State UniversityMaster's Degree	Tallahassee, FL	$69,669	Not available	Baseline needed	$11,297
41	California Polytechnic State University-San Luis ObispoMaster's Degree	San Luis Obispo, CA	$69,419	Not available	Baseline needed	$16,665
42	Utah State UniversityMaster's Degree	Logan, UT	$69,115	Not available	Baseline needed	$14,936
43	The Chicago School at ChicagoMaster's Degree	Chicago, IL	$68,180	Not available	Baseline needed	Not available
44	The Chicago School at AnaheimMaster's Degree	Anaheim, CA	$68,180	Not available	Baseline needed	Not available
45	The Chicago School at Los AngelesMaster's Degree	Los Angeles, CA	$68,180	Not available	Baseline needed	Not available
46	The New SchoolMaster's Degree	New York, NY	$68,160	Not available	Baseline needed	$58,741
47	University of West FloridaMaster's Degree	Pensacola, FL	$67,785	Not available	Baseline needed	$9,364
48	University of Southern MississippiMaster's Degree	Hattiesburg, MS	$67,434	Not available	Baseline needed	$21,708
49	Fort Hays State UniversityMaster's Degree	Hays, KS	$66,852	Not available	Baseline needed	$12,569
50	California State Polytechnic University-PomonaMaster's Degree	Pomona, CA	$66,151	Not available	Baseline needed	$11,531
51	American Public University SystemMaster's Degree	Charles Town, WV	$66,047	Not available	Baseline needed	$9,597
52	Touro University WorldwideMaster's Degree	Los Alamitos, CA	$65,760	Not available	Baseline needed	$19,058
53	Indiana Institute of TechnologyMaster's Degree	Fort Wayne, IN	$65,579	Not available	Baseline needed	$23,206
54	Valdosta State UniversityMaster's Degree	Valdosta, GA	$65,472	Not available	Baseline needed	$10,945
55	Xavier UniversityMaster's Degree	Cincinnati, OH	$64,505	Not available	Baseline needed	$32,997
56	Cleveland State UniversityMaster's Degree	Cleveland, OH	$64,167	Not available	Baseline needed	$14,764
57	Arizona State University Campus ImmersionMaster's Degree	Tempe, AZ	$63,039	Not available	Baseline needed	$14,967
58	Arizona State University Digital ImmersionMaster's Degree	Scottsdale, AZ	$63,039	Not available	Baseline needed	Not available
59	Mercy UniversityMaster's Degree	Dobbs Ferry, NY	$62,838	Not available	Baseline needed	$14,072
60	Corban UniversityMaster's Degree	Salem, OR	$61,933	Not available	Baseline needed	$28,035
61	Seattle UniversityMaster's Degree	Seattle, WA	$61,415	Not available	Baseline needed	$34,662
62	Millersville University of PennsylvaniaMaster's Degree	Millersville, PA	$61,364	Not available	Baseline needed	$20,787
63	Azusa Pacific UniversityMaster's Degree	Azusa, CA	$61,095	Not available	Baseline needed	$22,212
64	University of Colorado Colorado SpringsMaster's Degree	Colorado Springs, CO	$61,059	Not available	Baseline needed	$15,788
65	Walden UniversityMaster's Degree	Minneapolis, MN	$60,895	Not available	Baseline needed	$33,817
66	Nova Southeastern UniversityMaster's Degree	Fort Lauderdale, FL	$60,151	Not available	Baseline needed	$30,371
67	Kean UniversityMaster's Degree	Union, NJ	$60,023	Not available	Baseline needed	$12,447
68	Florida International UniversityMaster's Degree	Miami, FL	$59,992	Not available	Baseline needed	$9,288
69	Long Island UniversityMaster's Degree	Brookville, NY	$59,871	Not available	Baseline needed	$33,062
70	Springfield CollegeMaster's Degree	Springfield, MA	$59,656	Not available	Baseline needed	$30,587
71	Capella UniversityMaster's Degree	Minneapolis, MN	$59,640	Not available	Baseline needed	$17,956
72	Adler UniversityMaster's Degree	Chicago, IL	$59,511	Not available	Baseline needed	Not available
73	Northcentral UniversityMaster's Degree	San Diego, CA	$59,004	Not available	Baseline needed	Not available
74	Southern New Hampshire UniversityMaster's Degree	Manchester, NH	$58,824	Not available	Baseline needed	$36,708
75	Our Lady of the Lake UniversityMaster's Degree	San Antonio, TX	$58,231	Not available	Baseline needed	$16,442
76	Tiffin UniversityMaster's Degree	Tiffin, OH	$57,802	Not available	Baseline needed	$26,500
77	North Carolina Central UniversityMaster's Degree	Durham, NC	$57,573	Not available	Baseline needed	$15,359
78	Pittsburg State UniversityMaster's Degree	Pittsburg, KS	$57,192	Not available	Baseline needed	$15,784
79	Washington Adventist UniversityMaster's Degree	Takoma Park, MD	$56,809	Not available	Baseline needed	$18,526
80	Western Illinois UniversityMaster's Degree	Macomb, IL	$56,378	Not available	Baseline needed	$12,937
81	National Louis UniversityMaster's Degree	Chicago, IL	$56,286	Not available	Baseline needed	$12,641
82	University of Louisiana at MonroeMaster's Degree	Monroe, LA	$55,439	Not available	Baseline needed	$13,466
83	Life UniversityMaster's Degree	Marietta, GA	$55,408	Not available	Baseline needed	$29,791
84	Marshall UniversityMaster's Degree	Huntington, WV	$54,560	Not available	Baseline needed	$7,502
85	Southern Connecticut State UniversityMaster's Degree	New Haven, CT	$54,350	Not available	Baseline needed	$20,857
86	Purdue University GlobalMaster's Degree	West Lafayette, IN	$54,049	Not available	Baseline needed	$7,770
87	Saybrook UniversityMaster's Degree	Pasadena, CA	$52,527	Not available	Baseline needed	Not available
88	Pepperdine UniversityMaster's Degree	Malibu, CA	$52,526	Not available	Baseline needed	$58,098
89	Texas A&M International UniversityMaster's Degree	Laredo, TX	$52,149	Not available	Baseline needed	$3,637
90	The University of Arizona Global CampusMaster's Degree	Chandler, AZ	$50,601	Not available	Baseline needed	$31,266
91	Keiser University-Ft LauderdaleMaster's Degree	Fort Lauderdale, FL	$49,098	Not available	Baseline needed	$30,498
92	University of West GeorgiaMaster's Degree	Carrollton, GA	$45,818	Not available	Baseline needed	$12,786

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.