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DOCTORAL DEGREE · DEGREE PAYOFF · FEDERAL FIELD 4299

Psychology, Other: is this doctoral degree worth it?

National picture across 5 reporting college programs.

Personal baseline needed

$108,825 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.

$108,825Median year-4 earnings

$19,161Average 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

$108,825Median reported earnings · year 4

$75,335Average reported earnings · year 5

Not availableMedian federal debt

60thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential

5Reporting programs

5With 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

Associate's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $35,481
Federal debt: $18,949
Reporting programs: 2

2 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Bachelor's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $50,430
Federal debt: $16,473
Reporting programs: 13

11 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Master's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $67,985
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 14

14 report earnings →CURRENT VIEW

Doctoral Degree

Year-4 earnings: $108,825
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 5

5 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Graduate/Professional Certificate

Year-4 earnings: $56,601
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 1

1 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$106,003National median$108,82575th percentile$108,825

5 programs report year‑4 earnings.

WHERE OUTCOMES ARE STRONGEST

See the spread, not just the national number.

1Azusa Pacific University$109,439 2The Chicago School at Los Angeles$108,825 3The Chicago School at Washington DC$108,825 4University of California, Santa Barbara$106,003 5Pacifica Graduate Institute$67,625

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.

Managers, All OtherSOC 11-9199 · 1 crosswalk linksPsychologists, All OtherSOC 19-3039 · 1 crosswalk linksPsychology Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1066 · 1 crosswalk links

BEST COLLEGES FOR PSYCHOLOGY, OTHER

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	Azusa Pacific UniversityDoctoral Degree	Azusa, CA	$109,439	Not available	Baseline needed	$22,212
2	The Chicago School at Los AngelesDoctoral Degree	Los Angeles, CA	$108,825	Not available	Baseline needed	Not available
3	The Chicago School at Washington DCDoctoral Degree	Washington, DC	$108,825	Not available	Baseline needed	Not available
4	University of California, Santa BarbaraDoctoral Degree	Santa Barbara, CA	$106,003	Not available	Baseline needed	$16,109
5	Pacifica Graduate InstituteDoctoral Degree	Santa Barbara CA, CA	$67,625	Not available	Baseline needed	Not available

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.