Augustana University Psychology: earnings, debt & careers

Psychology graduates of Augustana University earn a median $58,256 four years after graduating ($39,098 after one year), with median federal loan debt of $27,000. That is $8,288 above the U.S. median for Psychology graduates ($49,968 across 998 colleges), and ranks 1st of 6 South Dakota colleges.

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Earnings, 4 years after graduating
$58,256

U.S. median for this major: $49,968.

College Scorecard field of study; 17 graduates with earnings reported. A small group, so treat this figure with caution

Earnings, 1 year after
$39,098

Median for graduates who received federal aid.

College Scorecard field of study

Median debt at graduation
$27,000

About 46% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $25,490.

College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)

What your family pays
$23,894 /yr

Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.

Sticker price $55,159. College Scorecard.

Augustana University Psychology: pay against the field, and payback

Same major, other colleges

Augustana University graduates$58,256
South Dakota median (6 colleges)$49,840 (+$8,416)
U.S. median (998 colleges)$49,968 (+$8,288)

Median earnings 4 years after graduating; state and U.S. figures are the median of each covered college's graduates in this major. College Scorecard; calculated by EducationGuide.

Psychology nationally: jobs, pay at ages 25-34, every state →

Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income

Uses Augustana University's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.

Family incomeNet price / yrCost to finishYears to pay back
$0–30k$18,746$79,4833.5 years
$30–48k$18,895$80,1153.6 years
$48–75k$17,937$76,0533.4 years
$75–110k$24,787$105,0974.7 years
$110k+$27,327$115,8665.2 years

Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (60% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of Psychology graduates 4 years after graduating ($58,256) minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in SD (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $22,459 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method

College Scorecard; IPEDS Graduation Rates; U.S. Census Bureau ACS. Calculated by EducationGuide.

Psychology at South Dakota colleges

Every South Dakota college we cover that reports Psychology graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.

RankCollegeEarnings, 4 yrsMedian debtAvg. net priceGraduation
1Augustana University$58,256$27,000$23,89473%
2University of South Dakota$50,993$24,593$19,85860%
3South Dakota State University$50,210$25,608$19,84162%
4University of Sioux Falls$49,469$24,856$21,38363%
5Northern State University$45,921—$15,81249%
6Black Hills State University$42,417$27,187$15,91143%

2 more South Dakota colleges offer Psychology but have too few graduates to report earnings.

Careers for Psychology graduates

Social Science Research Assistants

South Dakota$44,820
U.S.$61,990

Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +5.0% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35. Careers from the federal major-to-occupation crosswalk.

What families pay at Augustana University, by income

School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.

College Scorecard

About Augustana University

Related majors at Augustana University

  • Sociology—

Augustana University Psychology questions

How much do Augustana University Psychology graduates earn?

Psychology graduates of Augustana University earn a median $58,256 four years after graduating and $39,098 one year after. The U.S. median for Psychology graduates across 998 colleges is $49,968.

How much debt do Augustana University Psychology graduates have?

The median federal loan debt for Psychology graduates of Augustana University is $27,000, about 46% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,490.

Is Augustana University a good school for Psychology in South Dakota?

On pay, Psychology graduates of Augustana University earn $58,256 four years out, $8,416 above the median for the same major across 6 South Dakota colleges ($49,840) and $8,288 above the U.S. median ($49,968). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.

Where does Augustana University rank for Psychology in South Dakota?

Of 6 South Dakota colleges reporting Psychology graduate earnings, Augustana University ranks 1st, the highest.

What jobs do Psychology graduates get?

A common career is social science research assistants, with a median wage of $44,820 in South Dakota and $61,990 nationally.

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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (field of study: median earnings and federal loan debt of graduates who received federal aid); BLS. How we score
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Cite this: “Augustana University Psychology: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/augustana-university/majors/psychology (College Scorecard and BLS data).