U.S. median for this major: $49,968.
College Scorecard field of study; 20 graduates with earnings reported. A small group, so treat this figure with caution
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 53% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $25,490.
College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $43,358. College Scorecard.
CU Psychology: pay against the field, and payback
Same major, other colleges
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 CU's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $17,882 | $77,250 | 9.4 years |
| $30–48k | $18,048 | $77,967 | 9.5 years |
| $48–75k | $19,609 | $84,711 | 10.3 years |
| $75–110k | $20,333 | $87,839 | 10.7 years |
| $110k+ | $20,917 | $90,361 | 11.0 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (30% 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 ($42,713) minus $34,518 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in TN (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $8,195 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 Tennessee colleges
Every Tennessee college we cover that reports Psychology graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vanderbilt University | $71,584 | $11,209 | $15,846 | 94% |
| 2 | The University of the South | $58,715 | $17,148 | $27,872 | 80% |
| 3 | Fisk University | $57,147 | $26,500 | $32,020 | 30% |
| 4 | Belmont University | $52,172 | $18,500 | $33,147 | 71% |
| 5 | Christian Brothers University | $50,180 | $27,000 | $9,854 | 55% |
| 6 | Trevecca Nazarene University | $49,989 | $21,375 | $16,813 | 53% |
| 7 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | $49,003 | $23,081 | $18,976 | 74% |
| 8 | Lipscomb University | $47,933 | $25,062 | $24,739 | 72% |
| 9 | Bryan College-Dayton | $47,549 | $23,880 | $20,614 | 50% |
| 10 | Milligan University | $46,990 | — | $21,365 | 63% |
| 11 | Tennessee State University | $46,721 | $27,500 | $15,796 | 34% |
| 12 | Lee University | $46,719 | $26,450 | $18,878 | 63% |
| 13 | University of Memphis | $45,700 | $27,000 | $12,397 | 51% |
| 14 | The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga | $44,700 | $21,898 | $14,265 | 50% |
| 15 | Union University | $44,056 | $26,506 | $27,171 | 66% |
| 16 | Tennessee Technological University | $44,043 | $13,750 | $14,246 | 58% |
| 17 | Middle Tennessee State University | $43,826 | $22,000 | $13,359 | 54% |
| 18 | Cumberland University | $42,713 | $22,437 | $18,759 | 46% |
| 19 | East Tennessee State University | $42,358 | $17,976 | $15,983 | 53% |
| 20 | Austin Peay State University | $41,303 | $25,000 | $9,735 | 40% |
| 21 | King University | $40,796 | $24,875 | $22,347 | 48% |
| 22 | The University of Tennessee Southern | $38,072 | $19,800 | $12,798 | 37% |
| 23 | Carson-Newman University | $37,992 | $25,250 | $20,251 | 53% |
| 24 | Tusculum University | $37,934 | $28,500 | $21,131 | 25% |
| 25 | The University of Tennessee-Martin | $36,507 | $26,373 | $10,701 | 53% |
9 more Tennessee colleges offer Psychology but have too few graduates to report earnings.
Careers for Psychology graduates
Social Science Research Assistants
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 CU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About CU
- Acceptance rate: 67% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 46% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $57,687
- Full cost breakdown · all 34 majors · overview
CU Psychology questions
How much do CU Psychology graduates earn?
Psychology graduates of Cumberland University earn a median $42,713 four years after graduating and $27,023 one year after. The U.S. median for Psychology graduates across 998 colleges is $49,968.
How much debt do CU Psychology graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Psychology graduates of Cumberland University is $22,437, about 53% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,490.
Is CU a good school for Psychology in Tennessee?
On pay, Psychology graduates of Cumberland University earn $42,713 four years out, $2,987 below the median for the same major across 25 Tennessee colleges ($45,700) and $7,255 below the U.S. median ($49,968). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does CU rank for Psychology in Tennessee?
Of 25 Tennessee colleges reporting Psychology graduate earnings, Cumberland University ranks 18th. The highest is Vanderbilt University at $71,584.
What jobs do Psychology graduates get?
A common career is social science research assistants, with a median wage of $46,410 in the Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN area 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
Data: JSON · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Cumberland University Psychology: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/cumberland-university/majors/psychology (College Scorecard and BLS data).