U.S. median for this major: $49,968.
College Scorecard field of study; 36 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 47% 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 $70,700. College Scorecard.
IWU 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 IWU'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 | $17,732 | $72,169 | 3.3 years |
| $30–48k | $19,057 | $77,562 | 3.5 years |
| $48–75k | $23,152 | $94,229 | 4.3 years |
| $75–110k | $27,396 | $111,502 | 5.1 years |
| $110k+ | $37,104 | $151,013 | 6.9 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.1 years, the average time graduates took (78% 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 ($57,839) minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IL (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $22,042 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 Illinois colleges
Every Illinois 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 | Northwestern University | $73,646 | $14,500 | $29,167 | 95% |
| 2 | Bradley University | $64,378 | $27,000 | $22,719 | 76% |
| 3 | Illinois Wesleyan University | $57,839 | $27,000 | $28,199 | 75% |
| 4 | Loyola University Chicago | $56,658 | $25,000 | $36,079 | 73% |
| 5 | North Park University | $56,062 | $27,000 | $16,948 | 58% |
| 6 | Aurora University | $55,697 | $23,250 | $18,838 | 60% |
| 7 | DePaul University | $55,664 | $27,000 | $30,902 | 68% |
| 8 | Northeastern Illinois University | $54,301 | $16,157 | $14,109 | 22% |
| 9 | Lake Forest College | $54,270 | $27,000 | $28,673 | 78% |
| 10 | Benedictine University | $53,994 | $27,000 | $22,313 | 50% |
| 11 | Augustana College | $52,818 | $27,000 | $22,736 | 73% |
| 12 | University of Illinois Chicago | $52,736 | $17,500 | $10,974 | 62% |
| 13 | Elmhurst University | $52,264 | $23,000 | $24,185 | 70% |
| 14 | North Central College | $52,062 | $26,655 | $21,044 | 64% |
| 15 | Roosevelt University | $52,049 | $26,000 | $20,194 | 35% |
| 16 | Lewis University | $52,029 | $25,000 | $17,028 | 67% |
| 17 | Illinois State University | $51,941 | $22,000 | $19,398 | 65% |
| 18 | Eureka College | $51,353 | $27,000 | $17,349 | 42% |
| 19 | Trinity Christian College | $51,104 | $27,000 | $19,125 | 58% |
| 20 | Dominican University | $51,093 | $23,832 | $11,745 | 55% |
| 21 | Wheaton College | $49,974 | $22,625 | $26,975 | 85% |
| 22 | Northern Illinois University | $49,669 | $24,194 | $13,391 | 49% |
| 23 | Eastern Illinois University | $49,478 | $22,500 | $12,786 | 47% |
| 24 | Olivet Nazarene University | $49,427 | $27,000 | $20,729 | 61% |
| 25 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | $48,951 | $25,000 | $14,889 | 57% |
| 26 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | $48,728 | $24,000 | $13,297 | 62% |
| 27 | University of Illinois Springfield | $47,802 | $23,500 | $9,833 | 53% |
| 28 | Monmouth College | $47,329 | $27,000 | $17,133 | 65% |
| 29 | Saint Xavier University | $47,273 | $25,740 | $10,970 | 57% |
| 30 | Chicago State University | $47,168 | $39,075 | $12,335 | 15% |
| 31 | Governors State University | $47,048 | $25,375 | $12,329 | 22% |
| 32 | Judson University | $46,816 | $25,000 | $18,558 | 60% |
| 33 | Concordia University-Chicago | $46,590 | $25,647 | $18,436 | 36% |
| 34 | Illinois College | $45,388 | $27,000 | $18,298 | 64% |
| 35 | Western Illinois University | $44,683 | $29,000 | $12,937 | 45% |
| 36 | University of St Francis | $42,474 | $25,681 | $13,006 | 67% |
| 37 | McKendree University | $37,892 | $23,250 | $24,717 | 53% |
9 more Illinois 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 IWU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About IWU
- Acceptance rate: 39% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 75% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $70,871
- Full cost breakdown · all 43 majors · overview
Related majors at IWU
- Sociology—
IWU Psychology questions
How much do IWU Psychology graduates earn?
Psychology graduates of Illinois Wesleyan University earn a median $57,839 four years after graduating and $34,650 one year after. The U.S. median for Psychology graduates across 998 colleges is $49,968.
How much debt do IWU Psychology graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Psychology graduates of Illinois Wesleyan University is $27,000, about 47% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,490.
Is IWU a good school for Psychology in Illinois?
On pay, Psychology graduates of Illinois Wesleyan University earn $57,839 four years out, $6,735 above the median for the same major across 37 Illinois colleges ($51,104) and $7,871 above the U.S. median ($49,968). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does IWU rank for Psychology in Illinois?
Of 37 Illinois colleges reporting Psychology graduate earnings, Illinois Wesleyan University ranks 3rd. The highest is Northwestern University at $73,646.
What jobs do Psychology graduates get?
A common career is social science research assistants, with a median wage of $64,890 in Illinois 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: “Illinois Wesleyan University Psychology: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/illinois-wesleyan-university/majors/psychology (College Scorecard and BLS data).