U.S. median for this major: $49,968.
College Scorecard field of study; 222 graduates with earnings reported
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 $24,018. College Scorecard.
ISU 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 ISU'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 | $10,582 | $45,714 | 3.6 years |
| $30–48k | $11,506 | $49,706 | 3.9 years |
| $48–75k | $15,463 | $66,800 | 5.3 years |
| $75–110k | $19,605 | $84,694 | 6.7 years |
| $110k+ | $22,496 | $97,183 | 7.7 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (54% 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 ($49,286) minus $36,661 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $12,625 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 Iowa colleges
Every Iowa 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 | Central College | $56,941 | $27,000 | $23,377 | 66% |
| 2 | Saint Ambrose University | $56,803 | $25,190 | $24,691 | 61% |
| 3 | Luther College | $56,469 | $26,500 | $23,097 | 71% |
| 4 | Coe College | $55,024 | $27,000 | $18,745 | 66% |
| 5 | Clarke University | $54,384 | $26,500 | $24,479 | 56% |
| 6 | University of Northern Iowa | $53,829 | $22,500 | $15,901 | 68% |
| 7 | Loras College | $51,036 | $27,000 | $20,716 | 68% |
| 8 | University of Iowa | $51,031 | $24,398 | $22,531 | 75% |
| 9 | Upper Iowa University | $50,877 | $41,478 | $20,942 | 34% |
| 10 | Simpson College | $49,966 | $27,000 | $21,936 | 63% |
| 11 | William Penn University | $49,929 | $27,443 | $22,601 | 33% |
| 12 | Iowa State University | $49,286 | $23,121 | $18,589 | 75% |
| 13 | Grand View University | $47,798 | $28,200 | $21,774 | 54% |
| 14 | Drake University | $47,706 | $20,248 | $29,127 | 74% |
| 15 | Wartburg College | $47,110 | $27,000 | $32,908 | 64% |
| 16 | Mount Mercy University | $45,951 | $26,882 | $20,168 | 58% |
| 17 | Buena Vista University | $44,755 | $32,500 | $18,846 | 62% |
9 more Iowa 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 ISU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About ISU
- Acceptance rate: 89% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 75% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $63,386
- Full cost breakdown · all 93 majors · overview
Related majors at ISU
- Sociology$55,714
ISU Psychology questions
How much do ISU Psychology graduates earn?
Psychology graduates of Iowa State University earn a median $49,286 four years after graduating and $34,155 one year after. The U.S. median for Psychology graduates across 998 colleges is $49,968.
How much debt do ISU Psychology graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Psychology graduates of Iowa State University is $23,121, about 47% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,490.
Is ISU a good school for Psychology in Iowa?
On pay, Psychology graduates of Iowa State University earn $49,286 four years out, $1,591 below the median for the same major across 17 Iowa colleges ($50,877) and $682 below the U.S. median ($49,968). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does ISU rank for Psychology in Iowa?
Of 17 Iowa colleges reporting Psychology graduate earnings, Iowa State University ranks 12th. The highest is Central College at $56,941.
What jobs do Psychology graduates get?
A common career is social science research assistants, with a median wage of $40,940 in Iowa 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: “Iowa State University Psychology: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/iowa-state-university/majors/psychology (College Scorecard and BLS data).