U.S. median for this major: $49,968.
College Scorecard field of study; 374 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 45% 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 $32,198. College Scorecard.
MSU 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 MSU'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 | $7,068 | $29,968 | 1.3 years |
| $30–48k | $10,830 | $45,919 | 2.0 years |
| $48–75k | $16,521 | $70,049 | 3.1 years |
| $75–110k | $22,703 | $96,261 | 4.3 years |
| $110k+ | $28,546 | $121,035 | 5.3 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (65% 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 ($56,040) minus $33,411 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MI (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $22,629 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 Michigan colleges
Every Michigan 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 | Michigan State University | $56,040 | $25,250 | $19,680 | 81% |
| 2 | Concordia University Ann Arbor | $55,486 | $27,000 | $32,811 | 48% |
| 3 | Kalamazoo College | $54,747 | $24,650 | $19,072 | 76% |
| 4 | Calvin University | $54,412 | $23,767 | $22,992 | 74% |
| 5 | Central Michigan University | $53,422 | $27,000 | $17,597 | 59% |
| 6 | Hope College | $52,980 | $24,656 | $27,182 | 80% |
| 7 | Wayne State University | $52,435 | $26,087 | $12,766 | 58% |
| 8 | Alma College | $52,280 | $26,423 | $20,694 | 63% |
| 9 | Grand Valley State University | $51,460 | $25,187 | $16,317 | 67% |
| 10 | Western Michigan University | $50,655 | $27,000 | $15,273 | 58% |
| 11 | Saginaw Valley State University | $50,066 | $26,447 | $10,775 | 48% |
| 12 | Ferris State University | $49,596 | $27,125 | $8,624 | 47% |
| 13 | Eastern Michigan University | $48,346 | $28,403 | $15,407 | 46% |
| 14 | University of Michigan-Dearborn | $48,052 | $27,977 | $9,492 | 58% |
| 15 | Cornerstone University | $47,933 | $37,854 | $20,301 | 62% |
| 16 | Rochester University | $46,344 | $29,687 | $21,456 | 44% |
| 17 | Baker College | $46,049 | $41,688 | $13,157 | 36% |
| 18 | Aquinas College | $45,698 | $27,000 | $16,626 | 65% |
| 19 | Oakland University | $45,141 | $24,510 | $9,120 | 58% |
| 20 | Siena Heights University | $43,672 | $27,475 | $17,124 | 39% |
| 21 | Northern Michigan University | $43,349 | $22,727 | $14,085 | 52% |
| 22 | University of Michigan-Flint | $42,255 | $29,500 | $7,007 | 40% |
| 23 | Spring Arbor University | $41,167 | $26,000 | $19,353 | 64% |
13 more Michigan 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 MSU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About MSU
- Acceptance rate: 85% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 81% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $67,253
- Full cost breakdown · all 105 majors · overview
Related majors at MSU
- Sociology$62,204
- Social Work$57,321
MSU Psychology questions
How much do MSU Psychology graduates earn?
Psychology graduates of Michigan State University earn a median $56,040 four years after graduating and $30,164 one year after. The U.S. median for Psychology graduates across 998 colleges is $49,968.
How much debt do MSU Psychology graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Psychology graduates of Michigan State University is $25,250, about 45% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,490.
Is MSU a good school for Psychology in Michigan?
On pay, Psychology graduates of Michigan State University earn $56,040 four years out, $6,444 above the median for the same major across 23 Michigan colleges ($49,596) and $6,072 above the U.S. median ($49,968). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does MSU rank for Psychology in Michigan?
Of 23 Michigan colleges reporting Psychology graduate earnings, Michigan State University ranks 1st, the highest.
What jobs do Psychology graduates get?
A common career is social science research assistants, with a median wage of $64,220 in the Lansing-East Lansing, MI 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: “Michigan State University Psychology: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/michigan-state-university/majors/psychology (College Scorecard and BLS data).