U.S. median for this major: $49,968.
College Scorecard field of study; 115 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 55% 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 $19,725. College Scorecard.
NKU 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 NKU'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 | $2,603 | $11,375 | under 1 year |
| $30–48k | $3,630 | $15,863 | 1.2 years |
| $48–75k | $6,761 | $29,546 | 2.1 years |
| $75–110k | $12,679 | $55,407 | 4.0 years |
| $110k+ | $14,522 | $63,461 | 4.6 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 years, the average time graduates took (35% 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 ($47,280) minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in KY (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $13,764 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 Kentucky colleges
Every Kentucky 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 | Georgetown College | $55,295 | $27,000 | $14,095 | 49% |
| 2 | Bellarmine University | $53,413 | $26,376 | $21,499 | 64% |
| 3 | University of Louisville | $51,387 | $23,500 | $17,988 | 61% |
| 4 | Transylvania University | $50,790 | $27,000 | $21,913 | 71% |
| 5 | Northern Kentucky University | $47,280 | $26,088 | $8,191 | 52% |
| 6 | University of Kentucky | $46,570 | $25,000 | $18,851 | 71% |
| 7 | Morehead State University | $45,874 | $23,420 | $9,793 | 52% |
| 8 | Western Kentucky University | $44,848 | $24,846 | $10,990 | 56% |
| 9 | Kentucky State University | $42,743 | $33,746 | $8,040 | 32% |
| 10 | Spalding University | $41,460 | $31,750 | $25,491 | 52% |
| 11 | Eastern Kentucky University | $41,384 | $27,645 | $11,040 | 50% |
| 12 | Berea College | $40,768 | — | $6,106 | 58% |
| 13 | University of the Cumberlands | $40,751 | $21,750 | $14,107 | 50% |
| 14 | Lindsey Wilson College | $39,969 | — | $15,070 | 44% |
| 15 | Campbellsville University | $38,373 | $23,250 | $19,341 | 42% |
8 more Kentucky 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 NKU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About NKU
- Acceptance rate: 68% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 52% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $50,220
- Full cost breakdown · all 63 majors · overview
Related majors at NKU
- Sociology—
- Social Work$44,914
NKU Psychology questions
How much do NKU Psychology graduates earn?
Psychology graduates of Northern Kentucky University earn a median $47,280 four years after graduating and $36,209 one year after. The U.S. median for Psychology graduates across 998 colleges is $49,968.
How much debt do NKU Psychology graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Psychology graduates of Northern Kentucky University is $26,088, about 55% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,490.
Is NKU a good school for Psychology in Kentucky?
On pay, Psychology graduates of Northern Kentucky University earn $47,280 four years out, $2,432 above the median for the same major across 15 Kentucky colleges ($44,848) and $2,688 below the U.S. median ($49,968). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does NKU rank for Psychology in Kentucky?
Of 15 Kentucky colleges reporting Psychology graduate earnings, Northern Kentucky University ranks 5th. The highest is Georgetown College at $55,295.
What jobs do Psychology graduates get?
A common career is social science research assistants, with a median wage of $57,370 in the Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN 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: “Northern Kentucky University Psychology: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/northern-kentucky-university/majors/psychology (College Scorecard and BLS data).