U.S. median for this major: $49,968.
College Scorecard field of study; 278 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 50% 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 $21,590. College Scorecard.
Portland State University 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 Portland State University'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 | $7,655 | $33,835 | 2.7 years |
| $30–48k | $7,752 | $34,264 | 2.7 years |
| $48–75k | $8,981 | $39,696 | 3.2 years |
| $75–110k | $12,993 | $57,429 | 4.6 years |
| $110k+ | $19,112 | $84,475 | 6.8 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 ($49,063) minus $36,549 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in OR (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $12,514 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 Oregon colleges
Every Oregon 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 | Pacific University | $62,484 | $27,000 | $35,273 | 67% |
| 2 | Oregon State University | $57,650 | $25,340 | $19,604 | 70% |
| 3 | Oregon State University-Cascades Campus | $57,650 | $25,340 | $18,048 | 56% |
| 4 | Lewis & Clark College | $55,288 | $25,745 | $36,013 | 75% |
| 5 | George Fox University | $54,568 | $24,000 | $31,679 | 72% |
| 6 | Linfield University | $53,493 | $27,000 | $26,536 | 70% |
| 7 | Western Oregon University | $52,407 | $23,448 | $17,237 | 47% |
| 8 | University of Oregon | $50,810 | $22,122 | $22,182 | 72% |
| 9 | University of Portland | $50,579 | $22,494 | $28,210 | 80% |
| 10 | Portland State University | $49,063 | $24,499 | $9,552 | 53% |
| 11 | Southern Oregon University | $48,217 | $25,000 | $16,732 | 43% |
| 12 | Eastern Oregon University | $47,816 | $25,000 | $17,148 | 43% |
| 13 | Corban University | $47,815 | $23,000 | $28,035 | 61% |
| 14 | Reed College | $36,430 | $22,844 | $33,013 | 71% |
4 more Oregon 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 Portland State University, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Portland State University
- Acceptance rate: 91% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 53% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $57,906
- Full cost breakdown · all 72 majors · overview
Related majors at Portland State University
- Sociology$53,753
- Social Work$63,456
Portland State University Psychology questions
How much do Portland State University Psychology graduates earn?
Psychology graduates of Portland State University earn a median $49,063 four years after graduating and $33,179 one year after. The U.S. median for Psychology graduates across 998 colleges is $49,968.
How much debt do Portland State University Psychology graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Psychology graduates of Portland State University is $24,499, about 50% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,490.
Is Portland State University a good school for Psychology in Oregon?
On pay, Psychology graduates of Portland State University earn $49,063 four years out, $2,545 below the median for the same major across 14 Oregon colleges ($51,608) and $905 below the U.S. median ($49,968). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Portland State University rank for Psychology in Oregon?
Of 14 Oregon colleges reporting Psychology graduate earnings, Portland State University ranks 10th. The highest is Pacific University at $62,484.
What jobs do Psychology graduates get?
A common career is social science research assistants, with a median wage of $59,850 in the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA 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: “Portland State University Psychology: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/portland-state-university/majors/psychology (College Scorecard and BLS data).