U.S. median for this major: $49,968.
College Scorecard field of study; 20 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 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 $48,532. College Scorecard.
Salem College 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 Salem College'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 | $19,074 | $78,203 | 4.9 years |
| $30–48k | $16,001 | $65,604 | 4.1 years |
| $48–75k | $16,147 | $66,203 | 4.2 years |
| $75–110k | $19,940 | $81,754 | 5.1 years |
| $110k+ | $24,027 | $98,511 | 6.2 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.1 years, the average time graduates took (51% 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 ($49,464) minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in NC (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $15,948 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 North Carolina colleges
Every North Carolina 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 | Duke University | $73,359 | $15,415 | $29,612 | 97% |
| 2 | Elon University | $69,856 | $23,250 | $41,555 | 84% |
| 3 | Wake Forest University | $64,814 | $21,500 | $28,719 | 89% |
| 4 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh | $62,032 | $22,373 | $17,303 | 85% |
| 5 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | $57,477 | $14,253 | $11,655 | 91% |
| 6 | High Point University | $56,712 | — | $38,707 | 74% |
| 7 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte | $50,507 | $24,250 | $15,435 | 69% |
| 8 | East Carolina University | $50,270 | $24,774 | $15,739 | 63% |
| 9 | Guilford College | $49,921 | $29,460 | $22,270 | 46% |
| 10 | University of North Carolina Wilmington | $49,609 | $23,250 | $20,109 | 71% |
| 11 | Gardner-Webb University | $49,587 | $22,466 | $17,674 | 55% |
| 12 | Salem College | $49,464 | $27,000 | $18,277 | 57% |
| 13 | Meredith College | $49,124 | $27,000 | $22,488 | 70% |
| 14 | Western Carolina University | $48,350 | $23,250 | $13,315 | 60% |
| 15 | Appalachian State University | $47,720 | $21,444 | $16,836 | 75% |
| 16 | Campbell University | $46,246 | $27,000 | $24,516 | 61% |
| 17 | Wingate University | $45,795 | $25,500 | $20,748 | 46% |
| 18 | North Carolina A & T State University | $45,215 | $27,000 | $10,846 | 57% |
| 19 | William Peace University | $44,997 | $27,000 | $21,649 | 45% |
| 20 | Lees-McRae College | $44,161 | $27,250 | $28,340 | 42% |
| 21 | North Carolina Central University | $44,053 | $29,727 | $15,359 | 42% |
| 22 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | $43,825 | $25,105 | $10,965 | 56% |
| 23 | Fayetteville State University | $43,358 | $27,000 | $7,892 | 38% |
| 24 | University of North Carolina at Pembroke | $42,947 | $25,376 | $10,260 | 44% |
| 25 | North Carolina Wesleyan University | $41,976 | $30,830 | $17,432 | 42% |
| 26 | Winston-Salem State University | $40,797 | $27,375 | $13,479 | 47% |
| 27 | University of North Carolina Asheville | $40,673 | $21,055 | $12,250 | 54% |
| 28 | University of Mount Olive | $39,248 | $22,644 | $18,853 | 52% |
| 29 | Chowan University | $33,143 | $31,000 | $14,086 | 30% |
20 more North Carolina 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 Salem College, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Salem College
- Acceptance rate: 77% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 57% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $44,640
- Full cost breakdown · all 33 majors · overview
Related majors at Salem College
- Sociology—
Salem College Psychology questions
How much do Salem College Psychology graduates earn?
Psychology graduates of Salem College earn a median $49,464 four years after graduating. The U.S. median for Psychology graduates across 998 colleges is $49,968.
How much debt do Salem College Psychology graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Psychology graduates of Salem College is $27,000, about 55% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,490.
Is Salem College a good school for Psychology in North Carolina?
On pay, Psychology graduates of Salem College earn $49,464 four years out, $1,744 above the median for the same major across 29 North Carolina colleges ($47,720) and $504 below the U.S. median ($49,968). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Salem College rank for Psychology in North Carolina?
Of 29 North Carolina colleges reporting Psychology graduate earnings, Salem College ranks 12th. The highest is Duke University at $73,359.
What jobs do Psychology graduates get?
A common career is social science research assistants, with a median wage of $63,710 in North Carolina 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: “Salem College Psychology: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/salem-college/majors/psychology (College Scorecard and BLS data).