U.S. median for this major: $49,968.
College Scorecard field of study; 52 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 44% 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 $56,826. College Scorecard.
SPU 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 SPU'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 | $20,735 | $88,953 | 4.8 years |
| $30–48k | $18,559 | $79,618 | 4.3 years |
| $48–75k | $19,332 | $82,934 | 4.5 years |
| $75–110k | $27,976 | $120,017 | 6.5 years |
| $110k+ | $29,819 | $127,924 | 6.9 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (46% 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 ($58,749) minus $40,219 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in WA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $18,530 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 Washington colleges
Every Washington 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 | University of Puget Sound | $61,919 | $27,000 | $38,394 | 68% |
| 2 | Gonzaga University | $61,533 | $27,000 | $35,119 | 86% |
| 3 | Seattle Pacific University | $58,749 | $26,000 | $24,488 | 62% |
| 4 | Seattle University | $57,993 | $19,500 | $34,662 | 76% |
| 5 | Heritage University | $57,815 | $22,550 | $14,598 | 54% |
| 6 | Washington State University | $56,681 | $21,500 | $14,971 | 61% |
| 7 | Pacific Lutheran University | $55,118 | $22,500 | $19,589 | 69% |
| 8 | Central Washington University | $54,530 | $19,500 | $18,476 | 54% |
| 9 | Northwest University | $54,357 | $25,000 | $22,288 | 71% |
| 10 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus | $54,016 | $17,426 | $14,091 | 85% |
| 11 | University of Washington-Bothell Campus | $54,016 | $17,426 | $12,319 | 65% |
| 12 | University of Washington-Tacoma Campus | $54,016 | $17,426 | $10,163 | 63% |
| 13 | Western Washington University | $53,224 | $19,449 | $21,193 | 65% |
| 14 | Whitworth University | $51,288 | $25,062 | $26,534 | 71% |
| 15 | Saint Martin's University | $51,097 | $24,125 | $28,119 | 52% |
| 16 | Eastern Washington University | $50,125 | $19,628 | $13,886 | 43% |
| 17 | Whitman College | $38,158 | $15,221 | $33,313 | 81% |
1 more Washington college offers Psychology but has 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 SPU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About SPU
- Acceptance rate: 83% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 62% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $64,506
- Full cost breakdown · all 56 majors · overview
Related majors at SPU
- Sociology$46,974
SPU Psychology questions
How much do SPU Psychology graduates earn?
Psychology graduates of Seattle Pacific University earn a median $58,749 four years after graduating and $40,264 one year after. The U.S. median for Psychology graduates across 998 colleges is $49,968.
How much debt do SPU Psychology graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Psychology graduates of Seattle Pacific University is $26,000, about 44% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,490.
Is SPU a good school for Psychology in Washington?
On pay, Psychology graduates of Seattle Pacific University earn $58,749 four years out, $4,392 above the median for the same major across 17 Washington colleges ($54,357) and $8,781 above the U.S. median ($49,968). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does SPU rank for Psychology in Washington?
Of 17 Washington colleges reporting Psychology graduate earnings, Seattle Pacific University ranks 3rd. The highest is University of Puget Sound at $61,919.
What jobs do Psychology graduates get?
A common career is social science research assistants, with a median wage of $50,310 in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, 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: “Seattle Pacific University Psychology: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/seattle-pacific-university/majors/psychology (College Scorecard and BLS data).