U.S. median for this major: $49,968.
College Scorecard field of study; 298 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 47% 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 $33,678. College Scorecard.
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville 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 The University of Tennessee-Knoxville'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 | $10,029 | $42,924 | 3.0 years |
| $30–48k | $12,162 | $52,053 | 3.6 years |
| $48–75k | $18,206 | $77,922 | 5.4 years |
| $75–110k | $23,627 | $101,124 | 7.0 years |
| $110k+ | $25,688 | $109,945 | 7.6 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (56% 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 ($49,003) minus $34,518 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in TN (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $14,485 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 Tennessee colleges
Every Tennessee 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 | Vanderbilt University | $71,584 | $11,209 | $15,846 | 94% |
| 2 | The University of the South | $58,715 | $17,148 | $27,872 | 80% |
| 3 | Fisk University | $57,147 | $26,500 | $32,020 | 30% |
| 4 | Belmont University | $52,172 | $18,500 | $33,147 | 71% |
| 5 | Christian Brothers University | $50,180 | $27,000 | $9,854 | 55% |
| 6 | Trevecca Nazarene University | $49,989 | $21,375 | $16,813 | 53% |
| 7 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | $49,003 | $23,081 | $18,976 | 74% |
| 8 | Lipscomb University | $47,933 | $25,062 | $24,739 | 72% |
| 9 | Bryan College-Dayton | $47,549 | $23,880 | $20,614 | 50% |
| 10 | Milligan University | $46,990 | — | $21,365 | 63% |
| 11 | Tennessee State University | $46,721 | $27,500 | $15,796 | 34% |
| 12 | Lee University | $46,719 | $26,450 | $18,878 | 63% |
| 13 | University of Memphis | $45,700 | $27,000 | $12,397 | 51% |
| 14 | The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga | $44,700 | $21,898 | $14,265 | 50% |
| 15 | Union University | $44,056 | $26,506 | $27,171 | 66% |
| 16 | Tennessee Technological University | $44,043 | $13,750 | $14,246 | 58% |
| 17 | Middle Tennessee State University | $43,826 | $22,000 | $13,359 | 54% |
| 18 | Cumberland University | $42,713 | $22,437 | $18,759 | 46% |
| 19 | East Tennessee State University | $42,358 | $17,976 | $15,983 | 53% |
| 20 | Austin Peay State University | $41,303 | $25,000 | $9,735 | 40% |
| 21 | King University | $40,796 | $24,875 | $22,347 | 48% |
| 22 | The University of Tennessee Southern | $38,072 | $19,800 | $12,798 | 37% |
| 23 | Carson-Newman University | $37,992 | $25,250 | $20,251 | 53% |
| 24 | Tusculum University | $37,934 | $28,500 | $21,131 | 25% |
| 25 | The University of Tennessee-Martin | $36,507 | $26,373 | $10,701 | 53% |
9 more Tennessee 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 The University of Tennessee-Knoxville, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About The University of Tennessee-Knoxville
- Acceptance rate: 42% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 74% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $60,249
- Full cost breakdown · all 82 majors · overview
Related majors at The University of Tennessee-Knoxville
- Psychology (Research)—
- Sociology$53,635
- Social Work$48,510
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville Psychology questions
How much do The University of Tennessee-Knoxville Psychology graduates earn?
Psychology graduates of The University of Tennessee-Knoxville earn a median $49,003 four years after graduating and $29,086 one year after. The U.S. median for Psychology graduates across 998 colleges is $49,968.
How much debt do The University of Tennessee-Knoxville Psychology graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Psychology graduates of The University of Tennessee-Knoxville is $23,081, about 47% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,490.
Is The University of Tennessee-Knoxville a good school for Psychology in Tennessee?
On pay, Psychology graduates of The University of Tennessee-Knoxville earn $49,003 four years out, $3,303 above the median for the same major across 25 Tennessee colleges ($45,700) and $965 below the U.S. median ($49,968). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does The University of Tennessee-Knoxville rank for Psychology in Tennessee?
Of 25 Tennessee colleges reporting Psychology graduate earnings, The University of Tennessee-Knoxville ranks 7th. The highest is Vanderbilt University at $71,584.
What jobs do Psychology graduates get?
A common career is social science research assistants, with a median wage of $46,410 in Tennessee and $61,990 nationally.
Is The University of Tennessee-Knoxville the right fit for your family?
Get a free report comparing The University of Tennessee-Knoxville with up to 4 other schools on what you'd actually pay, what graduates in your major earn, and how each fits your priorities.
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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: “The University of Tennessee-Knoxville Psychology: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/the-university-of-tennessee-knoxville/majors/psychology (College Scorecard and BLS data).