U.S. median for this major: $49,968.
College Scorecard field of study; 22 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 52% 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 $24,750. College Scorecard.
The University of Tennessee Southern 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 Southern'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 | $9,335 | $39,487 | 11.1 years |
| $30–48k | $12,071 | $51,060 | 14.4 years |
| $48–75k | $15,343 | $64,901 | 18.3 years |
| $75–110k | $17,336 | $73,331 | more than 20 years |
| $110k+ | $17,135 | $72,481 | more than 20 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (27% 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 ($38,072) minus $34,518 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in TN (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $3,554 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 Southern, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About The University of Tennessee Southern
- Acceptance rate: 87% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 37% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $38,924
- Full cost breakdown · all 30 majors · overview
Related majors at The University of Tennessee Southern
- Psychology, Other—
The University of Tennessee Southern Psychology questions
How much do The University of Tennessee Southern Psychology graduates earn?
Psychology graduates of The University of Tennessee Southern earn a median $38,072 four years after graduating and $30,958 one year after. The U.S. median for Psychology graduates across 998 colleges is $49,968.
How much debt do The University of Tennessee Southern Psychology graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Psychology graduates of The University of Tennessee Southern is $19,800, about 52% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,490.
Is The University of Tennessee Southern a good school for Psychology in Tennessee?
On pay, Psychology graduates of The University of Tennessee Southern earn $38,072 four years out, $7,628 below the median for the same major across 25 Tennessee colleges ($45,700) and $11,896 below the U.S. median ($49,968). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does The University of Tennessee Southern rank for Psychology in Tennessee?
Of 25 Tennessee colleges reporting Psychology graduate earnings, The University of Tennessee Southern ranks 22nd. 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 Southern the right fit for your family?
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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 Southern Psychology: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/the-university-of-tennessee-southern/majors/psychology (College Scorecard and BLS data).