U.S. median for this major: $56,830.
College Scorecard field of study; 35 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 24% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $21,000.
College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $90,360. College Scorecard.
University of Chicago Psychology (Research): pay against the field, and payback
Same major, other colleges
Fewer than 3 Illinois colleges report earnings for this major, so there is no state median.
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 (Research) nationally: jobs, pay at ages 25-34, every state →
Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income
Uses University of Chicago'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 | $0 | $0 | under 1 year |
| $30–48k | $914 | $3,757 | under 1 year |
| $48–75k | $226 | $929 | under 1 year |
| $75–110k | $12,602 | $51,794 | 1.4 years |
| $110k+ | $48,524 | $199,434 | 5.3 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.1 years, the average time graduates took (86% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of Psychology (Research) graduates 4 years after graduating ($73,483) minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IL (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $37,686 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 (Research) at Illinois colleges
Every Illinois college we cover that reports Psychology (Research) 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 Chicago | $73,483 | $17,500 | $14,860 | 96% |
| 2 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | $60,168 | $20,050 | $14,355 | 85% |
7 more Illinois colleges offer Psychology (Research) but have too few graduates to report earnings.
Careers for Psychology (Research) graduates
Child, Family, and School Social Workers
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +4.4% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
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 University of Chicago, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About University of Chicago
- Acceptance rate: 4% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 96% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $91,885
- Full cost breakdown · all 52 majors · overview
Related majors at University of Chicago
- Psychology—
- Sociology—
- Social Work—
- Psychology (Clinical / Counseling)$59,898
- Anthropology—
- Neuroscience—
University of Chicago Psychology (Research) questions
How much do University of Chicago Psychology (Research) graduates earn?
Psychology (Research) graduates of University of Chicago earn a median $73,483 four years after graduating and $31,986 one year after. The U.S. median for Psychology (Research) graduates across 82 colleges is $56,830.
How much debt do University of Chicago Psychology (Research) graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Psychology (Research) graduates of University of Chicago is $17,500, about 24% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $21,000.
Where does University of Chicago rank for Psychology (Research) in Illinois?
Of 2 Illinois colleges reporting Psychology (Research) graduate earnings, University of Chicago ranks 1st, the highest.
What jobs do Psychology (Research) graduates get?
A common career is child, family, and school social workers, with a median wage of $64,790 in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN area and $59,550 nationally. Others include social science research assistants.
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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: “University of Chicago Psychology (Research): earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-chicago/majors/psychology-research (College Scorecard and BLS data).