U.S. median for this major: $49,968.
College Scorecard field of study; 138 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 48% 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 $19,992. College Scorecard.
Western Carolina University 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 Western Carolina University'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 | $8,816 | $38,261 | 2.6 years |
| $30–48k | $10,012 | $43,452 | 2.9 years |
| $48–75k | $12,605 | $54,706 | 3.7 years |
| $75–110k | $17,060 | $74,040 | 5.0 years |
| $110k+ | $17,992 | $78,085 | 5.3 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (41% 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 ($48,350) minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in NC (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $14,834 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 Western Carolina University, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Western Carolina University
- Acceptance rate: 82% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 60% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $49,458
- Full cost breakdown · all 55 majors · overview
Related majors at Western Carolina University
- Sociology$46,195
- Social Work$50,025
Western Carolina University Psychology questions
How much do Western Carolina University Psychology graduates earn?
Psychology graduates of Western Carolina University earn a median $48,350 four years after graduating and $27,505 one year after. The U.S. median for Psychology graduates across 998 colleges is $49,968.
How much debt do Western Carolina University Psychology graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Psychology graduates of Western Carolina University is $23,250, about 48% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,490.
Is Western Carolina University a good school for Psychology in North Carolina?
On pay, Psychology graduates of Western Carolina University earn $48,350 four years out, $630 above the median for the same major across 29 North Carolina colleges ($47,720) and $1,618 below the U.S. median ($49,968). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Western Carolina University rank for Psychology in North Carolina?
Of 29 North Carolina colleges reporting Psychology graduate earnings, Western Carolina University ranks 14th. 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.
Is Western Carolina University the right fit for your family?
Get a free report comparing Western Carolina University with up to 4 other schools on what you'd actually pay, what graduates in your major earn, and how each fits your priorities.
Build my free reportCheck my chances of getting inWe never share your contact information.
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: “Western Carolina University Psychology: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/western-carolina-university/majors/psychology (College Scorecard and BLS data).