Psychology at Aquinas College

Aquinas College's psychology program manages to achieve something noteworthy for a modest regional college: graduates here earn more than 60% of psychology programs in Michigan, with first-year earnings of $31,789 beating the state median by about $1,700. That difference—while not dramatic—matters when you're starting a career, and the relatively low debt load of $27,000 (lower than 75% of psychology programs nationally) keeps monthly payments manageable at around $300.

The earnings trajectory shows steady if unspectacular growth to $34,688 by year four, and the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.85 sits in reasonable territory for a social science degree. However, these figures come with a significant caveat: the sample size is under 30 graduates, meaning a few outliers could be skewing the numbers in either direction. Still, the pattern aligns with what you'd expect from a solid regional program—graduates earning modestly above state averages without crushing debt burdens.

For a psychology major planning to work in Michigan after graduation, this represents a relatively safe bet compared to state alternatives. You're not paying premium prices for marginal outcomes, and you're avoiding the debt traps that plague many psychology programs. Just recognize that these earnings require either finding the right niche in the field or pursuing graduate education eventually, which most psychology careers demand anyway.