Psychology at Arkansas State University

Arkansas State's psychology program lands right in the middle of the state's offerings but trails national benchmarks in a meaningful way. With first-year earnings of $29,198, graduates earn about $2,300 less than the national median for psychology majors—placing them in just the 31st percentile nationally. Within Arkansas, they're hovering near the state median but still lag behind programs at John Brown University and even the University of Arkansas system schools by $2,000-6,000 annually.

The debt picture offers some relief: at $22,222, graduates borrow about $2,000 less than the Arkansas median and substantially less than the national figure. That 0.76 debt-to-earnings ratio means the typical graduate owes roughly nine months of their first-year salary—manageable but not exceptional. The 17% earnings growth to year four shows steady progression, though it doesn't fully close the gap with stronger programs. Given that 37% of students receive Pell grants, the lower debt load matters for families without financial cushions.

For families considering this program, the tradeoff is clear: you'll pay less to attend than at many alternatives, but your graduate will likely start their career earning less than peers from competing schools. If cost containment is the priority and you're staying in Arkansas, this delivers baseline value. But if maximizing early career earnings matters—particularly for a psychology degree that may require graduate school—the higher-earning programs in the state justify serious consideration.