Psychology at Benedictine College

Benedictine College's psychology program shows graduates earning $28,149 in their first year—well below both the Kansas median ($36,555) and the national average. Among Kansas psychology programs, this ranks in just the 25th percentile, meaning three-quarters of comparable in-state options deliver better starting outcomes. Given Kansas's lower cost of living compared to coastal states, these earnings are particularly concerning when local alternatives like Fort Hays State and Washburn consistently produce graduates earning $38,000-40,000.

The trajectory improves significantly, with earnings jumping 50% to $42,224 by year four. However, that initial earnings gap matters enormously for parents thinking about loan repayment—your child would be managing $25,443 in debt on an entry-level salary that's $8,400 below the state median. While the debt load itself is typical, the combination with below-average earnings creates a tighter financial picture in those crucial first years after graduation.

An important caveat: this data comes from fewer than 30 graduates, so individual outcomes could vary considerably. Still, the pattern is clear enough to warrant serious comparison shopping. If your child is set on psychology and staying in Kansas, you'd be paying similar tuition and taking on similar debt at several state universities where graduates consistently out-earn Benedictine's by $10,000+ annually. That difference compounds quickly when you're calculating loan payments and building financial independence.