Psychology at Bennington College

Based on comparable psychology programs in Vermont, Bennington graduates can expect first-year earnings around $37,452—roughly $6,000 above the national median for psychology bachelor's degrees. The estimated debt load of $26,938 produces a manageable 0.72 debt-to-earnings ratio, meaning graduates would owe about nine months of first-year salary. For context, Vermont psychology programs cluster tightly in the $33,000-$44,000 range, with Bennington's estimate landing solidly mid-pack among the state's eight programs.

What complicates this picture is Bennington's distinctive model: it's a selective liberal arts college (48% admission rate, 1358 average SAT) with limited Pell enrollment (21%), yet the estimated outcomes don't clearly differentiate from less selective Vermont options. The debt figure is slightly above the state median of $24,948 for psychology programs, while earnings track exactly with Vermont State University's reported outcomes. Whether Bennington's particular approach to psychology—likely emphasizing individualized study within their broader liberal arts framework—justifies any premium over public alternatives isn't evident in these peer-derived estimates.

For families weighing this investment, the numbers suggest reasonable outcomes relative to psychology degrees nationally, but you're making that judgment without seeing actual graduate data from Bennington itself. If your student is drawn to Bennington's specific educational philosophy, verify how psychology graduates from this program specifically have fared in their career paths, since state-level estimates can't capture what makes any individual program succeed or struggle.