Research and Experimental Psychology at Cottey College

A $24,375 debt load—about $3,900 above the national median for psychology bachelor's programs—sets up a challenging first year when similar Missouri programs suggest earnings around $35,556. That debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.69 means roughly 69% of a year's gross salary goes toward what graduates owe, which translates to several years of tight budgets even with modest lifestyle choices.

Psychology bachelor's degrees rarely lead to high-paying entry-level work, and Missouri's numbers confirm this pattern. The estimated $35,556 matches both the state and national medians almost exactly, placing this degree squarely in the middle of outcomes nationwide. What matters here is that Cottey's estimated debt runs higher than most peer programs—Missouri's median sits at $20,810, and nationally it's $21,500. That extra few thousand dollars compounds the challenge of repaying loans on psychology-typical wages, especially since these graduates often need graduate school to access better-paying positions in the field.

The practical reality: even at the estimated Missouri median earnings, you're looking at monthly loan payments that consume a significant chunk of take-home pay. With 45% of Cottey students receiving Pell grants, many families are already stretching financially. If your child is certain about psychology and committed to graduate school afterward, factor in those additional costs. If they're exploring psychology as one option among several, programs with lower debt loads or stronger early earnings would leave more financial breathing room.