Psychology at Culver-Stockton College

Culver-Stockton's psychology graduates start below $35,000 but show healthy momentum, with earnings climbing 23% to $42,248 by year four. That puts them above the national median and solidly middle-of-the-pack among Missouri's 39 psychology programs. The $27,000 debt load is manageable—earning back 79 cents per dollar of debt in the first year positions graduates better than most psychology programs nationally.

Here's the catch: we're working with a small sample size, meaning these numbers could swing considerably year to year. The program serves a substantial number of Pell-eligible students at a school with near-open admissions, which suggests it's creating genuine opportunity for first-generation college students. Still, graduates trail the top Missouri programs by about $8,000 in starting salary.

For families concerned about psychology's earning potential, this program won't land you at the top of Missouri's salary distribution, but the debt burden stays reasonable and growth trends look encouraging. Just don't treat these numbers as gospel given the limited sample—ask the school about recent graduate outcomes and job placement rates before committing.