Psychology at Cumberland University

Cumberland's psychology program shows first-year earnings of $27,023—below both the Tennessee median ($29,086) and national average ($31,482). At the 40th percentile statewide, this means six in ten Tennessee psychology programs produce better initial outcomes. The gap is even starker nationally, where the program ranks in just the 16th percentile. For perspective, graduates from Rhodes, Trevecca Nazarene, and even the larger Middle Tennessee State earn $5,000-$10,000 more in their first year.

The debt picture offers slight relief: at $22,437, graduates borrow about $2,400 less than typical Tennessee psychology majors. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.83 means students carry roughly 10 months' salary in loans—manageable if earnings climb, but concerning given the weak starting point. Psychology degrees often require graduate school for higher earnings, which means taking on additional debt while making under $30,000.

The extremely small sample size (under 30 graduates) makes these figures less reliable than data from larger programs. That said, the consistent underperformance across both state and national comparisons suggests a pattern. Unless your child has compelling reasons to attend Cumberland specifically—scholarships that dramatically reduce costs, family proximity, or strong graduate school preparation—Tennessee offers several psychology programs with meaningfully better earnings outcomes at similar or lower debt levels.