Psychology at Dominican University of California

Dominican's Psychology program reports earnings just above the national median, but the small sample size—under 30 graduates—means these numbers could shift dramatically year to year. What we can say: graduates carry $27,000 in debt against first-year earnings of $31,825, placing them in the 25th percentile for debt nationally (meaning 75% of psychology programs saddle students with more). That's a genuine bright spot in a field known for challenging economics.

The 60th percentile ranking among California programs suggests this performs slightly better than typical for the state, though it lags the top earners by $7,000-9,000 annually. Psychology bachelor's degrees rarely lead to high immediate earnings anywhere—the field typically requires graduate education for significant income growth. The debt load here is manageable relative to those first-year earnings, but families should understand that $31,825 goes further in some California communities than others, and San Rafael's cost of living is high.

For a student committed to psychology who plans to pursue graduate school or values Dominican's 96% admission rate and smaller campus environment, the contained debt makes this workable. But the small sample size is a real caveat—you're essentially making a decision with limited visibility into typical outcomes. If psychology is the goal but graduate school isn't certain, your child might find better immediate earning potential in related fields like human resources or social services, where a bachelor's degree carries more weight.