Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott

Embry-Riddle's psychology program shows something unusual: graduates start above the national median but middle-of-the-pack for Arizona, then surge 72% in earnings by year four to reach $71,212. This isn't your typical psychology bachelor's trajectory. While the starting salary of $41,456 ranks in the 93rd percentile nationally, it's actually slightly below Arizona's state median—suggesting this program's real advantage lies in career acceleration rather than immediate placement.

The debt picture reinforces the value proposition here. At $24,620, graduates owe roughly $8,000 less than Arizona's state median and $2,400 less than the national benchmark. Combined with that strong earnings growth, most graduates should find this manageable. The sample size is moderate, so these patterns appear reliable, though not based on massive cohorts.

For an anxious parent, here's what matters: your child likely won't start as the highest earner among psychology majors, but they'll have room to grow with below-average debt. The aerospace university branding doesn't seem to hurt psychology graduates—if anything, the unconventional setting may offer unique opportunities in areas like human factors or organizational psychology. This works best for students comfortable with a slower initial climb in exchange for stronger mid-career momentum and reasonable debt burdens.