Psychology at Florida Gulf Coast University

Florida Gulf Coast University's psychology program delivers something increasingly rare: meaningful earnings growth. While graduates start at a modest $30,367—actually below the national average—they reach $43,031 by year four, a 42% jump that outpaces most psychology programs. That's a significant achievement for a program with an 88th percentile debt load (meaning 12% of programs saddle students with more debt).

The state context matters here. Among Florida's 44 psychology programs, FGCU ranks in the 60th percentile—solidly middle-of-the-pack. You're not getting University of South Florida outcomes ($32,438 starting), but you're beating the Florida median of $29,702 by graduation and pulling ahead substantially by year four. The debt picture is actually more favorable than it appears: at $19,500, it's about $5,000 less than both state and national medians, making the initial debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.64 manageable.

The trajectory here is what separates this program. Most psychology bachelor's graduates see slow, grinding earnings growth. FGCU students appear to be finding their footing quickly, whether through graduate school admission, career pivots, or strong alumni networks in Southwest Florida's growing economy. For a family watching their budget, you're paying less in debt than typical and seeing faster-than-average payoff, even if the starting salary requires patience.