Psychology at Franklin College

Franklin College's psychology program lands right at the national median for first-year earnings but trails most Indiana programs—ranking in just the 40th percentile statewide at $31,769. While this matches what psychology grads typically earn nationwide, Indiana students have better options: the state median is $33,132, and several in-state programs break $35,000. That $1,400 gap might not sound dramatic, but compounded over a career's early years, it adds up.

The financial structure does offer one advantage: at $27,000, debt sits below both state and national medians, creating a manageable 0.85 debt-to-earnings ratio. Your child would owe roughly 10 months of their first year's salary—uncomfortable but not crushing compared to programs where students borrow more for similar outcomes. The 71% admission rate and moderate test scores suggest this serves students who may not have access to more selective programs.

The critical caveat here is sample size—fewer than 30 recent graduates means these numbers could swing significantly year to year. One or two outliers dramatically affect the median. For anxious parents, that uncertainty matters: this data point might not reflect what your child will actually experience. If psychology is the goal and Franklin is affordable, the modest debt makes this workable. But if Indiana State or other public options are equally accessible, they're posting $4,000 higher earnings with comparable debt—a meaningful difference when launching a career.