Psychology at Henderson State University

Henderson State's psychology program starts graduates at a troubling $21,846—roughly $10,000 below the state median and in the bottom 5% nationally. While the 77% earnings jump to year four represents strong growth, that still only reaches $38,734, which barely exceeds what typical psychology graduates earn right out of school elsewhere. The debt load of $19,134 is actually lower than state and national averages, but paired with such weak initial earnings, it creates a challenging first few years.

Within Arkansas, this program ranks in just the 25th percentile, trailing not only flagship schools but regional competitors like Southern Arkansas University and UA-Fort Smith by $8,000-10,000 annually. For context, John Brown University's psychology graduates start at $35,294—nearly 62% higher than Henderson State. The concerning pattern here isn't the debt burden itself, but rather what appears to be either weak career placement or graduates taking lower-paying positions that don't require their degree initially.

The significant earnings recovery by year four suggests graduates eventually find their footing, but that first year at less than $22,000 will strain any household budget. For an Arkansas family, exploring other in-state options would likely provide better immediate outcomes, particularly given that several state schools offer similar or lower debt with substantially higher starting salaries.