Psychology at Liberty University

Liberty's Psychology associate program earns graduates nearly $3,000 more than the national median right out of the gate, landing in the 70th percentile nationally and the 60th percentile among Virginia programs. That's the good news. The concerning part is the $30,949 in debt—nearly triple the national median of $11,198 for associate programs in psychology. You're looking at debt equal to a full year's salary, which is unusual for an associate degree and puts this in the worst 5% nationally for student debt.

The earnings picture gets slightly worse over time, dipping to $28,185 by year four. For context, psychology associate degrees typically lead to entry-level behavioral health or social services roles where advancement often requires additional education. The moderate sample size (30-100 graduates) suggests these outcomes are reasonably reliable, and Liberty's 99% admission rate means access isn't the issue here.

If your child is set on psychology at the associate level, they can find programs with one-third the debt burden elsewhere. The earnings advantage here doesn't justify borrowing $30,000 for a two-year degree, especially in a field where most career growth requires a bachelor's or master's anyway. This works only if your family can significantly reduce that debt load through scholarships or cash payments.