Behavioral Sciences at Life Pacific University

Life Pacific's Behavioral Sciences program produces earnings that fall short of both national and California benchmarks, though it performs slightly better within the state context than nationally. At $29,830 one year after graduation, graduates earn about $2,000 less than California's median for this field and nearly $6,000 below the national average. However, among California's 11 behavioral sciences programs, this sits right at the 40th percentile—meaning it's actually middle-of-the-pack for in-state options, not an outlier.

The debt burden of $27,000 is typical for this field, creating a manageable but tight debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.91. This means graduates face nearly a full year's salary in debt, which becomes more challenging given the modest starting salary. For context, this debt level matches both state and national medians, so the real issue isn't excessive borrowing—it's limited earning power in the first year.

The bottom line: this program offers below-average financial returns in a field where salaries are already modest. With nearly half of students receiving Pell grants, many families here are likely counting on strong post-graduation outcomes. If your child is passionate about behavioral sciences and values Life Pacific's faith-based mission, understand that the first year will be financially tight. The program isn't dramatically worse than alternatives, but it's also not positioned to deliver quick financial stability after graduation.