Psychology at Mercer University

Mercer's psychology program produces graduates who start at $27,785—roughly $3,700 below the national median and slightly below Georgia's typical psychology graduate. While that lands the program in the 40th percentile within Georgia, it trails significantly behind competitors like Brenau ($36,497) and Life University ($34,260), suggesting students might find better returns elsewhere in-state without necessarily moving up in selectivity.

The $27,000 debt load matches Georgia's state median and sits slightly above national norms, creating a nearly 1:1 debt-to-earnings ratio in year one. That's not catastrophic—graduates should be able to manage payments—but the initial financial squeeze is tighter than at many peer programs. The encouraging sign is the 51% earnings jump to $41,985 by year four, which substantially improves the financial picture and suggests graduates successfully transition into better-paying roles.

For families weighing this option, understand that you're paying private university tuition for outcomes that rank in the middle of Georgia's psychology programs. If your child is set on Mercer for campus culture or other programs, psychology is viable but not a standout. If maximizing return on a psychology degree is the priority, exploring state schools or the higher-performing private options might make more financial sense.