Psychology at Mt San Antonio College

Mt San Antonio College's Psychology associate's program lands in the bottom 10th percentile statewide for earnings—a concerning position when comparable California community colleges are producing significantly better outcomes. One year out, graduates here earn just $16,894, roughly $8,500 below the state median and less than half what Merced College psychology grads make. Even Fresno City College and San Diego Mesa College, serving similar student populations, report earnings 60% higher.

The program does carry relatively low debt at $5,500, which matters for a field where many students transfer to complete bachelor's degrees. Earnings do improve substantially over four years, jumping 67% to $28,284, though that still trails the state average. For a community college where many students juggle work and family obligations, these early earnings figures may partly reflect part-time employment patterns rather than program quality alone.

The critical caveat: this data represents fewer than 30 graduates, making it statistically unreliable. A single year's worth of students working part-time jobs or continuing immediately to four-year programs could skew these numbers dramatically. If your student plans to transfer for a bachelor's degree anyway—the typical path for psychology majors—this associate's program might serve fine as an affordable stepping stone. But if they're considering stopping at the associate's level, these earnings suggest exploring other California community colleges with stronger track records.