Psychology at Northern Arizona University

Northern Arizona University's psychology program produces graduates who earn right at the Arizona median ($33,844), placing it squarely in the middle of the state's psychology programs at the 60th percentile. Nationally, it performs slightly better—beating the national median by $2,300 and landing in the 69th percentile. The $22,492 debt load sits below both state and national medians, though the 0.66 debt-to-earnings ratio means graduates are still taking on about eight months of their first-year salary in student loans.

The 21% earnings growth over four years is solid for psychology, a field where many graduates pursue additional education or shift career directions after gaining work experience. At $40,983 by year four, NAU graduates are building toward a sustainable income, though they're not matching the trajectory of peers at Arizona State or Ottawa University-Surprise, where starting salaries run $3,000-$6,000 higher.

For Arizona families, this represents middle-of-the-road value: reasonable debt paired with moderate earnings. The program serves the 30% of students on Pell grants well with its below-average debt burden, but parents should understand their child won't have the earning power of ASU graduates. If your student is committed to psychology and NAU's smaller campus environment appeals, the numbers work—just don't expect the degree to deliver standout financial returns in the early career years.