Psychology at Owens Community College

The debt burden here—$23,441 for an associate's degree—sits well above both the state median ($17,999) and national median ($11,198) for comparable psychology programs. That matters because first-year earnings from similar Ohio programs hover around $38,000, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.62. While manageable on paper, this assumes steady employment in the field, which brings us to a more troubling data point: the reported four-year earnings figure of just $17,363 suggests many graduates may not be securing full-time work in psychology-related positions or are pursuing further education while working part-time.

This disconnect between estimated first-year earnings and the actual four-year figure raises questions about career trajectory. Psychology associate's degrees typically serve as stepping stones to bachelor's programs rather than terminal credentials, which could explain the lower mid-career earnings. However, you're essentially financing what amounts to two years of transfer credits at a cost that exceeds many comparable programs. Sinclair Community College's psychology graduates, for instance, earn nearly $30,000 with presumably lower debt loads.

If your child plans to continue to a four-year degree, factor this debt into the total bachelor's degree cost—it's already equivalent to nearly two years of bachelor's-level borrowing. If they're considering this as a standalone credential for immediate employment, the four-year earnings data should give you serious pause about career viability without additional education.