Psychology at Plymouth State University

Plymouth State's psychology graduates earn well above the national average for psychology majors—placing in the 91st percentile nationwide—but there's an important local context parents should understand. At $37,240 in first-year earnings, graduates fall below New Hampshire's state median of $38,369 for psychology degrees, landing in just the 40th percentile among the state's 12 programs. While this program costs less in debt ($27,000) than many competitors, students could potentially earn $5,000-6,000 more annually by attending New England College or Rivier University, where first-year salaries reach the low $40,000s.

The debt picture is reasonable—a 0.73 debt-to-earnings ratio means graduates owe less than one year's salary, which is manageable for a psychology degree. Earnings also grow solidly over time, reaching $42,626 by year four (a 15% increase). However, this growth simply catches Plymouth State up to where competing programs start.

For New Hampshire families, this creates a straightforward calculation: Plymouth State offers a safe bet with solid national performance and accessible debt, but isn't the state's strongest value for psychology specifically. If your child is interested in staying in-state and debt management is a priority, this works. But for families willing to consider all NH options, several programs deliver stronger initial earnings without significantly more debt.