Psychology at Prescott College

A debt load of $26,000 against first-year earnings around $37,000 places this program in moderate territory for bachelor's-level psychology. Based on comparable psychology programs nationally, that 0.70 debt-to-earnings ratio suggests manageable but not negligible financial pressure—roughly seven months of gross income to repay what you've borrowed.

The challenge here is threefold. First, psychology bachelor's degrees typically serve as stepping stones rather than terminal credentials, meaning many graduates need additional education to advance in the field. Second, with nearly half of Prescott's students receiving Pell grants, families are already stretching financially, making that $26,000 in estimated debt more consequential than it might be elsewhere. Third, we're working entirely from national estimates here since this program's graduate cohort is too small for the Department of Education to report actual outcomes—you're essentially betting on whether Prescott's specific approach will match what peer programs deliver.

The 99% admission rate and small program size point to an institution serving students who may not have traditional options, which has value. But without concrete data on where Prescott's psychology graduates actually land—employment-wise or earnings-wise—you're making this investment decision somewhat blind. If graduate school is the plan, factor in additional borrowing. If your child needs to work immediately after graduation, understand that $37,000 doesn't leave much room for aggressive loan repayment while covering basic living expenses.