Psychology at Southeastern Oklahoma State University

Southeastern Oklahoma State's psychology program comes with one standout advantage: its graduates leave with just $13,435 in debt—less than half the national median and well below what Oklahoma psychology students typically borrow ($21,600). That low debt matters because psychology bachelor's degrees rarely lead to high early earnings. With a starting salary around $32,300, graduates here face a debt-to-earnings ratio of just 0.42, meaning they could theoretically pay off their loans in about five months of gross income.

The earnings picture is modest but shows steady improvement. First-year salaries land at the 60th percentile among Oklahoma psychology programs, essentially matching the state median, though they trail schools like Cameron and Tulsa by $4,000-$5,000. The 35% earnings growth over four years is encouraging, bringing graduates to $43,500—solid progress for a field where many struggle to translate their bachelor's degree into higher-paying work without graduate school. However, the small sample size here (under 30 graduates) means these numbers could shift considerably year to year.

For families concerned about education debt, this represents a relatively low-risk way to pursue psychology. The light debt load gives graduates flexibility to consider graduate school, entry-level social services work, or career pivots without being financially hamstrung. Just understand you're banking on either further education or significant career development to reach higher earnings.