Psychology at St Lawrence University

St. Lawrence's psychology program punches above its weight nationally but tells a more complex story within New York State. While graduates earn $37,068 in their first year—landing in the 90th percentile nationally and well above the national median of $31,482—they sit at just the 60th percentile among New York programs. That's the tradeoff of attending a selective liberal arts college in a state dominated by CUNY schools that often deliver stronger immediate earnings for psychology majors.

The compelling part of this program is the trajectory: earnings jump 40% to nearly $52,000 by year four, suggesting St. Lawrence's network and credentials open doors over time that may not be immediately visible. The debt load of $25,070 is reasonable, translating to a manageable 0.68 ratio to first-year earnings—meaning graduates could theoretically pay off loans in under nine months of salary. This is considerably better than typical liberal arts outcomes.

For families weighing this against state schools, the question is whether the St. Lawrence experience justifies similar debt for middling in-state performance. If your child thrives in small-school environments and the 40% earnings growth pattern holds, this could work. But if you're purely ROI-focused and staying in New York, several CUNY programs deliver stronger starting salaries at comparable or lower debt levels.