Psychology at St. Thomas Aquinas College

St. Thomas Aquinas College's psychology program shows a dramatic 89% jump in earnings between year one and year four—from $28,310 to $53,603—but that impressive growth trajectory comes with a significant caveat: we're looking at a very small sample size, making these numbers less reliable than you'd want for a major financial decision.

The first-year earnings lag behind both New York's median ($31,548) and the national benchmark ($31,482), though the program does land at the 40th percentile statewide—essentially middle-of-the-pack for New York psychology degrees. The $23,000 debt load is slightly better than state and national medians, but not dramatically so. What's puzzling is the massive earnings surge by year four, which would leapfrog most psychology graduates if it holds true. However, small sample sizes can create misleading patterns—this could reflect a handful of graduates who pursued advanced degrees or landed in unusually high-paying positions rather than the typical experience.

For an anxious parent, this uncertainty is the real issue. You're looking at first-year earnings below what you'd expect to see, with debt that takes nearly a full year's salary to match. The four-year numbers look promising, but with fewer than 30 graduates tracked, you can't bank on that outcome. If your child is considering graduate school anyway (common in psychology), the undergraduate debt matters less—but if they're planning to work immediately after graduation, the early earnings here are weak compared to other New York options.