Psychology at Thomas College

Thomas College's psychology program falls in an uncomfortable middle ground—outperforming the national average by about $2,000 annually, but trailing most Maine alternatives. At $33,368 in first-year earnings, graduates earn slightly below what they'd make at larger state universities like University of Maine ($34,123) or University of Southern Maine ($33,621), and considerably less than programs at Colby College or University of New England. For a private college charging enough to generate $27,000 in typical debt, this performance gap matters.

The fundamentals aren't terrible: debt sits below national norms, and the 0.81 debt-to-earnings ratio means graduates face less than a year's salary in loans. Earnings do grow 12% over four years, reaching $37,397—a reasonable trajectory that suggests graduates aren't stuck in retail jobs forever. But with fewer than 30 graduates in the data, these numbers could swing dramatically year to year. You're essentially betting on very limited track record evidence.

If your child has substantial financial aid making Thomas comparable to in-state tuition at UMaine, the small-college environment might justify the similar outcomes. Without that aid, though, you'd be paying more for results that lag behind what Maine's public universities deliver. The program works for students who need Thomas's open admission policy and intimate setting, but it's not a value play compared to other Maine options.