Psychology at Tulane University of Louisiana

Tulane's psychology program stands out for its dramatic earnings trajectory rather than its starting salary. While graduates begin at $31,585—essentially matching the national median—their earnings surge 73% by year four to reach $54,708, a growth rate that signals either strong career positioning or graduate school success among this cohort.

The numbers look more complicated when you consider the costs. At a highly selective institution (15% acceptance rate, 1443 SAT average) serving primarily affluent students (just 9% on Pell grants), the $22,250 median debt seems manageable on paper. The program ranks in the 60th percentile among Louisiana psychology programs for earnings, edging past the state median of $27,926. But nationally, graduates carry more debt than 78% of psychology programs while earning middle-of-the-pack salaries initially.

The real question is whether that year-four jump justifies Tulane's price tag. For families paying full freight at a private university, the early earnings won't cover expenses quickly. If your child is among those reflected in the median debt figure and plans to pursue graduate work (which could explain the earnings growth), this track record suggests reasonable outcomes. But if you're comparing psychology programs purely on financial returns, several Louisiana public universities deliver comparable or better starting salaries at lower cost.