Research and Experimental Psychology at University of Nebraska at Kearney

A debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.59 suggests manageable repayment—peer psychology programs nationally indicate graduates earn around $34,769 in their first year while carrying roughly $20,500 in debt. That's better than many social science degrees, though it's worth noting that the single other Nebraska school with reported data shows graduates earning significantly less at $26,845. The national figures used here place UNK's program squarely at the median, meaning half of similar programs produce better outcomes and half produce worse.

The challenge is what comes after that first year. Psychology bachelor's degrees rarely lead directly to high-paying careers without graduate school, and these estimates don't account for students who continue their education. If your child plans to pursue a master's or doctorate—common in this field—you're looking at additional debt and delayed earnings. The relatively low admission selectivity and modest test scores suggest UNK serves students who may be price-sensitive, which makes the graduate school question even more important.

With only two Nebraska programs and suppressed data for both, there's genuine uncertainty here. The national benchmark provides a reasonable baseline, but actual outcomes for UNK psychology graduates could differ. If your child is set on psychology and plans to work immediately after graduation, this debt load is workable. If graduate school is likely, factor in those costs before committing.