Psychology at University of San Diego

USD's Psychology program defies the typical pattern for this major—graduates start near the national average but see remarkable income growth, with median earnings jumping 55% to $55,078 by year four. While the first-year figure of $35,595 places this program in California's middle tier (60th percentile among 84 programs statewide), that four-year trajectory matters more. Most psychology bachelor's degrees lead to modest early-career salaries that plateau quickly; this program appears to position students differently, likely through USD's connections in San Diego's healthcare, business, and nonprofit sectors.

The $24,293 in typical debt sits below both national and state medians, creating a manageable 0.68 ratio to first-year earnings that improves dramatically as incomes rise. For a selective private university (47% acceptance rate), this represents reasonable borrowing. The caveat: psychology majors often need graduate degrees for clinical work, so these numbers likely reflect graduates who entered the workforce directly or pursued alternative career paths in business, research, or human resources.

The investment makes sense if your child plans to leverage psychology as a foundation for various career paths rather than solely clinical practice. The earnings growth suggests USD graduates develop marketable skills beyond the degree itself—but be realistic that those first-year earnings will require financial planning until the career trajectory kicks in.