Psychology at University of Wisconsin-Parkside

UW-Parkside's psychology program starts graduates at a difficult $29,952—below both national and Wisconsin medians—but shows an encouraging 38% earnings jump by year four. That trajectory moves graduates from $30K to $41K, which is solid recovery territory. Among Wisconsin's 30 psychology programs, this ranks 40th percentile, trailing stronger performers like Marian ($45,416) and UW-Whitewater ($38,376) by notable margins. The $24,375 debt load is slightly better than state and national averages, making the initial low earnings more manageable with a 0.81 debt-to-earnings ratio.

The real question is whether that four-year growth trajectory continues or plateaus. Psychology bachelor's degrees often require additional credentials for higher-paying work, so the improving earnings could reflect graduates moving into para-professional roles or adjacent fields. For an accessible regional campus serving a substantial Pell-eligible population (34%), these outcomes aren't terrible—but they're not competitive with Wisconsin's top performers either.

If your student is committed to psychology and planning for graduate school, UW-Parkside's lower debt might matter more than the initial earnings gap. But if they're hoping to launch a career with just the bachelor's degree, they'd start significantly behind peers at other Wisconsin institutions, even if they're catching up by year four.