Psychology at Upper Iowa University

Upper Iowa's psychology graduates earn substantially more than their peers nationally—landing in the 95th percentile—but carry nearly double the typical debt load for this degree. First-year earnings of $42,183 beat the national median by more than $10,000, yet graduates leave with $41,478 in debt compared to a national median of $25,500. That's almost a dollar of debt for every dollar of first-year income, which is manageable only if those strong earnings hold steady.

The concern here is the earnings trajectory: graduates actually earn less four years out than they do immediately after college. While Iowa psychology programs typically see earnings growth from year one to year four, Upper Iowa bucks that trend with a 4% decline. Within Iowa, the program ranks solidly at the 60th percentile—competitive but not exceptional—with earnings just above the state median. The debt burden, however, stands out as one of the highest in the state for this field.

For an anxious parent, the question comes down to whether that initial earnings advantage justifies the premium debt load, especially given the uncertain growth pattern. If your child has strong career plans that leverage those first-year earnings—perhaps moving quickly into management or related fields—the investment could work. But if they're exploring or planning graduate school, that $41,000 debt becomes harder to rationalize when similar Iowa programs deliver comparable outcomes at significantly lower cost.