Research and Experimental Psychology at Wellesley College

Wellesley's experimental psychology program graduates emerge with remarkably low debt—just $12,500, putting them in the 95th percentile nationally—but first-year earnings of $36,283 lag behind most Massachusetts competitors. While earnings exceed the national median by about $1,500, they trail the state median by over $2,000, landing in just the 40th percentile among Massachusetts programs. Given that Wellesley draws students who could likely attend peer institutions like Smith ($43,717) or even Amherst ($45,786), this gap matters for families comparing options.

The debt picture tells a different story: Wellesley's combination of substantial financial aid and need-blind admissions keeps borrowing far below both state ($25,612) and national ($21,500) medians. That 0.34 debt-to-earnings ratio means graduates face minimal financial burden in their first year out. For students planning graduate school—common in psychology—this low debt load provides crucial flexibility.

The tradeoff is clear: Wellesley offers an elite liberal arts education with exceptional financial protection, but its psychology graduates start with lower earnings than those from comparable Massachusetts institutions. Families should weigh whether the prestige and low debt justify potentially slower early earnings growth, particularly if their student doesn't plan immediate graduate study where starting salary matters less than financial runway.