Psychology at West Virginia State University

West Virginia State's psychology program sits right in the middle of the state's offerings—40th percentile among West Virginia schools—but struggles compared to the national landscape where it ranks in just the 23rd percentile. With starting earnings of $28,185 and debt of $26,305, graduates face a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.93, meaning they owe nearly a full year's salary. While earnings do climb 13% to $31,761 by year four, that still trails the state median by about $3,700 and lags national benchmarks by roughly $6,000 annually.

The real concern here is opportunity cost. Several West Virginia universities deliver significantly stronger outcomes: American Public University System graduates earn $39,655—over $10,000 more annually—while Shepherd and Marshall both clear $30,000. Given that tuition differences within the state system are typically modest, students attending these alternatives would likely earn substantially more over their careers while carrying similar debt loads.

The small sample size (under 30 graduates) means these numbers could shift with more data, but the pattern is clear enough: this program underperforms both state and national standards. For a psychology degree that positions graduates competitively, families should look at the higher-ranked West Virginia options that demonstrate consistently stronger earnings potential.