Psychology at William James College

William James College's psychology bachelor's program carries an estimated $26,000 in debt—about $10,000 more than the national median for psychology programs. Combined with first-year earnings that peer programs suggest will be around $36,900, you're looking at a debt load equal to 70% of that first year's salary. That's manageable in absolute terms, but the premium you're paying over typical psychology programs means your child would start their career with substantially more debt than most of their peers in the field.

The challenge here isn't just the debt itself—it's what psychology graduates typically face after college. A bachelor's in psychology often leads to entry-level human services or research assistant roles that don't pay particularly well initially. Many graduates pursue master's degrees to access better-compensated positions in counseling or clinical work, which means potentially taking on additional debt before earnings improve. Starting with $26,000 already on the books makes that graduate school decision more financially fraught.

Given the uncertainty around these estimates and the higher-than-typical debt burden, you'll want to verify William James College's actual outcomes directly with their career services office. Ask specifically about employment rates, where graduates work, and what percentage continue to graduate school. If your child is set on psychology and considering graduate school anyway, starting with lower undergraduate debt at a public institution might preserve more borrowing capacity for the advanced degree that actually opens doors in this field.