Psychology at William Penn University

William Penn's psychology program outperforms national expectations but falls in the middle of Iowa's competitive landscape. At $35,122 in first-year earnings, graduates earn more than 78% of psychology majors nationwide—a genuinely strong showing that beats the national median by over $3,600. Within Iowa, though, where psychology programs cluster tightly around $34,000-$37,000, this program sits squarely at the median, with several in-state alternatives producing notably higher earnings.

The $27,443 in median debt translates to less than nine months of first-year income, a manageable burden that's actually below the national median for psychology programs. That 0.78 debt-to-earnings ratio means graduates start with reasonable financial footing, especially compared to many liberal arts degrees. The challenge isn't the debt load—it's that Upper Iowa and Waldorf graduates earn $6,000-$7,000 more annually from day one, which compounds significantly over a career.

The small sample size here (under 30 graduates) warrants caution—these numbers could shift considerably with more data. For families considering William Penn specifically for its campus community or financial aid package, the psychology program won't create financial hardship. But if you're comparison shopping among Iowa schools purely on post-graduation outcomes, the data suggests looking at those top performers first, particularly if career earnings matter more than institutional fit.