Doctoral (Research)+1% vs national median361 grads tracked
Psychology at University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill
Ranked 40th of 87 doctoral (research) programs in Psychology by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$63,989
middle 50%: $53,938 – $83,487
Median · 5 years out
$98,997
middle 50%: $76,644 – $123,919
Median · 10 years out
$114,092
middle 50%: $79,787 – $151,566
Salary trajectory
Median earnings vs the national median for Psychology (doctoral (research)) graduates.
This program (median)National median, same major & degreeMiddle 50% of graduates
Psychology research doctorate graduates earn a median of $63,989 initially. Earnings climb to $98,997 at five years and $114,092 after a decade.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau PSEO, release V4.13.0 2025Q4. Earnings are for graduates working in covered states; figures are medians in nominal dollars.
Will the degree pay for itself?
Drag the sliders — payback uses this program's actual salary curve.
Assumes a 6.5% APR loan and this program's median salary trajectory (interpolated between years 1, 5 and 10).
Paid off in
4.4 yrs
≈ $4,966 total interest
Same major at other universities
Georgia State University
$100,766 · 5 yrs out
Virginia Commonwealth University
$100,550 · 5 yrs out
State University of New York at Stony Brook
$100,527 · 5 yrs out
Loyola University Chicago
$100,194 · 5 yrs out
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
$99,720 · 5 yrs out
Purdue University
$99,674 · 5 yrs out
DePaul University
$98,926 · 5 yrs out
University of Texas at Austin
$98,450 · 5 yrs out
University of Michigan
$98,259 · 5 yrs out
Pennsylvania State University (The)
$97,725 · 5 yrs out
National Louis University
$97,592 · 5 yrs out
University of Cincinnati
$97,549 · 5 yrs out
Other majors at University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Doctorate)
$214,723 · 5 yrs out
Dentistry (Doctorate)
$192,150 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Doctorate)
$178,780 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Master's)
$167,515 · 5 yrs out
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (Doctorate)
$151,181 · 5 yrs out
Health Professions and Related Programs (Doctorate)
$150,648 · 5 yrs out
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (Bachelor's)
$147,757 · 5 yrs out
Medicine (Doctorate)
$140,602 · 5 yrs out
Computer Science (Bachelor's)
$127,840 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Master's)
$125,175 · 5 yrs out
Journalism (Bachelor's)
$124,373 · 5 yrs out
Library Science (Doctorate)
$121,393 · 5 yrs out