Doctoral (Research)0% vs national median331 grads tracked
Psychology at Pennsylvania State University (The)
Ranked 44th of 87 doctoral (research) programs in Psychology by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$68,291
middle 50%: $51,386 – $89,335
Median · 5 years out
$97,725
middle 50%: $77,430 – $124,137
Median · 10 years out
$109,828
middle 50%: $83,697 – $142,968
Salary trajectory
Median earnings vs the national median for Psychology (doctoral (research)) graduates.
This program (median)National median, same major & degreeMiddle 50% of graduates
Research doctorate graduates in Psychology see median first-year salaries of $68k. Ten-year median earnings climb to $110k.
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
4.3 yrs
≈ $4,771 total interest
Same major at other universities
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
University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill
$98,997 · 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
National Louis University
$97,592 · 5 yrs out
University of Cincinnati
$97,549 · 5 yrs out
Northern Illinois University
$97,297 · 5 yrs out
State University of New York at Buffalo
$97,191 · 5 yrs out
University of Wisconsin - Madison
$97,180 · 5 yrs out
Other majors at Pennsylvania State University (The)
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Doctorate)
$182,178 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Doctorate)
$177,057 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Master's)
$143,044 · 5 yrs out
Engineering (Doctorate)
$135,252 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Master's)
$130,869 · 5 yrs out
Mathematics and Statistics (Doctorate)
$122,394 · 5 yrs out
Petroleum Engineering (Bachelor's)
$116,440 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's)
$115,495 · 5 yrs out
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management (Bachelor's)
$115,004 · 5 yrs out
Health Professions and Related Programs (Doctorate)
$114,831 · 5 yrs out
Mining and Mineral Engineering (Bachelor's)
$114,734 · 5 yrs out
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's)
$114,727 · 5 yrs out