USA Today
Originally Posted: Oct. 17, 2014
Psychology majors explore different personality types, how humans develop, how we respond to our environment and why we behave the way that we do. A degree in this field of study can lead to careers in social work, marketing, human resources and public health programs, with more opportunities arising for those who choose to pursue an advanced degree.
The average starting salaries across all graduates with a bachelor’s in psychology is $35,000.
Most graduates who work in this field find they have to pursue an advanced degree to find more competitively paying positions. However, the college you attend can also play a big role in how much you earn.
Certain schools have a track record of creating a high earnings boost that allows their graduates to make more money than other psych majors.
This list rounds up the top 10 colleges with the highest paid graduates in psychology, based on salary data provided by PayScale.
Note: Although we believe that knowing the average salaries of graduates gives you some very useful information about these colleges, note that this ranking is based only on salary data and is not meant to rate the overall quality of the school. Also note this list is based only on the salaries of students with bachelor’s degrees and does not take into account those who have gone on to get advanced degrees.
1. SOUTHERN METHODIST UNIVERSITY: DALLAS, TEX.
Founded in 1911, Southern Methodist University is a private research university. The school offers small classes and promotes research and discussion, two major elements of a psychology program. Psychology graduates from this program may only earn an average starting salary of $39,000, but they have the potential to earn the highest mid-career average salary of $109,000. The school is also ranked as the 3rd best university in the state of Texas.