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Psychology at California State University-Fullerton

Fullerton, CA · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Psychology, General
45 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
46
Optimistic
45
Base Case
45
Pessimistic
Earnings $27,965/yr (-12% vs median)
AI Risk High (49% exposed)
Job Market Very Large (125,000 openings/yr)
ROI 20.9x earnings multiple (7.8x out-of-state)
Ranked #77 of 926 Psychology, General programs Top 10%

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Psychology graduates.

Optimistic
No Disruption		 Base Case
Gradual AI		 Pessimistic
Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings $601K $592K $535K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 21.2x 20.9x 18.9x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 7.9x 7.8x 7.1x
Probability of Field Employment 51% 47% 34%
DegreeOutlook Score 46 45 45

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$28,292
Out-of-state: $75,812 (7.8x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$22,584
20% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$12,502
5.4 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$56,770
103% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

Graduates earn $27,965/yr, roughly in line with the $31,705 national median for Psychology. The value proposition here depends on cost, not earnings.

The 20.9x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.

AI risk is moderate — 49% task exposure — and the 11% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

With first-year pay of $27,965 far exceeding the $12,502 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.

A #77 ranking out of 926 Psychology programs nationally puts California State University-Fullerton in the top 10% — a strong but not elite position.

Earnings growth from $27,965 to $56,770 over five years (103% increase) indicates that graduates in this field see meaningful salary progression.

About California State University-Fullerton

California State University-Fullerton accepts 87% of applicants — an open-access institution by design, one of the larger campuses at 36,956 students in Fullerton, CA. With 47% of students on Pell Grants, the campus draws from a broad economic spectrum.

See all programs and financial aid at California State University-Fullerton →

Top Career Paths

Managers, all other $136,550/yr
Psychologists, all other $117,580/yr
Industrial-organizational psychologists $109,840/yr
View all 6 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Compare this program → View all 926 schools offering Psychology →

Psychology at Other Schools

Bentley University ($62,218) Georgetown University ($51,959) Bucknell University ($51,645) Gettysburg College ($50,040) Trinity College ($48,406) CUNY Graduate School and University Center ($48,299) The University of Texas Permian Basin ($46,009) Charter Oak State College ($45,428)

Other Majors at California State University-Fullerton

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing ($103,028) Civil Engineering ($72,606) Mechanical Engineering ($65,252) Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering ($63,468) Computer Science ($57,307) Computer Engineering ($55,093) Information Science/Studies ($49,897) Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods ($49,830)

Consider the Trade Route?

Compare Psychology trade programs on TradeSchoolWorth →

Trade programs often mean less time in school, lower student debt, and hands-on career paths that tend to be more resilient to AI disruption.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does California State University-Fullerton's Psychology program score?
This program scores 45/100 — on the lower end for Psychology. Prospective students should carefully weigh costs against likely earnings.
How vulnerable is Psychology to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Psychology careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 49% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →