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Psychology at SUNY Old Westbury

Old Westbury, NY · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Psychology, General

DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $31,000/yr (-2% vs median)

AI Risk High (49% exposed)

Job Market Very Large (125,000 openings/yr)

ROI 16.3x earnings multiple (7.5x out-of-state)

Ranked #121 of 926 Psychology, General programs Top 25%

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	$550K	$545K	$501K
Earnings Multiple (In-State)	16.4x	16.3x	15.0x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State)	7.5x	7.5x	6.9x
Probability of Field Employment	51%	47%	34%
DegreeOutlook Score	45	44	44

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)

$33,516

Out-of-state: $73,156 (7.5x ROI)

4-Year Net Price (After Aid)

$39,600

-18% less than sticker · See by income

Median Debt at Graduation

$12,500

4.8 months of Year 1 earnings

Reported Earnings (5 Year)

$52,680

70% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

Graduates earn $31,000/yr, roughly in line with the $31,705 national median for Psychology. The value proposition here depends on cost, not earnings.

The 16.3x 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 9% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

With first-year pay of $31,000 far exceeding the $12,500 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.

Ranked #121 out of 926 programs, SUNY Old Westbury's Psychology program lands in the top 5% — a strong signal of graduate success.

Earnings growth from $31,000 to $52,680 over five years (70% increase) indicates that graduates in this field see meaningful salary progression.

About SUNY Old Westbury

SUNY Old Westbury accepts 85% of applicants — an open-access institution by design, with a smaller student body of 3,945 in Old Westbury, NY. Pell Grant recipients make up 47% of the student body — a marker of economic diversity.

See all programs and financial aid at SUNY Old Westbury →

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

Psychology at Other Schools

Other Majors at SUNY Old Westbury

Is a Trade Program a Better Fit?

For students who prefer applied learning, trade programs can deliver strong earnings with significantly less debt and shorter time to employment.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does SUNY Old Westbury's Psychology program score?

This program scores 44/100 — 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.

Why does SUNY Old Westbury rank so high for Psychology?

The #121 ranking out of 926 programs is driven by strong financial outcomes — graduates earn well, debt is manageable relative to income, and the job market supports the field.

Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →