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Psychology at Washington State University

Pullman, WA · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Psychology, General

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

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $36,216/yr (14% vs median)

AI Risk High (49% exposed)

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

ROI 10.8x earnings multiple (4.8x out-of-state)

Ranked #69 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	$565K	$559K	$511K
Earnings Multiple (In-State)	10.9x	10.8x	9.8x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State)	4.9x	4.8x	4.4x
Probability of Field Employment	51%	47%	34%
DegreeOutlook Score	47	46	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)

$51,988

Out-of-state: $116,292 (4.8x ROI)

4-Year Net Price (After Aid)

$57,604

-11% less than sticker · See by income

Median Debt at Graduation

$19,515

6.5 months of Year 1 earnings

Reported Earnings (5 Year)

$56,856

57% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

First-year earnings of $36,216 at Washington State University come in 14% above the national median of $31,705 for Psychology programs.

The 10.8x 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 10% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

The $19,515 debt-to-$36,216 income ratio translates to about 6 months of earnings. Standard loan terms should handle this comfortably.

A #69 ranking out of 926 Psychology programs nationally puts Washington State University in the top 10% — a strong but not elite position.

Earnings growth from $36,216 to $56,856 over five years (57% increase) indicates that graduates in this field see meaningful salary progression.

About Washington State University

Washington State University accepts 85% of applicants — an open-access institution by design, one of the larger campuses at 21,583 students in Pullman, WA.

See all programs and financial aid at Washington State University →

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 Washington State University

Consider the Trade Route?

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 Washington State University's Psychology program score?

This program scores 46/100 — 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 →