ROI Major

Psychology, General at Marymount University

VA · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 42.01

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Psychology, General degree from Marymount University earn a median salary of $57,346 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in VA, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $55,947. The degree typically pays for itself in 9.1 years.

Quick Insights

Slow Burn / High Debt Risk

How this degree looks at a glance

A fast read on salary range, break-even speed, living-cost impact, and where bachelor's graduates from this school usually land.

Salary Ranges

Starting Range

$40,342

Typical Career

$57,346

Top Performers

$71,075

Estimated break-even: 9.1 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$382

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $4,779. Most students can comfortably afford about a $382 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.5x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.7x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Virginia buys what costs $1.03 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Professional, Scientific & Technical Services, Educational Services.

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Health Care & Social Assistance 32.6%
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 19.5%
Educational Services 10.4%

Institution-wide industry mix for bachelor's graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.

5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent

$55,947

Nominal: $57,346 in Virginia (COL 102.5% of national avg) · 2.4% lower purchasing power

10-Year Earnings Curve

Break-Even Timeline

How long until cumulative earnings advantage exceeds total college investment (tuition + opportunity cost vs. entering workforce directly after high school).

9.1 years to break even
Graduation 15 years

Total Investment

$155,168

4yr tuition + 4yr opportunity cost

HS Graduate Baseline

$38,792/yr

BLS 2023 median, HS diploma

View Raw Data: Median Earnings by Year
Timeframe 25th Pct. Median (50th) 75th Pct.
1 Year After Graduation $26,977 $36,300 $45,833
5 Years After Graduation $40,342 $57,346 $71,075
10 Years After Graduation $54,051 $75,444 $94,789

Source: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO), 2025 release. Earnings shown for Bachelor's degree graduates (all cohorts combined).

How We Calculate Purchasing Power

The median salary of $57,346 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in VA, which has a cost-of-living index of 102.5% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $57,346 × (1.0 ÷ 1.0250) = $55,947 National Average equivalent.

COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →

Career Verdict

Graduates with a degree in Psychology, General from Marymount University can expect a promising earnings trajectory. The median earnings one year after graduation stand at $36,300, which increases to $57,346 after five years and reaches $75,444 after ten years. When considering purchasing power, the adjusted median earnings five years post-graduation are approximately $55,947.32, reflecting the cost of living in Virginia, which has a COL index of 1.025 compared to the national average of 1.0. This indicates that while initial earnings may seem modest, there is significant potential for growth over time.

The top industries for graduates entering the workforce include Health Care & Social Assistance (32.6%), Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (19.5%), and Educational Services (10.4%). With an estimated break-even point of approximately 9.1 years compared to a high-school-only path, the return on investment for a degree in Psychology, General appears favorable. Graduates can expect to find diverse opportunities in sectors that are not only growing but also offer meaningful work, enhancing the overall value of their educational investment.

AI-assisted editorial analysis based on Census PSEO data. Fact-checked against source data.

Compare with Another School

See how the Psychology, General degree at Marymount University stacks up against another institution side-by-side.

Data sources: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO). Cost-of-living index: BLS Regional CPI & MIT Living Wage Project. Cost of attendance: IPEDS. For informational use only; data may be suppressed for small cohort sizes.

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