ROI Major

Psychology, General at Newberry College

SC · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 42.01

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Psychology, General degree from Newberry College earn a median salary of $42,866 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in SC, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $45,027. The degree typically pays for itself in 20.8 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

$33,739

Typical Career

$42,866

Top Performers

$55,111

Estimated break-even: 20.8 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$286

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $3,572. Most students can comfortably afford about a $286 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.1x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.6x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in South Carolina buys what costs $0.95 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

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

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Educational Services 23.3%
Health Care & Social Assistance 11.6%
Public Administration 8.5%

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

$45,027

Nominal: $42,866 in South Carolina (COL 95.2% of national avg) · 5% higher 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).

20.8 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 $21,979 $30,356 $37,531
5 Years After Graduation $33,739 $42,866 $55,111
10 Years After Graduation $39,884 $50,227 $62,520

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 $42,866 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in SC, which has a cost-of-living index of 95.2% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $42,866 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9520) = $45,027 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 Newberry College can expect a median earning of $30,356 one year after graduation, which increases to $42,866 after five years and reaches $50,227 after ten years. When considering purchasing power, the adjusted five-year salary aligns closely with the national average at approximately $45,027.31, reflecting a relatively stable financial outlook for graduates in South Carolina, where the cost of living index is slightly lower than the national average.

The primary industries for Newberry College psychology graduates include Educational Services (23.3%), Health Care & Social Assistance (11.6%), and Public Administration (8.5%). Given the estimated break-even point of approximately 20.8 years compared to a high school-only path, the return on investment for pursuing this degree may be moderate. Students should weigh these factors carefully against their career aspirations and financial goals when considering this educational path.

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 Newberry College 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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