ROI Major

Psychology, General at Tyler Junior College

TX · Associate's Degree · CIP 42.01

Apply Now Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Psychology, General degree from Tyler Junior College earn a median salary of $39,523 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in TX, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $42,913. The degree typically pays for itself in 19.2 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 graduates from this school usually land.

Salary Ranges

Starting Range

$28,301

Typical Career

$39,523

Top Performers

$50,488

Estimated break-even: 19.2 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$263

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $3,294. Most students can comfortably afford about a $263 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.0x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.5x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Texas buys what costs $0.92 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

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

Where Associate's Graduates from This School Work

Health Care & Social Assistance 42.6%
Educational Services 12.9%
Retail Trade 7.7%

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

5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent

$42,913

Nominal: $39,523 in Texas (COL 92.1% of national avg) · 8.6% 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).

19.2 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 $21,082 $27,959 $38,486
5 Years After Graduation $28,301 $39,523 $50,488
10 Years After Graduation $39,390 $53,407 $70,774

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 $39,523 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in TX, which has a cost-of-living index of 92.1% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $39,523 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9210) = $42,913 National Average equivalent.

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

Career Verdict

Graduates from the Psychology, General program at Tyler Junior College can expect a steady increase in earnings over time. The median earnings one year after graduation stand at $27,959, which rises to $39,523 after five years and reaches $53,407 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary aligns more closely with a national equivalent of $42,913.14, reflecting the cost of living in Texas, which has a COL index of 0.921 compared to the national average of 1.0.

The majority of graduates enter the Health Care & Social Assistance sectors, with 81.7% finding employment in this field. This trend highlights the program's alignment with growing industries, which can enhance job stability and opportunities. The estimated break-even point for graduates compared to those with only a high school diploma is approximately 19.2 years, suggesting a long-term return on investment that may be favorable for those committed to a career in psychology.

Compare with Another School

See how the Psychology, General degree at Tyler Junior College stacks up against another institution side-by-side.

Ready to apply?

Start your application for Psychology, General at Tyler Junior College.

Apply to Tyler Junior College

Explore More

Other Degrees at Tyler Junior College

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.