ROI Major

Psychology, General at University of Wyoming

WY · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 42.01

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Psychology, General degree from University of Wyoming earn a median salary of $49,285 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in WY, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $52,938. The degree typically pays for itself in 12 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

$35,886

Typical Career

$49,285

Top Performers

$63,130

Estimated break-even: 12 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$329

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $4,107. Most students can comfortably afford about a $329 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.3x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.6x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Wyoming buys what costs $0.93 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

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

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Educational Services 24.1%
Health Care & Social Assistance 21.9%
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 12.1%

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

$52,938

Nominal: $49,285 in Wyoming (COL 93.1% of national avg) · 7.4% 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).

12 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 $25,070 $33,984 $44,628
5 Years After Graduation $35,886 $49,285 $63,130
10 Years After Graduation $46,317 $62,676 $82,426

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 $49,285 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in WY, which has a cost-of-living index of 93.1% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $49,285 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9310) = $52,938 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 the University of Wyoming experience a steady earnings trajectory. Median earnings one year after graduation stand at $33,984, increasing to $49,285 after five years, and reaching $62,676 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary equivalent nationally is approximately $52,937.7, indicating that while initial earnings may be modest, the long-term financial outlook improves significantly over time, particularly in a state with a cost of living index of 0.931 compared to the national average.

The top industries for graduates include Educational Services (24.1%), Health Care & Social Assistance (21.9%), and Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (12.1%). The estimated break-even point for those pursuing this degree versus a high-school-only path is approximately 12 years, suggesting that while the initial investment in education may take time to pay off, the potential for career advancement and increased earnings in these sectors can provide a favorable return on investment in the long run.

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 University of Wyoming 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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