ROI Major

Clinical, Counseling, and Applied Psychology at CUNY Bernard M. Baruch College

NY · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 42.28

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Clinical, Counseling, and Applied Psychology degree from CUNY Bernard M. Baruch College earn a median salary of $73,872 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in NY, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $55,964. The degree typically pays for itself in 6 years.

Quick Insights

Solid Investment

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

$53,848

Typical Career

$73,872

Top Performers

$95,698

Estimated break-even: 6 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$492

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $6,156. Most students can comfortably afford about a $492 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.9x more than the average US high school graduate and 1.0x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in New York buys what costs $1.32 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

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

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Finance & Insurance 23.9%
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 21.6%
Health Care & Social Assistance 7.8%

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

$55,964

Nominal: $73,872 in New York (COL 132.0% of national avg) · 24.2% 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).

6 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 $35,184 $50,368 $65,330
5 Years After Graduation $53,848 $73,872 $95,698
10 Years After Graduation $61,889 $88,764 $128,224

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 $73,872 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in NY, which has a cost-of-living index of 132.0% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $73,872 × (1.0 ÷ 1.3200) = $55,964 National Average equivalent.

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

Career Verdict

Graduates in Clinical, Counseling, and Applied Psychology from CUNY Bernard M. Baruch College experience a positive earnings trajectory over time. The median earnings one year after graduation stand at $50,368, which increases to $73,872 after five years and further to $88,764 after ten years. When considering purchasing power, the median five-year salary adjusted for national equivalents is approximately $55,963.64, indicating that while initial earnings may be lower due to the cost of living in New York, the long-term financial outlook remains favorable.

The top industries for graduates include Finance & Insurance (23.9%), Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (21.6%), and Health Care & Social Assistance (7.8%). This diverse range of sectors suggests that graduates can find opportunities in various fields, enhancing their career flexibility. With an estimated break-even point of approximately six years compared to a high-school-only path, the return on investment for pursuing this degree appears solid, particularly for those willing to navigate the initial cost of living challenges in New York.

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

Compare with Another School

See how the Clinical, Counseling, and Applied Psychology degree at CUNY Bernard M. Baruch 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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