ROI Major

Psychology, General at University of Central Oklahoma

OK · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 42.01

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Psychology, General degree from University of Central Oklahoma earn a median salary of $46,663 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in OK, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $54,133. The degree typically pays for itself in 14.7 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

$35,634

Typical Career

$46,663

Top Performers

$60,296

Estimated break-even: 14.7 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$311

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $3,889. Most students can comfortably afford about a $311 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.2x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.6x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Oklahoma buys what costs $0.86 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 19.2%
Health Care & Social Assistance 17.1%
Professional, Scientific & Technical 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

$54,133

Nominal: $46,663 in Oklahoma (COL 86.2% of national avg) · 16% 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).

14.7 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 $25,433 $33,154 $42,291
5 Years After Graduation $35,634 $46,663 $60,296
10 Years After Graduation $43,497 $56,272 $76,150

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 $46,663 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in OK, which has a cost-of-living index of 86.2% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $46,663 × (1.0 ÷ 0.8620) = $54,133 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 Central Oklahoma can expect a steady earnings trajectory. The median earnings one year after graduation stand at $33,154, which increases to $46,663 five years post-graduation and reaches $56,272 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the median salary five years after graduation is approximately $54,133.41, reflecting a favorable economic position relative to the national average, especially considering the cost of living index in Oklahoma is lower than the national average.

The top industries for graduates include Educational Services (19.2%), Health Care & Social Assistance (17.1%), and Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (10.4%). The estimated break-even point compared to a high-school-only path is approximately 14.7 years, indicating a significant return on investment over time. Overall, pursuing a degree in Psychology, General offers a viable career path with potential for growth in diverse sectors.

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 Central Oklahoma 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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