ROI Major

Psychology, General at University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point

WI · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 42.01

Apply Now Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Psychology, General degree from University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point earn a median salary of $46,704 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in WI, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $49,110. The degree typically pays for itself in 14.4 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

$35,169

Typical Career

$46,704

Top Performers

$58,622

Estimated break-even: 14.4 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$311

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $3,892. 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 Wisconsin 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 19.6%
Health Care & Social Assistance 15.2%
Public Administration 10.5%

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

$49,110

Nominal: $46,704 in Wisconsin (COL 95.1% of national avg) · 5.2% 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).

14.4 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 $23,644 $30,584 $39,565
5 Years After Graduation $35,169 $46,704 $58,622
10 Years After Graduation $44,138 $57,636 $73,922

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 $46,704 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in WI, which has a cost-of-living index of 95.1% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $46,704 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9510) = $49,110 National Average equivalent.

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

Career Verdict

The earnings trajectory for graduates in Psychology, General from the University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point shows a steady increase over time. One year after graduation, median earnings stand at $30,584, rising to $46,704 after five years and reaching $57,636 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary aligns with a national equivalent of $49,110.41, indicating that graduates may experience a favorable financial outlook relative to their peers across the country, despite the cost of living index in Wisconsin being slightly lower than the national average.

Graduates primarily enter fields such as Educational Services (19.6%), Health Care & Social Assistance (15.2%), and Public Administration (10.5%). The estimated break-even point for pursuing a degree versus a high-school-only path is approximately 14.4 years, suggesting that while the initial earnings may be modest, the long-term return on investment can be significant. Overall, students considering this path should weigh the potential for growth in earnings and career opportunities against the time and financial commitment of a college education.

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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.