Psychology at Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN · Bachelor's Degree · about 113 graduates a year
Vanderbilt University graduates in psychology earn 41% more than the national median for the same major four years after graduating. Their median federal debt equals about 16% of one year’s pay at that point.
How Vanderbilt University Compares for Psychology
All 1027 colleges reporting psychology earnings at this degree level, ranked by median pay four years after graduation. “Wage-adjusted” divides pay by the square root of the state’s wage index so colleges in low-wage states aren’t penalized for local pay.
| # | College | 4 yrs after | Wage-adjusted | Adj. rank | 1 yr after |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Georgetown University Washington, DC | $99,007 | $86,756 | #2 | $51,959 |
| 2 | Washington University in St Louis Saint Louis, MO | $91,787 | $98,415 | #1 | — |
| 3 | Dartmouth College Hanover, NH | $86,896 | $80,040 | #4 | — |
| 4 | Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh, PA | $82,433 | $83,835 | #3 | — |
| 5 | George Washington University Washington, DC | $79,187 | $69,388 | #22 | — |
| 6 | Cornell University Ithaca, NY | $78,049 | $74,286 | #13 | $36,630 |
| 7 | Santa Clara University Santa Clara, CA | $75,742 | $68,920 | #23 | $38,587 |
| 8 | Virginia Military Institute Lexington, VA | $75,059 | $68,348 | #24 | $44,163 |
| 9 | Lehigh University Bethlehem, PA | $74,939 | $76,214 | #7 | $40,942 |
| 10 | Gettysburg College Gettysburg, PA | $74,466 | $75,733 | #8 | $50,040 |
| … | |||||
| 19 | Williams College Williamstown, MA | $72,891 | $64,188 | #38 | $43,943 |
| 20 | Misericordia University Dallas, PA | $72,572 | $73,806 | #15 | — |
| 21 | Southern Methodist University Dallas, TX | $72,136 | $73,341 | #16 | $38,115 |
| 22 | Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN | $71,584 | $78,198 | #6 | $36,716 |
| 23 | University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA | $70,461 | $64,115 | #40 | $34,139 |
| 24 | Fairfield University Fairfield, CT | $70,211 | $63,212 | #49 | $39,890 |
| 25 | Saint Mary's College of California Moraga, CA | $70,123 | $63,807 | #44 | $28,018 |
Other Majors at Vanderbilt University by Graduate Pay
| Major | 4 yrs after | 1 yr after | Rank in major |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | $160,021 | $122,244 | #23 of 349 |
| Mathematics | $141,171 | $103,812 | #5 of 309 |
| Economics | $140,337 | $84,311 | #11 of 368 |
| Chemical Engineering | $121,641 | $75,639 | #2 of 158 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | $116,662 | $63,402 | #3 of 118 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | $114,368 | $47,208 | #1 of 225 |
| Social Sciences | $103,229 | $61,389 | #1 of 87 |
| Political Science and Government | $102,789 | $46,843 | #3 of 565 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $101,345 | $78,009 | #33 of 318 |
| Public Policy Analysis | $91,265 | $57,023 | #6 of 34 |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies | $86,559 | $37,276 | #9 of 207 |
| Sociology | $83,649 | — | #3 of 462 |
| Civil Engineering | $82,744 | — | #150 of 233 |
| Engineering Science | — | $81,126 | — |
| History | $69,820 | $46,856 | #25 of 459 |
| English Language and Literature | $60,439 | $34,633 | #53 of 576 |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | $59,575 | $25,830 | #38 of 67 |
| Music | $59,217 | — | #10 of 268 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | $55,188 | — | #97 of 680 |
| Cognitive Science | — | $38,752 | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Vanderbilt University psychology graduates make?
Graduates earn a median $36,716 one year after graduating and $71,584 four years after graduating. Figures are from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
How does Vanderbilt University rank for psychology?
Among 1027 colleges reporting earnings for psychology graduates, Vanderbilt University ranks #22 by median pay four years after graduation, and #6 after adjusting for state wage levels.
Is psychology at Vanderbilt University worth it?
Its graduates earn 41% more than the national median for psychology ($50,706), and the median federal debt at graduation is $11,187.
← All data for Vanderbilt University · Methodology
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study data. Earnings are medians for graduates who received federal aid and were working and not enrolled; programs with few graduates are not reported. Wage adjustment uses Census ACS state median household income.