Psychology: American Public University System vs CUNY Lehman College
Head-to-Head
| American Public University System | CUNY Lehman College | |
|---|---|---|
| Earnings Multiple (In-State) | 12.3x | 13.3x |
| Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) | 12.3x | 6.4x |
| 4-Year Tuition (In-State) | $33,600 | $29,640 |
| Year 1 Earnings | $39,655 | $36,913 |
| 10-Year Earnings | $414K | $396K |
| Median Debt | $27,550 | $8,500 |
| Debt-to-Earnings Ratio | 8.3 months | 2.8 months |
| DegreeWorth Score (In-State) | 66/100 | 65/100 |
Both programs have high AI automation risk (49% task exposure) — the same career paths apply to Psychology graduates regardless of school. See full AI analysis →
ROI Breakdown
How tuition costs translate into long-term earnings for Psychology graduates.
| American Public University System | CUNY Lehman College | |
|---|---|---|
| 4-Year Tuition (In-State) | $33,600 | $29,640 |
| 4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) | $33,600 | $61,440 |
| 10-Year Projected Earnings | $414K | $396K |
| Earnings Multiple (In-State) | 12.3x | 13.3x |
| Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) | 12.3x | 6.4x |
| 5-Year Salary Growth | +27% | +33% |
"Earnings Multiple" = projected 10-year earnings ÷ 4-year tuition. Higher is better. Not a discounted financial ROI.
AI Disruption Scenarios
Both schools share identical AI exposure for Psychology (same career paths). The score differences below reflect how each school's earnings and ROI hold up under stress.
| American Public University System | CUNY Lehman College | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Optim. | Base | Pessim. | Optim. | Base | Pessim. | |
| 10-Year Earnings | $524K | $414K | $294K | $520K | $396K | $274K |
| Earnings Multiple (IS) | 15.6x | 12.3x | 8.8x | 17.5x | 13.3x | 9.2x |
| DegreeWorth Score | 67 | 66 | 60 | 66 | 65 | 59 |
For the full AI analysis of Psychology career paths, see the American Public University System or CUNY Lehman College program pages.
Earnings Trajectory Comparison
Projected annual earnings for Psychology graduates. Year 1 uses actual reported data.
Career Paths
Psychology graduates from both schools map to the same career paths. Differences in earnings reflect school prestige, location, and employer networks.
| Career Path | Wage | Openings/yr | Growth | AI Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Managers, all other | $136,550 | 106,700 | +4.5% | 47% |
| Psychologists, all other | $117,580 | 3,900 | +4.3% | 44% |
| Industrial-organizational psychologists | $109,840 | 400 | +6.3% | 49% |
| Clinical and counseling psychologists | $95,830 | 4,800 | +11.2% | 37% |
| Psychology teachers, postsecondary | $80,330 | 4,000 | +3.6% | 48% |
| Social science research assistants | $58,040 | 5,200 | +4.4% | 67% |