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Psychology · Psychology Rank #361 of 926

Psychologyat Colby College

Graduates earn $40,842/yr in their first year — about 29.0% above the national Psychology average. Base-case 10-year earnings $604K; scenarios range from $544K to $614K depending on AI disruption.

Waterville, ME Private nonprofit Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
37 AT RISK
37
Optimistic
33
Pessimistic
Earnings
$40,842
1-year post-graduation
ROI
1.4x
Earnings : tuition
10-yr Base
$604K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
High
54% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Colby College

Colby's rigorous liberal arts foundation profoundly shapes outcomes for its Psychology graduates, even with a generalist major. You're not just learning theory; you're developing advanced critical thinking, research, and communication skills highly valued across industries. This versatility often leads alumni to diverse fields like human resources, market research, education, or non-profit management, rather than a single, direct pipeline.

While Waterville itself isn't a major employment hub, Colby's national reputation and alumni network open doors to opportunities in larger metropolitan areas. Many graduates pursue further education, whether a master's or PhD, to specialize in clinical, counseling, or industrial-organizational psychology. Given the evolving job market, actively pursuing internships, research opportunities, or a complementary minor will be crucial to differentiate yourself and leverage your strong analytical foundation into a robust career path.

AI Outlook Integration

Three scenarios, ten years out

Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.

Pessimistic
Mass Automation
$544K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score33/100
Earnings Multiple2.0x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$604K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score37/100
Earnings Multiple2.3x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$614K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score37/100
Earnings Multiple2.3x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Colby College's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.

Career Paths

Where Psychology graduates typically work

Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.

1
Managers, all other
+4.5% 10-yr growth · 106,700 openings/yr
$136,550/yr
Moderate
2
Psychologists, all other
+4.3% 10-yr growth · 3,900 openings/yr
$117,580/yr
Moderate
3
Industrial-organizational psychologists
+6.3% 10-yr growth · 400 openings/yr
$109,840/yr
Moderate
4
Clinical and counseling psychologists
+11.2% 10-yr growth · 4,800 openings/yr
$95,830/yr
Moderate
5
Psychology teachers, postsecondary
+3.6% 10-yr growth · 4,000 openings/yr
$80,330/yr
Moderate
6
Social science research assistants
+4.4% 10-yr growth · 5,200 openings/yr
$58,040/yr
High
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Compare & Explore

Peer schools offering Psychology

How Colby College stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
Bentley University
MA · Private nonprofit
47
DW Score
$62K
1-yr earn
1.7x
ROI
Georgetown University
DC · Private nonprofit
46
DW Score
$52K
1-yr earn
1.7x
ROI
Bucknell University
PA · Private nonprofit
41
DW Score
$52K
1-yr earn
1.4x
ROI
Gettysburg College
PA · Private nonprofit
43
DW Score
$50K
1-yr earn
1.6x
ROI
Trinity College
CT · Private nonprofit
43
DW Score
$48K
1-yr earn
0.8x
ROI
Also at Colby College

Other top programs at Colby College

Other highest-scoring programs offered at Colby College, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

Consider the trade route

Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Psychology offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.

Compare Psychology trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →
FAQ

Frequently asked about Psychology at Colby College

What does a 37/100 DegreeOutlook Score mean for Psychology at Colby College?

At 37/100, the financial outlook is modest. Higher-scoring Psychology programs exist, though non-financial factors may justify this choice.

Should I worry about AI if I study Psychology at Colby College?

The 49% AI task exposure score is above average. Our model shows this affecting job availability more than salaries — graduates may face stiffer competition for fewer positions.

What do students actually pay for Psychology at Colby College?

The 64% gap between sticker price and net cost means most students pay far less than $266,400. At a net cost of $95,756, the earnings multiple improves substantially.