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Psychology at College of Charleston

Charleston, SC · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Psychology, General

DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $29,339/yr (-7% vs median)

AI Risk High (49% exposed)

Job Market Very Large (125,000 openings/yr)

ROI 10.0x earnings multiple (3.5x out-of-state)

Ranked #497 of 926 Psychology, General programs

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Psychology graduates.

	Optimistic No Disruption	Base Case Gradual AI	Pessimistic Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings	$523K	$520K	$483K
Earnings Multiple (In-State)	10.1x	10.0x	9.3x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State)	3.5x	3.5x	3.3x
Probability of Field Employment	51%	47%	34%
DegreeOutlook Score	35	34	34

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)

$51,912

Out-of-state: $147,432 (3.5x ROI)

4-Year Net Price (After Aid)

$78,072

-50% less than sticker · See by income

Median Debt at Graduation

$23,750

9.7 months of Year 1 earnings

Reported Earnings (5 Year)

$48,502

65% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

Graduates earn $29,339/yr, roughly in line with the $31,705 national median for Psychology. The value proposition here depends on cost, not earnings.

At 10.0x the cost of in-state tuition, the ten-year earnings outlook represents a strong return. Not exceptional, but meaningfully positive.

AI risk is moderate — 49% task exposure — and the 8% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

The $23,750 debt-to-$29,339 income ratio translates to about 10 months of earnings. Standard loan terms should handle this comfortably.

At #497 out of 926 programs, College of Charleston's financial outcomes for Psychology trail the majority of peers. The value case depends on other factors.

Earnings growth from $29,339 to $48,502 over five years (65% increase) indicates that graduates in this field see meaningful salary progression.

About College of Charleston

College of Charleston accepts 72% of applicants — an open-access institution by design, serving 10,366 students in Charleston, SC.

See all programs and financial aid at College of Charleston →

Top Career Paths

Managers, all other $136,550/yr

Psychologists, all other $117,580/yr

Industrial-organizational psychologists $109,840/yr

View all 6 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Psychology at Other Schools

Other Majors at College of Charleston

Explore the Trade Alternative

Not every career requires a four-year degree. Trade programs in related fields can offer competitive salaries with a fraction of the student loan burden.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does College of Charleston's Psychology program score?

This program scores 34/100 — on the lower end for Psychology. Prospective students should carefully weigh costs against likely earnings.

How vulnerable is Psychology to AI automation?

AI won't 'replace' Psychology careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 49% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.

Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →