Psychology at Virginia State University
Petersburg, VA · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Psychology, General
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
40
Optimistic
39
Base Case
39
Pessimistic
Earnings
$28,513/yr (-10% vs median)
AI Risk
High (49% exposed)
Job Market
Very Large (125,000 openings/yr)
ROI
13.9x earnings multiple (6.2x out-of-state)
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 | $546K | $542K | $499K |
| Earnings Multiple (In-State) | 14.0x | 13.9x | 12.8x |
| Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) | 6.2x | 6.2x | 5.7x |
| Probability of Field Employment | 51% | 47% | 34% |
| DegreeOutlook Score | 40 | 39 | 39 |
10-Year Earnings Projection
*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.
4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$39,020
Out-of-state: $88,024 (6.2x ROI)
Median Debt at Graduation
$26,000
10.9 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$50,956
79% growth from Year 1
About Virginia State University
Virginia State University accepts 89% of applicants — an open-access institution by design, a smaller institution with 4,787 students in Petersburg, VA. Pell Grant recipients make up 71% of the student body — a marker of economic diversity.
See all programs and financial aid at Virginia State University →Top Career Paths
Managers, all other
$136,550/yr
Psychologists, all other
$117,580/yr
Industrial-organizational psychologists
$109,840/yr
Compare & Explore
Psychology at Other Schools
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Is a Trade Program a Better Fit?
For students who prefer applied learning, trade programs can deliver strong earnings with significantly less debt and shorter time to employment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Psychology at Virginia State University?
A score of 39/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for Psychology. Earnings, ROI, or AI risk factors are pulling the score down.
Will AI replace Psychology careers?
With 49% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $498,582 in decade earnings vs $546,264 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research.
See full methodology →