College ROI

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General

Industrial And Organizational Psychology

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Data derived specifically from PUMS raw data for Industrial And Organizational Psychology.

Entry Level Salary
$38,936
Median Salary
$90,000
Unemployment Rate
4.4%
Avg: 2.2%
Underemployment Rate
29.1%
Working non-college jobs

Earnings Trajectory

Lifetime: $3,600,000
Entry (Early)
$38,936
Median (Prime)
$90,000
High (Prime)
$95,000

ROI Sensitivity Analysis

This analysis tests three "What-If" scenarios. While most students start at the Entry Level, calculating ROI using Median and High salaries helps illustrate the potential long-term payoff for top performers relative to the degree cost.

Lifetime Value Added (NPV)

Entry Level
Median
High
$0 Cost
-104k
+324k
+365k
$25k / yr
-194k
+234k
+275k
$50k / yr
-284k
+144k
+185k

Break-even Age

Entry Level
Median
High
$0 Cost
Never
26
25
$25k / yr
Never
31
30
$50k / yr
Never
38
36

Return on Investment %

Entry Level
Median
High
$0 Cost
0%
$25k / yr
-179%
216%
253%
$50k / yr
-131%
66%
85%
Sensitivity Analysis Methodology: These grids assume you begin your career earning the salary specified in the column header (Entry Level = conservative baseline, Median/High = potential upside).
Important Note: Your ROI with any major will depend on the cost you pay to attend the program, and your starting salary. Both vary significantly across institutions. We encourage you to explore the ROI of a specific program variant by selecting the Program title of the credential level you are interested in. You will then have a more detailed return analysis for programs at specific institutions. We also encourage you to use the ROI calculator with your specific estimates of cost and salary.

Education Impact

Advanced Degree Rate47.8%
Analysis: A large percentage of students in this field pursue Master's or Doctoral degrees to maximize earnings.

Top Professions

Human resources workers

8.5% of graduates map to this role
Growing
Entry Salary
$58,994
Median Salary (PUMS | BLS)
$90,040|$74,220
openings
87,200 /yr
Growth (10yr): +5.8%

Management occupations

6.3% of graduates map to this role
Growing
Entry Salary
$160,000
Median Salary (PUMS | BLS)
$116,620|$122,090
openings
1,147,900 /yr
Growth (10yr): +6.1%

Management analysts

3.3% of graduates map to this role
Growing
Entry Salary
$57,269
Median Salary (PUMS | BLS)
$137,445|$101,190
openings
98,100 /yr
Growth (10yr): +8.8%

Human resources managers

3.0% of graduates map to this role
Growing
Entry Salary
$70,805
Median Salary (PUMS | BLS)
$135,000|$140,030
openings
17,900 /yr
Growth (10yr): +5%

Financial managers

2.4% of graduates map to this role
Growing
Entry Salary
$88,521
Median Salary (PUMS | BLS)
$136,186|$161,700
openings
74,600 /yr
Growth (10yr): +14.8%

Top executives

2.3% of graduates map to this role
Growing
Entry Salary
$135,342
Median Salary (PUMS | BLS)
$208,218|$104,990
openings
333,100 /yr
Growth (10yr): +4.4%

Project management specialists

2.2% of graduates map to this role
Growing
Entry Salary
$57,269
Median Salary (PUMS | BLS)
$90,000|$100,750
openings
78,200 /yr
Growth (10yr): +5.6%

Customer service representatives

2.0% of graduates map to this role
Stable
Entry Salary
$16,320
Median Salary (PUMS | BLS)
$40,000|$42,830
openings
341,700 /yr
Growth (10yr): -5.5%

Elementary and middle school teachers

1.9% of graduates map to this role
Stable
Entry Salary
$43,000
Median Salary (PUMS | BLS)
$60,174|$62,500
openings
132,400 /yr
Growth (10yr): -2%

Software developers

1.8% of graduates map to this role
Growing
Entry Salary
$58,500
Median Salary (PUMS | BLS)
$90,000|$133,080
openings
115,200 /yr
Growth (10yr): +15.8%

About this Data:

  • Entry: Median salary for graduates aged 27 and under (PUMS).
  • Median (PUMS | BLS): Comparison of this major's graduates vs. the national market average for the role.
  • Growth & Openings: 10-year national projections (2024–2034).

Program Variants & Earnings Ranges

Summary of specific program titles and credential levels mapped to this major, showing the range of earnings across different colleges.

Program TitleCredential Level# CollegesMedian Earnings Range
No program variants found for this major.