Bachelor's · Charlottesville, Virginia

Is Psychology, General at University of Virginia-Main Campus worth it?

High confidence High confidence: 100+ graduates behind the earnings figures.

The verdict · all families, in-state, half paid with loans

Pays back in time: graduates typically recover the cost in about 4.9 years.

Earnings 1 year after graduating: $43,374; Treasury AY2020-21, AY2021-22 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
Earnings 4 years after graduating: $67,448; Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
Typical federal debt at graduation: $14,475; NSLDS pooled AY2022-23, AY2023-24 cohort
Net cost to graduate, all families: $77k (likely $77k – $77k); AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
Earnings bump, year 4: $28k a year vs high-school graduates aged 25–34 in VA; 2023 ACS 5-year pooled, adjusted to 2024 dollars
Payback: 4.9 years (likely 4.2–5.9); Bump vs net cost plus loan interest
10-year net return: $1k (likely −$51k – $58k); Today's dollars
20-year net return: $345k (likely $211k – $489k); Today's dollars
Odds of finishing (school-wide): 94%; Fall 2019 or AcadYr 2019-20 cohort (differs by institutional calendar), reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
Borrowers making progress / in default, 2 years in: not reported / ≤ 10%; NSLDS AY2016-17, AY2017-18 pooled cohorts measured in 2018-19, 2019-20

Change income, residency or loans Compare Psychology, General at other schools

🍎 Getting ready in high school

Students heading toward teaching & helping people majors like this one often take these classes. Every school offers a different mix, so check with your counselor.

AP classes

AP Psychology
AP English Language and Composition
AP Statistics

IB Higher Level

Psychology HL
Language A HL

Build my roadmap 🗺️ Middle school to career, plus high schools near you that offer these classes.

Other majors at University of Virginia-Main Campus

Law (First professional)$284,309
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's)$224,229
Business/Commerce, General (Master's)$180,117
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management (Master's)$155,787
Systems Engineering (Master's)$152,854
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's)$148,175
Systems Engineering (Bachelor's)$144,830
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Master's)$143,020
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's)$142,041
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods (Bachelor's)$139,095
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Doctoral)$133,752
Computer Software and Media Applications (Master's)$127,420

Psychology, General at other schools in Virginia

Virginia Military Institute$75,059
University of Richmond$64,584
George Mason University$62,563
William & Mary$59,226
Shenandoah University$58,144
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University$56,365
James Madison University$56,212
Marymount University$55,869
Randolph-Macon College$53,687
Christopher Newport University$53,600