How long does it take?

About 4 years, with a first real paycheque in about 4 years.

What does it cost and how much debt is typical?

About $32,000 in tuition and fees, and $30,600 of debt is typical for those who borrow.

University degree

Psychology

Q: How much does a psychology earn in Ontario?

Roughly $50,300 in the first years and $62,900 by year five (Ontario median, before tax). Verified against StatCan ELMLP (Table 37-10-0280), 2019 graduating cohort, median employment income 2 and 5 yrs after graduation, 2024 dollars; tuition StatCan 37-10-0003 2025-26: social & behavioural sciences $50.3k → $62.9k; avg tuition $6,406/yr; NGS 2020 debt.

Bachelor of Arts (BA)

Numbers for 33 of 52 pathways verified, the rest partly · How we verify

Years to credential4

First real paycheque~4 years

Time in a classroom85%

Total cost$32,000

Typical debt after$30,600

Demand in OntarioLimited

The first ten years

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Mostly in schoolEarning

Earnings by year, roughly

Ontario median before tax. Overtime, location and specialisation change this a lot. Net by year 10 after program cost: $320k, low to high $263k to $376k.

What's in "net by year 10"

Earnings, years 1 to 10	$352k	4 years at $0 while in school, then $50,300 rising to $62,900 by year five, flat after
Program cost	−$32k	tuition and fees
Typical (medians)	$320k	the number on the card
Low to high	$263k to $376k	pay 15% under or over the median, cost 15% more or 10% less

Not counted: income tax, rent, food, loan interest, inflation, and unemployment gaps. They apply to every route, so they change the size of each number more than the order. Pay is the Ontario median before tax from the sources on this page.

The picture

What the day-to-day isLectures, essays, research methods and statistics.

What actually stops peopleEasy admission; the bottleneck is graduate school, which most psychology grads never enter.

The downsideTo work as a psychologist you need a PhD. The BA alone competes with every other arts degree.

If you're the parentInteresting and useful as general education, but on its own it does not lead to a specific job. Pair it with a practical minor or a plan for further study.

Local opportunities in Ontario

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How to enter

What you need

Courses: English (U)
Average around 65+

Deadlines in Ontario

OUAC 101 application: mid-January for most programs; offers from February to May; accept by early June
OSAP opens in spring; apply as soon as you accept

Next steps

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✓ Verified 2026-10-26 Sources: StatCan ELMLP (Table 37-10-0280), 2019 graduating cohort, median employment income 2 and 5 yrs after graduation, 2024 dollars; tuition StatCan 37-10-0003 2025-26: social & behavioural sciences $50.3k → $62.9k; avg tuition $6,406/yr; NGS 2020 debt

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