Options for Careers in Psychology
While a majority of psychology students become psychologists, many options are available in business and industry as well as the traditional clinical settings. But even clinical psychologists can carve out a niche for their careers. Psychologists with advanced degrees have the most career options open to them.
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Outlook
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Psychologists study people and their behaviors to find out why people do what they do. Psychologists look for patterns in behaviors to predict future behavior. This work can be done in many settings, from schools to hospitals to business and industry. The job outlook for clinical psychology is best for those who have a doctoral degree in psychology, while those with master's degrees in psychology can find work in the business and industry sector, according to the "Occupational Outlook Handbook," published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The handbook notes the outlook is bleaker for students who have only a bachelor's degree in psychology; they are most likely to find work as assistants to psychologists.
Clinical Psychologists
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Clinical psychologists work with patients to help them overcome destructive behaviors or to come to grips with a major life-change, such as the death of a loved one. They may provide mental health care in medical or penal institutions. They may counsel students or senior citizens. Clinical psychologists can pick from several subfields to specialize in, such as health, neuropsychology or gerontology, the handbook says.
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Social Workers
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Social work is another option for psychology students. They can start out working for small public and private agencies, and may be able to get hired with only a bachelor's degree, the handbook says. But, it adds, advanced degrees may be required from the beginning for some social work careers or may be required if the person wants to move up the career ladder. Members of the clergy also may find psychology studies helpful as they counsel their parishioners.
Business and Industry Options
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The human resources field is a natural for a career in psychology. Employees in this field may develop standards for hiring people as well as provide career development options for people once they are hired. Another option is in marketing products for a business. Psychologists study our buying behaviors and advise on the feasibility of new products or how best to market them to consumers. The website Allpsychologycareers.com lists a number of career options for psych students, including employee trainer, consultant, and behavioral and research analysts.
Salaries
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Salaries depend on the sector a psychologist works in, but the Occupational Employment Statistics section of the Bureau of Labor Statistics says the median hourly wage for psychologists was $31.75 or $66,040 annually as of May 2009. The top 10 percent of psychologists earn $52.63 hourly or $109,470 annually.
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