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10 PhD in Psychology Jobs

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Careers in psychology can last for decades, so you definitely want to pick the right path before you get started.

Psychology is a huge field, and jobs after a PhD in psychology cover a huge spectrum of interests, specialties, and industries.

You’re probably already well aware that those kind of qualifications don’t come cheap. According to 2020 data from NCES, the six or seven years you will spend in grad school getting that PhD or PsyD will run you anywhere from $73,000 to over $155,000 depending on the university.

Before you fork over that kind of cash, you probably want to know what jobs you can get with a PhD in psychology.

PhD in psychology careers are both lucrative and fulfilling. But they require specialization and focus, so you need to think about what area you want to concentrate in before you begin your PhD in psychology program.

These 10 doctorate in psychology jobs are some of the options on the table after you graduate.

1. Clinical Psychologist

Doctorate in psychology jobs don’t get any more iconic than work as a clinical psychologist. You want the office with a couch and people laying on it telling you about their childhood? This is the PhD in psychology career you pick to get it.

Clinical psychologists work directly with individuals and groups who need professional psychoanalysis to help them through mental health issues. Private practice isn’t the only option in this role, though. Plenty of clinical psychologists work in hospitals, clinics, and larger rehabilitation or long-term care facilities. You have a wide range of subspecialties you can choose from, ranging from addiction issues to couples counseling. Or you can remain a generalist, and enjoy the variety of challenges that walk in the door needing your assistance.

2. Research Psychologist

If you aren’t as much of a people-person, but are fascinated by behaviors and thought processes, then becoming a research psychologist may be the right pick for you. Research psychologists don’t engage in one-to-one therapy work, but instead investigate the causes and cures of mental illness in general. That can involve devising and executing psychological experiments, or mining huge databases of behavioral data to uncover trends.

3. Industrial/Organizational Psychologist

I/O psychologists make their mark in the psychology of work. Businesses and other organizations need to understand how group psychology effects productivity, happiness, and cohesion in the workplace. There is a science to workplace dynamics. A doctorate in psychology gives you the toolset to understand how groups interact under the hierarchy and pressure of a factory floor, a hospital ward, or a trading desk. Public and private companies can pay out big bucks for the right kind of advice to make their organizations more efficient and effective.

An online PhD degree can make it easy for you to build up the practical experience you need in this specialty even while you are still studying.

4. Forensic Psychologist

With shows like Criminal Minds and the popular CSI series making a splash in popular culture, a lot of people are pursuing a PhD in psychology with the idea of becoming a forensic psychologist. If you want to understand exactly how twisted and dark the human brain can become, a doctorate is definitely in your future.

But forensic psychologists aren’t usually chasing shadowy figures into dark allies and deducing where serial killers work and play. Forensic psychology is really a specialty that has to do with the psychology of law and legal process. That goes far beyond criminal justice, extending to jury evaluation in civil trials, public policy analysis, and even reviewing laws before they are passed to assess the impact on individuals and society.

5. Educational Psychologist

The human brain is in many ways a learning machine. How we process, absorb, and interpret the world around us is a constant consideration for all psychologists. But educational psychologists specialize in understanding how we acquire, process, and interpret knowledge.

Many educational psychologists work in schools, offering counseling to children, but it’s a broader role than that. Psychologists in this job may evaluate textbooks and curricula to make sure they are optimized for delivering information, or evaluate standardized tests to be sure they are accurately measuring knowledge. Educational policy and legislative development lean heavily on research pioneered by these doctorate in psychology jobs.

6. Developmental Psychologist

Developmental psychology is also concerned with how the brain learns and grows, but it’s a field with bigger fish to fry than just educational matters. It’s the study of mental processes across the lifespan, as the brain and sensory systems grow, mature, and eventually began to deteriorate. Developmental psychologists study and diagnose developmental mental health disorders, playing an important role in pediatric healthcare. But they are also active in researching some of the biggest issues at the other end of the lifespan, looking for ways to cure or treat Alzheimer's and other age-related psychological issues.

7. Social Psychologist

If you’ve ever wondered why a meme goes viral, the social psychology might be the PhD in psychology career for you.

Social psychologists take on some of the most fascinating challenges in the field: they specialize in how individuals both influence and are affected in their thinking by interacting with others. Group think is a thing, and how it happens is the province of the social psychologist. They examine how cultures come from shared thought patterns, and how those patterns both fulfill and constrain the thoughts of people within them.

Understanding social interactions and psychological effects is important for big companies, governments, and healthcare organizations. Social psychology researchers also have plenty of impact on marketing and sales campaigns, right down to picking out the colors for product logos.

8. Health Psychologist

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, health psychology has developed into one of the most fascinating branches of the field. The world has turned into a showcase of reactions to the coronavirus, from panic to outright denial, providing data that will feed future health psychology PhD dissertations for decades.

But it’s also a moment in which more people than ever need the kind of help and advice that health psychologists can offer. From counseling patients on ventilators and in isolation to advising public health agencies on the best campaigns to increase vaccine acceptance rates, health psychologists have had their shining moment thrust upon them. With new recognition of the importance of professional PhD counseling in healthcare, that moment isn’t likely to fade anytime soon.

9. Sports Psychologist

Becoming a sports psychologist is a dream job for any sports fan. Since there are a lot of sports fans in the United States, that makes it a particularly tough field to get into. But the rewards are massive.

Sports psychologists can and do work with pro athletes in any kind of competitive event, including big names who play for major teams. They might work for the teams themselves, advising on team building and coaching processes. In other cases, they work with individual athletes to maximize performance or help with injury recovery.

But sports psychologists play important roles in rehab and assisting amateur athletes, too. Not everyone needs to work for an NBA team to get satisfaction and deliver real results in this field.

10. Neuropsychologist

We saved the toughest job for last. Neuropsychologists explore the boundaries between the mental and the physical. They study the physiological processes underlying thoughts, perceptions, and feelings for a better understanding of how people think. That gives them an edge in determining when problems are purely psychological, or have a basis in physical injury or disease.

The reverse is also true, and neuropsychologists play an important role in research by helping the field of brain science interpret findings of imaging and experiments by translating them into effects on mental processes. New understanding of traumatic brain injury and diseases like Alzheimer's come out of neuropsychology research. It’s one of the most rewarding PhD in psychology jobs you will find.

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An academic in Psychopedagogy of basic learning in mathematics

About usUCLouvain is in the top 1% of universities worldwide. Founded in the heart of Europe in 1425, the university brings together 40,000 students and 6,000 staff members on 9 campuses in Brussels and Wallonia. Research and education activities ...

PhD position in experimental social psychology (Stereotypes and Generics)

We offer a fully-funded PhD position (funded by FWO – Research Foundation Flanders) in the Laboratory of Experimental Social Psychology (LESP) of KU Leuven. The position is currently funded for 3 y...

Associate or Assistant Professor of Social Psychology

About usThe University of Luxembourg is an international research university with a distinctly multilingual and interdisciplinary character.The Faculty of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences ...

Junior University Researcher with fixed-term contract - Developmental and educational psychology (Prof. Tschiesner, Reinhard)

CallRector's Decree n. 1891/2023 of 04.12.2023Call (pdf)List of recognized language certificates (pdf)Decree re-opening n. 1316/2024 of 05.08.2024 (pdf)Online application (link)ProjectObservational competences in the field of early childhood educa...

Postdoctoral fellowship with strong quantitative competencies for research within public health, occupational psychology, and public management

Applications are invited for a 3-year Postdoctoral fellowship to be based at the Department of Political Science and Public Management at the University of Southern Denmark, Odense. The position will be part of and contribute to an existing resear...

Junior Researcher Privacy risk perception in the smarthome at the crossroads of psychology and law

Job descriptionSmart home devices become more and more common in people’s households. Besides bringing numerous benefits, smart home devices also introduce new risks, specifically in relation to pr...

PhD Candidate: Effect of Online and Offline Marketing of Alcohol-free Beverages on the Drinking Behaviour of Young People

Employment 1.0 FTEGross monthly salary € 2,770 - € 3,539Required background Research University DegreeOrganizational unit Faculty of Social SciencesApplication deadline 11 August 2024Are you passionate about becoming an expert in the unique resear...

Employability for all!

The Research Group Occupational and Organizational Psychology & Professional Learning (O2L) studies the relationship between the individual and employment, with much attention for sustainable emplo...

An Academic in Psychopedagogy of initial learning of the French language

Become a Radcliffe Fellow

Radcliffe fellows are exceptional scientists, writers, scholars, public intellectuals, and artists whose work is making a difference in their professional fields and in the larger world.Based in Radcliffe Yard—a sanctuary in the heart of Harvard U...

Postdoctoral researcher in: Radicalisation measurement and prevention (1.0 FTE)

The Institute of Security and Global Affairs of the Faculty of Governance and Global Affairs is inviting applications for aPostdoctoral researcher in: Radicalisation measurement and prevention (1.0 FTE).Vacancy number 15072Preventing and measuring...

Research Assistant at the Donders Centre for Cognition

Employment 0.5 FTEGross monthly salary € 2,693 - € 3,636Required background Research University DegreeOrganizational unit Faculty of Social SciencesApplication deadline 22 September 2024Are you passionate about scientific research and eager to con...

Postdoc researcher in Social Sciences

About the FHSEThe University of Luxembourg is an international research university with a distinctly multilingual and interdisciplinary character.The Faculty of Humanities, Education and Social Sci...

Assistant Professor Professional Learning & Technology

Job descriptionOur research in the field of Professional Learning & Technology is situated at the intersection of educational science, human resource development, organizational psychology, and org...

Fully funded PhD positions in Psychiatric, Translational Research and Basic Neuroscience

Fully funded (and no tuition) PhD program in genetic, molecular, cellular, circuit based Neuroscience and translational, clinical research in Psychiatry. There is the option for a residency track for medical doctors.We welcome applications startin...

Doctoral fellow - Department of Human Structure and Repair

Last application date Sep 23, 2024 00:00Department GE38 - Department of Human Structure and RepairContract Limited durationDegree master degree Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy, Biomedical Sciences, or MedicineOccupancy rate 100%Vacancy t...

Full-time academic position in work psychology

The Faculty of Psychology, Educational Sciences and Speech and Language Therapy at the Université libre de Bruxelles, is seeking to fill a full-time vacancy in the area of Work Psychology.  The successful candidate has proven scientific experience...

DC 1 – PhD Position: Predictive models for early childhood obesity

The Healthy Adaptation to Pregnancy, Postpartum and Parenthood (HAP3) project aims to address the detrimental impact of intergenerational transmission of obesity and mental health problems from parents to infants in the first three years of life.H...

CAS - 10212 POST DOC Global health public health in Africa

Description du poste Postdoc / Postdoc description Département / Department : Unité / Unit : Center for African StudiesUniversité / University : Mohammed VI Polytechnic University  Durée / Duration :     years   starting ----- Intitulé de l’offre ...

PhD in Educational Sciences

The University | About us...The University of Luxembourg is an international research university with a distinctly multilingual and interdisciplinary character. The University was founded in 2003 a...

DC 6 – PhD Position: Testing the feasibility of the HAP3 ‘eSelf-monitoring and eSelf-management’ package for women and determine weight outcomes in pregnant women and partners

Dc 9 – phd position: implementation of an eself-monitoring and eself-management app in routine perinatal care.

Doctoral Researcher, Motor Neuroscience

 We are looking for a Doctoral Researcher to join Prof. Harri Piitulainen’s Sensorimotor Systems Neuroscience (MOTOR) group within a project ”Mapping function of hand proprioception in the human mo...

DC 11 – PhD Position: Health policies for facilitating the implementation of aneSelf-monitoring and eSelf-mamagement app and the related dashboard for professionals in routine perinatal care

Doctoral scholarship holder interpreting studies

Let’s shape the future - University of AntwerpThe University of Antwerp is a dynamic, forward-thinking, European university. We offer an innovative academic education to more than 20000 students, c...

Postdoc position AI and Digital Work in Agriculture

Job descriptionKey takeawaysYou will take on one of the most ambitious topics in the field of industrialization: digitalization and artificial intelligence (AI) with autonomous machines, sensor dat...

Capturing early heterogeneity in dyslexia by using modality-specific, naturalistic and neurostructural paradigms

The Dyslexia Research Collaboration (DYSCO) of KU Leuven is a collaboration on dyslexia research between the labs of Parenting and Special Education (Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences)...

A part-time academic in Teams management in healthcare (50%)

Professorship in Social and Organisational Psychology (W3) (f/m/d)

The University of Cologne is one of the oldest and largest universities in Germany. With its six Faculties covering a broad spectrum of disciplines and its internationally outstanding research profile areas, it enjoys an excellent reputation for i...

Opening of Academic Positions – Tenure-eligible Lecturers and Associate Professors

The Serra Húnter Programme (SHP) is offering 78 positions as tenure-eligible lecturer and 5 positions as associate professor at the public universities of Catalonia (Spain). Positions are available in different fields of study within sciences, lif...

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Job postings will be updated as they come in. Please check back regularly.

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Please note:  These postings have not been approved or reviewed by the Department. They are unsolicited, and posted for your convenience.

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For Research Experience Seekers:

If you are looking for research positions in the field of psychology, then you have come to the right place! Below you will find a spreadsheet where researchers in the Department of Psychology and beyond advertise their most recent research position openings. Positions vary in their research topics, eligibility, compensation, and responsibilities. To find the perfect one for you, you can use the filter function in the spreadsheet. 

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• Some popular filters include “Area”, “Compensation”, and “End Date for This Recruitment”

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• Once you have found the right position(s), you may directly contact the researcher(s) using the “Contact” information listed on the form.
• Sign up for the research position opening listserv ( psych-research-op [at] stanford.edu ( psych-research-op[at]stanford[dot]edu ) ) to receive notifications of new position openings. 
• We encourage everyone from any socio-demographic background to participate in and conduct research! For more information, please refer to the departmental Diversity Statement .
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If you are a researcher hoping to advertise the position openings in your group, you can fill in the forms below. Your postings will be immediately available to interested research experience seekers. While the positions do not need to be in the Department of Psychology, please note that most research experience seekers are looking for research experience related to psychology and neuroscience (broadly defined).

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Psychology Graduate School Openings 2024

The graduate openings listings represent departments and programs that have reported openings after May 28, 2024. The listings indicate available openings for the 2024–25 academic year.

Programs are listed in alphabetical order first by country (Canada or U.S.), then by state of offering institution, and lastly, within the state. Programs that are fully online are still listed according to the state/institution in which the program is housed.

Arizona State University

• MS in Human Systems Engineering Number of openings: 5 Contact: Yemille Moreno

California Northstate University

• PsyD in Clinical Psychology Number of openings: 20 Contact: Kelsy Harris, Director of Admissions

California School of Professional Psychology at Alliant International University

• Clinical Psychology PhD and PsyD programs Number of openings: 20 Contact: Joelie Mackesy

 Palo Alto University

• MS in Psychology (online) Number of openings: 20 Contact: Alaina Dunn

Palo Alto University

• PhD in Clinical Psychology Number of openings: 3 Contact: Alaina Dunn

Denver Seminary

• PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision Number of openings: 5 Contact: Rita Salcedo

Brenau University

• PsyD in Clinical Psychology Number of openings: 2 Contact: Madeline Altabe, PhD

Massachusetts

William james college.

• MA programs Number of openings: Varies Contact: Office of Admissions

Bakers College

• MA in Industrial and Organizational Psychology Number of openings: Varies Contact: Lisa H. Cree

Ponce Health Sciences University

• PsyD in Clinical Psychology Number of openings: Open, rolling admissions Contact: St. Louis Admissions

New Mexico State University

• PhD in School Psychology Number of openings: 2 Contact: Lisa S. Peterson, PhD

Pace University

• PhD in Social Psychology Number of openings: 4 Contact: Anastasia E. Yasik, PhD

Marietta College

• MA in Psychology Number of openings: 3 Contact: Ryan K May, PhD

Oregon Institute of Technology

• MS in Applied Behavior Analysis Number of openings: 5 Contact: Maria Lynn Kessler

Pennsylvania

Delaware valley university.

• MA in Graduate Counseling Psychology Number of openings: 11 Contact: Christopher Walter, MA, LPC

Sam Houston State University

• Specialist in School Psychology Clinical Psychology Number of openings: Varies Contact: Ramona M. Noland, PhD

Texas A&M University – Commerce (fully online)

• MS in General Psychology Number of openings: 15 Contact: Curt Carlson, PhD

Texas A&M University – Commerce

• PhD in Experimental Psychology Number of openings: 10 Contact: Curt Carlson, PhD

Texas A&M University – San Antonio

• MS in Experimental Psychology Number of openings: 10 Contact: William Erickson, PhD

APA is providing this information only as a service to connect students and programs. It is not an endorsement of either programs or students. Students and programs should determine if they are a good fit for one another.

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80+ Jobs in Psychology to Consider

Careers and Roles for Psychology Majors

Psychology Jobs in Therapy and Research

Applied psychology jobs, psychology jobs in the workplace, psychology jobs in healthcare, psychology jobs in education.

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• Finding the Right Career

The field of psychology offers numerous career paths both traditional (i.e., clinical and counseling) and specialized (i.e., aviation, traffic, workplace, etc.). Look through this partial list of psychology careers to narrow down your options to those that interest you most. Some of these career options are purely psychology; others are less related but still rely on the knowledge and skills acquired while earning a psychology degree .

As of 2019 , the demand for psychologists is expected to grow by 14% through the year 2026.

Art Therapist

Art therapists utilize the expressive and creative arts to help clients cope with psychological distress and to enhance emotional well-being. People who work in this field are trained in both psychotherapy and art. By using art, clients can communicate feelings, express creativity, explore different aspects, of personality, and cope with stress.

Art therapy is often used in a variety of situations, including:

• Adults suffering from chronic or severe stress
• Children with disabilities
• People who have suffered brain injuries
• People who have witnessed or experienced a traumatic event

Clinical Psychologist

Clinical psychologists  assess, diagnose, and treat clients struggling with psychological disorders. These professionals typically work in hospital settings, mental health clinics, or private practices.

Although clinical psychology is the single largest employment area within the field of psychology, there are still plenty of jobs available for qualified professionals. In order to become a clinical psychologist, you must have a doctoral-level degree in clinical psychology and most states require a minimum of a one-year internship.

Counselors help people with a wide variety of problems, including marriage, family, emotional, and substance use issues. While requirements vary, almost all states require at least a master's degree in order to become a licensed counselor. Typical work settings include schools, colleges and universities, hospitals, and mental health clinics.

Finding Your Niche

The best job for you is the one that you truly love, of course, whether it involves providing therapy, conducting research , or solving real-world problems. Before you decide on a career, think carefully about your goals, interests, and desired work setting.

Geropsychologist

As the population of older adults continues to grow, the demand for professionals to attend to their mental health needs also increases. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, by the year 2030, 21% of the population will be age 65 or older.

"Geropsychologists do everything from keeping older adults mentally and physically healthy and vibrant to working with those who are frail and have cognitive impairments," explains Deborah DiGilio, director of APA's Office on Aging . Geropsychologists can work in a wide range of areas, from providing mental health services to aging adults to designing products that make life easier for the elderly.

Experimental Psychologist

Do you love creating psychology experiments?  Experimental psychologists  use scientific methods and design research studies that explore many different topics within psychology. Social behavior , cognitive processes, personality, and human development are just a few of the topics that experimental psychologists might investigate.

People working in this field often specialize in a particular area such as cognitive psychology, educational psychology, or personality psychology. They may also be employed in a variety of settings ranging from universities, government agencies, research centers, and nonprofit organizations.

Consumer Psychologist

As retailers become more concerned with attracting new customers, the need for psychologists to understand consumer behavior in order to develop effective marketing campaigns has grown.  Consumer psychologists  not only study why people purchase goods and services, but they also analyze how family, friends, culture, and media messages affect buying behavior.

Some tasks that a consumer psychologist might perform include:

• Working with consumer focus groups to determine how appealing a particular product might be
• Developing advertising and marketing campaigns to appeal to a target audience
• Conducting theoretical research on shopping and buying behavior

Forensic or Criminal Psychologist

Forensic psychologists  apply psychology to the fields of criminal investigation and law. This has rapidly become one of the hottest psychology careers thanks to numerous portrayals in popular movies, television programs, and books.

While the field may not be as glamorous as it is depicted in the media, forensic psychology is still an exciting career choice with a lot of potential for growth. These psychologists often work with other experts to scrutinize insurance claims, perform child custody evaluations, and investigate suspected child abuse.

If you are interested in this area of psychology, you might want to also consider the related field of criminal psychology.  Criminal psychologists  perform a variety of duties such as developing profiles of criminals, assessing convicted criminals to determine their risk of re-offending, and helping law enforcement catch online predators.

Engineering Psychologist

Engineering psychologists  use psychology to investigate how people interact with machines and other technology. These professionals use their understanding of the human mind and behavior to help design and improve technology, consumer products, work settings, and living environments.

For example, an engineering psychologist might work as part of a team to redesign a product to make it more efficient and easier to use in a work situation. Those working in academic settings report the lowest earnings, while those working in the private sector report higher salaries .

Sports Psychologists

Sports psychologists  focus on the psychological aspects of sports and athletics, including topics such as motivation, performance, and injury. The two major areas within sports psychology are centered on helping to improve athletic performance or using sports to improve mental and physical health.

Sports psychologists work in a wide variety of settings including universities, hospitals, athletic centers, private consulting practices, and research facilities.

Traffic Psychologist

Traffic psychology is an emerging field that involves applying psychological principles to understanding driver behavior. Some areas in this field include:

• Designing vehicles that are safer and more ergonomic
• Researching how people use transportation
• Searching for ways to improve traffic safety and prevent auto accidents
• Studying the relationship between driver behavior and traffic accidents

Traffic psychology often involves a multidisciplinary approach, combining fields such as social psychology, behavioral psychology, and cognitive psychology.

For example, traffic psychologists might assess how perception and cognition influence performance during a driving task. They might also look at how individual personality affects a driver's  emotions ,  attitudes , and risk-taking behavior while driving.

Career Counselor

Thanks to the rapidly changing job market, many people are searching for a new job in their chosen field or even changing careers entirely.  Career counselors  help individuals make career decisions and utilize tools including personality assessments, interest inventories, and other evaluation measures.

They often start by looking at a client's interests, job history, education, and skills in order to determine which careers are a good match. They also help clients work on building skills, practicing interviews, improving resumes, and locating job openings. Assisting clients who are dealing with job loss or employment-related stress is also common.

Aviation Psychologist

Aviation psychology is a relatively little-known subspecialty area of  human factors psychology that involves the study of pilots, air traffic controllers, and other flight crew members. People who work in this field perform a number of different duties, which may include:

• Assessing cabin safety
• Conducting research on aviation safety
• Designing flight decks
• Evaluating prospective employees
• Investigating aviation accidents
• Selecting and training pilots
• Training flight crews in communication strategies and ways to assist passengers with in-flight anxiety

Industrial-Organizational Psychologist

Industrial-organizational psychologists (also called I/O or I-O psychologists) focus on workplace behavior, often using psychological principles to increase worker productivity and select employees that are best suited for particular jobs. There are several different specialty areas within industrial-organizational psychology .

For example, some I/O psychologists train and assess employees, while others evaluate job candidates. While there are some job opportunities at the master's degree level, those with a doctoral-level degree in industrial-organizational psychology are in greater demand and command significantly higher salaries.

One sub-specialty area of the field involves working in human resources management to screen and hire job applicants. These professionals are often involved in designing and administering employment screening tests and selecting job candidates that are the best fit for particular positions within a company.

Genetic Counselor

Genetic counselors help provide information about genetic disorders to couples and families. These professionals typically have graduate training in both genetics and counseling, and many have undergraduate degrees in areas such as psychology, social work, biology, nursing, and public health.

Genetic counselors often work with a team of medical professionals, including doctors, nurses, and geneticists to offer support, guidance, and assistance to families who have a family member with a genetic disorder or who may be at risk of passing down an inherited disorder to their offspring.

Health Psychologist

Health psychologists  study how psychological, biological, and social factors influence health. Two important areas of health psychology include helping people avoid illness and promoting healthy behaviors. Educating people about the causes of illness and teaching healthier habits are just two things that a health psychologist might do on a regular basis.

These professionals often work in settings such as hospitals, universities, health care centers, and government agencies. Some of the job duties they may perform include helping people to lose weight, stop smoking, eat healthily, and decrease stress.

School Psychologist

School psychologists  work in educational settings to help children deal with emotional, academic, and social problems. Thanks to increased interest in the mental health of children and federal education legislation, school psychology has rapidly become one of the fastest-growing fields.

Special Education Teacher

While slightly outside of a traditional psychology career, the field of special education offers a great deal of opportunity for those who enjoy helping children. Special education teachers work with students with a variety of disabilities.

In order to become a special education teacher, you must have at least a bachelor's degree and complete a teacher training program in special education. Because of the increased enrollments in special education programs and a shortage of qualified teachers, demand is strong and expected to grow.

More Career Options in Psychology

Did one of the careers highlighted above catch your eye? Or are you still looking for something that matches your interests and goals? The specific career you pursue will depend largely on your educational background. Some entry-level jobs are open to those with an undergraduate degree in psychology, while others require advanced or graduate-level study.

The following are just a few of the many psychology-related job titles that you might want to explore. Some are directly in the field of psychology, while others require additional training in another field or specialty area.

In either case, having a solid understanding of the human mind and behavior can be beneficial in any of these careers:

• Academic advisor
• Advanced practice psychiatric nurse
• Advertising agent
• Animal researcher
• Animal trainer
• Case worker
• Child psychologist
• Childcare worker
• Cognitive psychologist
• College admissions counselor
• College admissions officer
• College recruiter
• Community counselor
• Comparative psychologist
• Correctional treatment specialist
• Counseling psychologist
• Criminal investigator
• Crisis counselor
• Customer service agent
• Developmental psychologist
• Education administrator
• Educational psychologist
• Elementary school teacher
• Employment interviewer
• Employment recruiter
• Environmental psychologist
• Family and marriage therapist
• Financial aid counselor
• Grief counselor
• Human factors psychologist
• Human resources manager
• Human resources specialist
• Library assistant
• Literary agent
• Market researcher
• Mental health coordinator
• Military psychologist
• Music therapist
• Neurologist
• Neuropsychologist
• Occupational therapist
• Police officer
• Probation officer
• Psychiatric aide
• Psychiatric social worker
• Psychiatric technician
• Psychiatrist
• Psychosocial rehabilitation worker
• Public opinion surveyor
• Public relations specialist
• Recreational therapist
• Rehabilitation counselor
• Research assistant
• School counselor
• Science writer
• Secondary school teacher
• Social psychologist
• Social services specialist
• Social worker
• Statistician
• Substance abuse counselor
• Technical writer
• University psychology professor
• Vocational rehabilitation counselor
• Youth counselor

Before You Choose a Career in Psychology

As you can see, employment opportunities in psychology are diverse. Some careers require only a bachelor's degree in psychology, while others require more advanced degrees such as a master's or doctorate degree.

Spend some time researching different options and learning more about what's required to enter into those fields. Ask yourself if you have the commitment and drive needed to pursue the necessary educational training.

As you examine the variety of psychology careers that are available, think about some of the following questions.

• How well does the career fit your personality?
• What kind of training and education are needed to enter the field?
• Are the average salaries in a given field satisfactory?
• What kinds of things do people in that particular career path do on a daily basis?
• Does the career sound interesting, challenging, and rewarding?

Finding the right career in psychology takes some careful planning. It is important to start thinking about what you might want to do early on. This way you can start planning your educational map in order to achieve your vocational goals.

The Takeaway

The job options listed here are just a few of the many different career paths available in psychology. Remember that no list of predicted "hot jobs" can ever highlight all of the many options that are available in psychology. The important thing is to pick a career that is right for you, your interests, and your long-term goals.

Martin L, Oepen R, Bauer K, et al. Creative arts interventions for stress management and prevention: A systematic review . Behav Sci (Basel) . 2018;8(2). doi:10.3390/bs8020028

Schouten KA, Van hooren S, Knipscheer JW, Kleber RJ, Hutschemaekers GJM. Trauma-focused art therapy in the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder: A pilot study . J Trauma Dissociation . 2019;20(1):114-130. doi:10.1080/15299732.2018.1502712

American Psychological Association. Pursuing a Career in Clinical or Counseling Psychology .

U.S. Census Bureau. Projections of the Size and Composition of the U.S. Population: 2014 to 2060 .

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American Psychological Association. All About Human Factors and Engineering .

Rossier, J. (2015). Personality Assessment and Career Interventions . In P. J. Hartung, M. L. Savickas, & W. B. Walsh (Eds.),  APA handbooks in psychology®. APA handbook of career intervention, Vol. 1. Foundations  (p. 327–350). American Psychological Association. doi:10.1037/14438-018

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By Kendra Cherry, MSEd Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

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37 Psychology PhD positions in Germany

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