Psychologist is, of course, one of the great jobs for psychology majors. But not everyone who studies the mysteries of the human mind wants to work with clients or be in a counseling or therapy career.
So, what kinds of jobs for psychology majors are there for people who don’t want to become a psychologist? And what are the career options for people who don’t want to pursue a degree beyond their bachelor’s in psychology? This guide breaks down your options.
What Are the Different Psychology Degrees?
Like nearly every major, you can earn one of four psychology degrees: associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate (Ph.D.). Some of these degrees offer you the option of “arts” or “science,” depending on the type of psychology career you want to pursue. As an example, a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology is a solid choice for people who want to work with people, while a Bachelor of Science prepares you for a career in research or teaching.
Within each degree level you also choose a specialization. That can be a broad topic, like psychology, or something more specific, like forensic psychology. Here are just a few specializations for psychology majors:
- Industrial and organizational: human relations in the workplace
- Forensic: using psychology in law
- Developmental: how humans grow and evolve throughout their lives
- Health: how psychological factors contribute to health and illnesses
- Social: how individuals are influenced by groups
- Clinical geropsychology: how to help people as they age
- Abnormal: the study of unusual behaviors
- Sports: helping athletes perform their best
- Rehabilitation: how to help people recover psychologically and physically
What Can I Do With a Bachelor’s in Psychology?
Though you may think you need at least a master’s in psychology to “do” anything with a psychology major, that may not be the case. “The field of psychology is vast, and there are numerous avenues people can take to achieve a career that brings them fulfillment and purpose,” observes Jillian Amodio, founder of Moms for Mental Health and a social worker. “There are a variety of careers people can pursue with a degree in psychology. A bachelor’s is highly versatile, and can be beneficial in careers such as human services, business, administration, HR, and sales.”
However, having only a bachelor’s degree could limit your career options in certain fields. “I would say generally those with a bachelor’s in the field are typically supervised by those with advanced education,” says Briana Severine, founder of Sanare Psychosocial Rehabilitation. “While there are positions that are very fulfilling, there can be limits to the upward mobility of these roles. If a person has a goal to achieve a leadership position it might be harder to do so.”
Severine also points out that a bachelor’s in psychology may not be enough to secure some roles. If you want to provide counseling or therapy to clients, you may need an advanced degree and a state-issued license.
Job Prospects for Psychology Majors
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) doesn’t break out the different jobs for psychology majors on our list. However, the BLS has some general information about the job prospects for people with a psychology degree.
Between 2022 and 2032, the BLS predicts that employment in the sector will grow:
| Job Title | Predicted Growth |
|---|---|
| Substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors | 18% |
| Human resources specialists | 6% |
| Registered nurses | 6% |
| Educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors | 5% |
| Psychologists, all other | 5% |
| Postsecondary teachers, all other | 4% |
| Managers | 3% |
| Elementary school teachers, except special education | 1% |
Top Jobs for Psychology Majors
If you think all jobs for psychology majors are people-facing, think again. “There are other positions outside of direct client care such as policy work in social work or being a research assistant,” says Severine.
So what are some jobs for psychology majors, both in and out of the psychology field? Here are some top jobs for psychology majors, along with their estimated salary ranges for zero to one year of experience from Glassdoor
1. Human Resources
Estimated salary range: $48,000 – $78,000
Sure, human resources is about writing job descriptions, figuring out fringe benefits, and completing other administrative tasks. But human resources also requires a fair bit of psychological knowledge. For example, when layoffs happen, it’s often up to HR to deliver the news. And in that case, you’ll rely on your psychology skills to help everyone navigate the range of emotions they’ll likely experience.
Explore Human Resources
Step into the shoes of a human resources specialist in this free course from GE Aerospace. Discover how to give constructive feedback, identify improvement areas, and make benefit recommendations.
Avg. Time: 3-4 hours
Skills you’ll build: Process mapping, data visualization, communication, Excel, basics of Lean
2. Educational Psychologist
Estimated salary range: $67,000 – $105,000
While educational psychology is about school, learning, and education, it’s not the same as being a school psychologist. An educational psychologist focuses on how and where people learn to create effective learning strategies.
They might work with people who have attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, to help identify the best way for them to learn. The client might have more trouble focusing in the afternoon, so the educational psychologist could create strategies to help this person focus by spending more time outdoors in the morning or by scheduling the classes they need the most attention for earlier in the day.
3. Forensic Psychologist
Estimated salary range: $62,000 – $108,000
When you think of a forensic psychologist, you probably think of someone who profiles criminals. While that’s one thing a forensic psychologist can do, they use their skills in many other ways.
Much of a forensic psychologist’s work involves evaluating people within the legal system. That covers determining if someone is competent to stand trial but also includes something like assessing a child in family court to determine if they’ve been abused or would be better off living with one parent over the other. They may also counsel crime victims or help evaluate police force candidates.
4. Sales
Estimated salary range: $60,000 – $109,000
Sales, of course, is the art of convincing someone to purchase your product, whether that’s a physical one or a service (like tech support). While salespeople have a lot of marketing materials that may factually explain the benefits of purchasing the product, salespeople have to use a lot of psychology to close the sale.
For example, someone who is interested in the product but resistant to purchasing it may not explain exactly what the problem is. It’s up to the salesperson to dig deeper and figure it out, without upsetting the customer. And once the salesperson identifies the issue, they have to come up with a solution that makes the customer and their manager happy.
Sales
Enhance your sales skills in this free course from PepsiCo. Create a sales pitch and coach your sales representatives.
Avg. Time: 2-3 hours
Skills you’ll build: Managing team members, collaboration, executing, relationship building, leadership
5. Sports Psychologist
Estimated salary range: $53,000 – $91,000
Sports psychologists work with athletes at all levels to help them play their best. Most sports psychologists help their clients overcome psychological issues that may interfere with performance, such as anxiety or coming back after a significant injury. While most of the work is psychological, there can be some physical aspects to it as well, like helping a client work through pain during physical rehab.
Interestingly, not all of a sports psychogist’s clients are athletes. Some sports psychologists work with everyday people who either want to start or have trouble sticking to a regular exercise program.
6. Account Manager
Estimated salary range: $65,000 – $106,000
Whether it’s addressing a customer’s concern or trying to find a solution, a degree in psychology will prepare you for this customer-facing field. In addition to using your conflict resolution skills, as an account manager, you often have to negotiate with and convince the customer that your solution is the correct one, or work with them to find an agreeable solution. All of this requires keen psychological insights and skills.
Client Services
Level-up your customer service skills in this free course from Bloomberg. Practice delighting customers by understanding their concerns and finding a solution.
Avg. Time: 3-4 hours
Skills you’ll build: Multi-tasking, prioritizing, triage, time management, problem solving, critical thinking, conflict resolution
7. School Counselor
Estimated salary range: $46,000 – $69,000
School counselors apply their psychology skills to elementary, middle, and high school students. Depending on which students they’re working with, a school counselor may provide short-term counseling (like helping a student deal with a classroom conflict), referrals to long-term services, or help a student plan for their future, like a job or college.
Engaging the Community
See what it's like to work as a teacher in this free course from Teach to Australia. Learn how to create impactful lessons and use data to make better decisions in the classroom.
Avg. Time: 2-3 hours
Skills you’ll build: Planning, organization, problem solving, leadership, communication
8. Experimental Psychologist
Estimated salary range: $62,000 – $99,000
As a psychology major, you may have been required to participate in a few psychology experiments as part of your classes. And if you did, you got a glimpse into what it’s like to be an experimental psychologist.
Experimental psychologists study human (and animal) behaviors — things like how we behave around each other, what we think, and how we feel. To get a better idea of behavior, experimental psychologists design and conduct experiments using humans to better understand why we do what we do.
9. Teacher
Estimated salary range: $36,000 – $56,000
Most people who teach at the K-12 level major in education, while some psychology majors go into teaching. That could mean double majoring in psychology and education. However, many people who major in psychology and teach work at the university level, teaching undergraduates and graduates as well as conducting research.
Leading a Classroom
Learn how to lead a classroom in this free course from Teach for Australia. Discover how to communicate with students, create a lesson plan, and engage the class.
Avg. Time: 1-2 hours
Skills you’ll build: Leadership, communication, empathy, respect, problem solving
10. Career Counselor
Estimated salary range: $49,000 – $73,000
And, finally, career counselor is another potential job for psychology majors.
It’s important to note that a career counselor is not the same as a career coach. Career counselors have a background (or degree) in psychology, counseling, or something similar. While a career coach focuses on helping you make career decisions, a career counselor also helps you identify what may be holding you back professionally.
Similar to a sports psychologist, a career counselor may help you figure out why you feel anxious before giving a presentation and help you devise strategies to overcome your anxiety.
5 Bonus Jobs for Psychology Majors
Of course, there are other jobs for psychology majors you may not have considered. Here are a few more to look at:
Clinical Psychologist
Clinical psychologists assess and diagnose emotional and behavioral disorders in patients. They also design a treatment plan to help the patient address their concerns.
Substance Abuse Counselor
A substance abuse counselor focuses their efforts on helping clients address and overcome their addictions. They may also provide counseling and support to the client’s family.
Business
Business is a broad career category that covers many job titles we’ve already mentioned but also includes titles such as entrepreneur, marketer, and manager. A background in psychology will help you navigate many of the interpersonal relationships you’ll need to be successful in any of these roles.
Marriage and Family Therapist
Marriage and family therapists work with couples and families to overcome challenges. Instead of treating each individual, they work with the entire family unit to help each person understand how their group dynamic impacts each other.
Researcher
In most cases, a psychology researcher is an assistant to a research psychologist. In this role, you’ll learn the basics of creating and running a psychological study.
Skills for Psychology Majors
No matter which job you pursue, your psychology major will prepare you in ways you may not expect, especially when it comes to the below soft skills:
- Communication: getting your point across clearly and concisely without upsetting others
- Empathy: understanding someone else’s feelings
- Problem-solving: finding creative solutions that work in a specific situation
- Active listening: hearing everything the speaker is saying
- Ethics: maintaining a patient’s confidentiality and providing them with the care that’s best for them
- Writing: creating notes and writing reports that are clear, concise, and neutral
- Research: presenting treatment options that you can’t provide or digging into other studies to help find a solution
- Cultural competence: different cultures communicate and interact differently, so it’s critical to take that into account when making decisions
More Jobs for Psychology Majors
Ultimately, a psychology degree can prepare you for just about any job and career path. And if you’re a psych major who isn’t sure what career is right for you, Forage can help you figure it out. Enroll in one of our free virtual job simulations and gain practical skills that can help you find your career fit.
Image credit: Canva
