Professional Opportunities
Today, well over 50,000 individuals are recognized as psychologists by the American Psychological Association (APA). These individuals have received either the Ph.D., Psy.D., or an Ed.D. at an accredited graduate school. The majority pursue careers as clinical or counseling psychologists of which roughly 33% are clinical psychologists and 20% are counseling and school psychologists. Another 15% of psychologists work in the areas of developmental, social, and personality psychology. The remainder is divided approximately evenly among the fields of experimental, industrial, and educational psychology. Among psychologists who specialize in clinical work, it should be noted that many work at least part-time in academic settings, teaching, or conducting research.
An individual with any degree in psychology may choose to pursue careers in either the private or public sector. About 45% of psychologists are employed at colleges and universities, about 15% are employed at hospitals and clinics, and the remainder are distributed approximately evenly among elementary and secondary schools, government agencies and laboratories, business and industry, and research institutes.
According to recent APA estimates, professional psychologists who manage to find jobs commensurate with their training and accomplishments can expect to receive salaries ranging from about $20,000 per year to upwards of $80,000. Specific salaries depend greatly on the degrees attained, level of training, experience, and professional accomplishments. Generally speaking, psychologists who choose to work in an industrial or organizational setting can expect to receive higher salaries than those employed in academia.
The following examples are approximations based on information provided from a variety of sources, including the APA and New York State agencies:
- An individual with a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in psychology who is employed as a mental health assistant at a state hospital might expect to earn an annual salary in the range of $12,000 to $20,000 or more.
- An individual with a Master's degree in psychology employed at a mental health facility or rehabilitation center might receive an annual salary from $18,000 to $30,000.
- An assistant or associate professor at a college or university might receive a salary ranging from $28,000 to $45,000 per year. A senior professor at a major university might receive an annual salary of $60,000 or more. At the same university, the department chair, or a distinguished professor, might receive an annual salary in the range of $60,000 to $80,000. The administrator of an applied psychology research institute might receive a salary of $50,000 to $60,000 or more per year.
The overall employment outlook for psychologists is fairly good. The job market remains competitive. Students planning a career should take into consideration potential changes or trends in economic, political, and social policy. For example, with the advent of managed care, the market for clinical psychologists has continued to change in recent years, with fewer openings at the Ph.D. level and more at the Master's level in mental health services.
Growth is anticipated in the areas of applied experimental psychology, including human factors engineering; cognitive development—especially the development of artificial intelligence and language skills; educational development (perceptual development in infancy, the acquisition of reading skills); and interface design, the application of psychological principles to the development of effective computer systems and software. In fact, freshmen may find employment in areas not yet developed.
Students are urged to consult with their advisers and network with students and professionals to get current information about the job prospects for graduates. Another source of information is the pamphlet Careers in Psychology and the book Is Psychology the Major for You? Both are available for inspection in the undergraduate office in 212 Blodgett Hall. They may also be ordered directly from:
The American Psychological Association
1200 Seventeenth St., N.W.
Washington, DC 20036
The pamphlet is free. The book is $9.95 plus $1.00 for shipping and handling.
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