Careers You Can Have with a Psychology Degree, and the average salary
Most students who are studying psychology would like to find out the jobs which will be available to them after they graduate. Some of the different Careers You Can Have with a Psychology Degree and the average annual salary offered are listed below for reference.
So, how much money can you make with a psychology degree? Here is list for the USA:
Community or social services manager – $68,000
Analyst for market research – $65,000
Sales representative – $55,000 – $68,000
Human resources staff – $58,000
Public relations – $56,000
Probation officer- $56000
Social worker – $48000
Psychiatric technician – $36000
If a person wishes to become a psychologist or therapist, he will have to study further and get a masters degree
Job options
Psychology is the study of the behavior and minds of people in a scientific way. There are many specialized fields in psychology like clinical research, human development, sports, social behavior, health, and cognitive research. Most psychology majors will be surprised to find out that the best-paying jobs available for them are sales jobs. There are also many jobs available which are marketing, criminal justice-related. Many graduates will get a lot of personal satisfaction helping the community and those who are less fortunate. Though getting a Masters or doctorate degree will increase the annual salary, the job options are likely to be limited
A sales manager or sales representative
Since they have studied the human mind, the psychology majors are qualified to convince the customers that they require a particular product or service, so they are often hired in sales. Psychology helps people communicate effectively, make them ideal for sales. Many employers prefer these graduates because they know what others require and are persuasive. The graduates may be asked to sell a wide range of products ranging from pest control products to cars. Though the market and location, play a role, the ability to sell, determines, how much money a salesperson will make, since they are often offered incentives.
A sales representative can then work up the career chain to become a sales manager. The sales manager will manage a team of sales representatives and guide them to maximize their sales. The manager is also responsible for hiring the sales representatives, training them and their overall performance. Though the sales manager will not usually sell directly, he is well compensated, making this an ideal career goal for graduates. Some sources indicate that on average, a sales representative will make $68 K in a year, the top 25% sales representatives make $81 K annually, and a sales manager will have an average salary of $137,650. Hence this option is recommended for those who do not have a graduate degree
Market Research Analyst
Though market research is not a traditional career option for psychology graduates, it is becoming popular, since the graduate utilizes the skills acquired while studying. These skills include understanding what the consumers are buying, why they are buying it, the factors which influence their decision, how the consumers can be influenced to purchase a particular product or service. The analyst will also test the various theories and record the results. The analyst is mainly monitoring the behavior of humans, the various psychological factors. Many companies want to find out why customers prefer to purchase a specific product instead of others available.
Market research is required in almost all industry sectors, so their many career options available. Some of the biggest companies in the countries, businesses of all sizes, politicians are hiring analysts. Some amount of analysis is required by anyone who is selling an idea, lifestyle or product. The analyst will collect information, solve problems working creatively. This career option will expand the mind of the analyst. Analyst jobs are increasing at a rate of 19% annually for the next five years. The average salary is also good ranging from $62000-$65000
Human Resources Staff
Almost every corporation or business has a Human resources (HR) department for handling the employees. This department recruits new employee decides their benefits, compensation, training and also the designation of the employee. The HR specialists help the business in hiring employees who will help in improving the business. They can also help the business to detect any conflicts in the workplace and resolve them. Psychology majors are trained to detect when employees have disputes with each other. The HR specialist will help formulate the policies for the promotion of employees based on the long term goals of the company and making these policies known to the employees.
Since understanding people is important for the HR person, most companies prefer to hire Psychology graduates. Statistical data indicates that the average salary for the HR specialist is approximately $58 k- $67K. However, larger companies pay more to their HR staff, with the salary of the top 25% of employees making more than $80K annually
Public Relations person
The Public relations (PR) specialist job profile is similar to that of the analyst specializing in market research since it involves selling a positive image of a business or person. The PR specialist is responsible for managing the public perception of the company and ensuring that people do not hear anything negative about the company. PR is important since it also affects the sales of the company and the employees it will be able to hire. The PR specialists will first find out the problems faced, and then fix them using their training. All companies want a positive image in the community. In addition to Psychology, the specialist should have writing and media management skills. The salary will vary depending on the size of the company employing the specialist and is usually more than $50,000 annually.
Psychiatric Technician
For those who do not have a master’s degree, working as a Psychiatric technician is the closest to the work of the Psychiatrist for a Psychology major. The technician will usually assist professionals dealing with disabled or mentally ill people, by observing them. The technician will help in taking care of the patient, monitor the vital signs and ensure that the patient is safe. Most of the patients are elderly, and the technician is hired in hospital, mental health and other facilities providing healthcare. The knowledge of the Psychology major will be used, when the technician is assessing the patient’s health and reporting any behavior which is unusual. Though the average salary for this job is lower ranging from $31-36 K, there are many jobs available.
Social Worker
Employers prefer to hire Psychology majors as social workers since they are trained to understand the mindset of others, and why people find themselves facing different predicaments. Social work can be further categorized as child, school, family, substance abuse, mental health, and overall healthcare depending on the profile of the persons. It is an emotionally rewarding career since the social worker is dealing with people who are leading a difficult life and helps the children or entire families resolve their problems and lead a better life. Psychology majors will usually be able to find better solutions since they understanding the reason why people behave in a particular manner, the issues faced. A social worker dealing with children, families will make less money when compared to a social worker, handling medical problems. The average salary is approximately $48-55,000 annually.
Probation Officer
Psychology majors are hired for criminal justice-related jobs since they have a good psychological understanding of human behavior, why people take certain decisions that resulted in a crime. A probation officer helps those who are released after being imprisoned for committing a crime, to lead a normal life in society after being released. The officer also helps those who are put on probation instead of being jailed. Probation officers help these people from committing any more crimes in the future, and also improve the quality of their life. Psychology majors can use their knowledge to influence people to make better choices, manipulating their minds. The probationary offers are making approximately $56000 annually, though the salary is higher for more experienced officers.
Community/social service managers
The government and non-profit organizations are hiring managers for social and community service. These managers are planning, organizing and managing the social, community programs, and the staff. These managers are hired in small towns, large metro cities and almost all communities. Some of the programs which are managed are related to outreach, family and youth support, addiction, rehab. The manager has to ensure that the staff is working efficiently. Psychology majors are preferred since they understand how humans will reason, speak well, and also influence others. This is an ideal position for those who wish to help the community and become leaders.
Other career options
Psychology majors who do not find that the above jobs are interesting can consider other options that are also available, though the number of jobs is less. Child care workers, Youth counselor is suitable for those who wish to work with young people. Criminal investigators, jury specialists, research assistant, and insurance investigators are ideal for those who are curious. the Psychology major can also work as a journalist, author or editor if they have good language skills. Other options are working as a flight attendant or animal trainer. Though the annual salary will be usually less than $100 K, getting some additional certification can help get a better paying job.
After leaving Wells Fargo Bank in 2014, Daniel began a career as a finance consultant, advising companies and individuals on economic policy, labor relations, and financial management.
At Nimblefreelancer.com, Daniel writes about personal finance topics, value estimation, budgeting strategies, retirement planning, and portfolio diversification.
Read more on Daniel Smith's biography page.
Contact Daniel: daniel@nimblefreelancer.com
