This appendix was written by Jennifer Zwolinski, University of San Diego.
In Module 3, you learned about the work that different types of psychologists do and where they do it. Here you will find answers to important questions about pursuing the study of psychology: Will psychology be the right college major for you? What are the various levels of psychology education, and what kinds of jobs are available at those levels? What are some ways you can improve your chances for college success, and for admission to graduate school?
Lots! As a psychology major, you would graduate with a scientific mindset and an awareness of basic principles of human behavior (biological, developmental, mental disorder–related, social). This background would prepare you for success in many areas, including business, helping professions, health services, marketing, law, sales, and teaching. You could even go on to graduate school for specialized training to become a psychology professional.
To see if you would be well matched with a major in psychology, start by considering the questions below.
Do you:
If you answered “yes” to most or all of these questions, then psychology may be the right major for you.
Psychology is a very popular major. In 2014–2015, psychology was the fourth most popular major—6 percent of all degrees conferred. Business (19 percent), social science and history (11 percent), and health professions and related programs (8 percent) occupied the top three spots (NCES, 2016a). In 2015, more than 117,000 psychology majors graduated with a bachelor’s degree from U.S. colleges and universities (NCES, 2016a) (Figure D.1).
Figure D.1 Number of psychology degrees conferred by level of degree: 2015–2016
Given that this number has been steadily increasing since 1970 (NCES, 2016a), it is very likely that psychology will remain a popular major among undergraduate students. The popularity of psychology is observed at the graduate level as well. Over the last decade, the number of graduate degrees in psychology has increased dramatically—by 32 percent at the master’s level and 54 percent at the doctoral level (APA Center for Workplace Studies, 2015) (Figure D.2). As of 2013, of the 2.5 million workers whose highest degree was in psychology, approximately 1.4 million of them held a bachelor’s degree (Christidis et al., 2016a).
Figure D.2 Number of psychology master’s and doctoral degrees awarded by year: 2004–2013
In 2015, a full 77 percent of the graduating psychology majors with bachelor’s degrees were women. In that same year, approximately 79 percent of master’s degree recipients were women (NCES, 2016b), and 75 percent of doctorate recipients were women (NCES, 2016c). Although 75 percent of all psychology doctorate recipients in 2015 were Caucasian, since 2005, the racial/ethnic diversity of doctorate recipients has grown, with a 12 percent increase among Black/African Americans, a 36 percent increase among Hispanics/Latinos, and a 46 percent increase among Asians (Christidis et al., 2016b).
One study found that the number one reason psychology majors chose their major was a positive experience in their Introduction to Psychology class (Marrs et al., 2007). Other research has found that the top five reasons students choose a psychology major are that it provides the ability to help others, incorporates interesting subject matter, produces a better understanding of self and others, includes good career or salary potential, and offers the ability to conduct research (Mulvey & Grus, 2010).
The wide range of skills that psychology majors develop makes this major a “premier choice” for versatile career preparation (Halonen, 2014). This skill set is guided by the American Psychological Association’s (APA) learning goals and outcomes for psychology majors (Figure D.3).
Figure D.3 APA Guidelines for the Undergraduate Psychology Major: Learning Goals and Outcomes
(APA, 2013. For complete Guidelines, see apa.org/ed/precollege/about/undergraduatemajor.aspx)
Across all occupations, the skill set that twenty-first-century employers value includes social perceptiveness, reading comprehension, critical thinking, and speaking and active listening skills (Carnevale & Smith, 2014). These skills align with APA’s learning goals and outcomes (Figure D.3), which means that psychology majors will be well prepared for numerous professional opportunities and a range of graduate training options. In addition to exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, psychology majors develop a number of methodological skills that result from the focus on the scientific study of human and animal behavior. The study of statistics and research methodology contributes to a scientific mindset that emphasizes exploring and managing uncertainty, critical thinking and analytical skills, and logical thinking abilities. The ability to analyze data using statistics, conduct database searches, and integrate multiple sources of information are helpful in a number of professional settings. Prospective employers appreciate the excellent written and verbal communication skills among students who present their research projects at conferences and master APA style.
A psychology major would prepare you for many possible career paths. About 40 percent of students with a bachelor’s degree in psychology attend graduate school or receive professional training, which means the majority of psychology majors will be in the job market after graduation (Halonen, 2014). About 10 percent of Americans with a psychology bachelor’s degree work in STEM occupations (science, technology, engineering, and math), with over half of that group working in the social sciences. Another 10 percent work in STEM-related occupations, with most of that group working in health care (Christidis et al., 2015) (Figure D.4). The remaining 80 percent work in non-STEM fields (Christidis et al., 2015). Most individuals with a bachelor’s degree in psychology find work in business administration, sales, or education (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2015), with many others working in public affairs, the service industries, and computer programming (APA, n.d.). Popular occupations include employment counselor, interviewer, personnel analyst, probation officer, or writer (APA, n.d.). If you choose to work more directly in the field of psychology, a bachelor’s degree will qualify you to work as an assistant to psychologists, researchers, or other professionals in community mental health centers, vocational rehabilitation offices, and correctional programs (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2015).
Figure D.4 Where do people work with a bachelor’s degree in psychology?
A second option for psychology majors after graduation is to pursue a graduate master’s or doctorate degree in psychology. (More on this below.)
A third option is to pursue advanced training in other disciplines such as law, business, education, or medicine.
Drew Appleby provides a list of 300 careers that would be of interest to psychology majors (2016)—including those pursuing advanced degrees. The list includes links for more information about professional responsibilities, salaries, and job outlook for each of these positions. (See teachpsych.org/psycareer.)
According to 2013 data from the National Science Foundation, career paths differ depending on the type of psychology degree that individuals received (Figure D.5). For example, about half of individuals with graduate degrees in psychology worked in professional services, which includes positions in health care, financial and legal services, and counseling. In comparison, whereas some individuals with a bachelor’s in psychology worked in professional services, many of them worked in sales, management/supervision, and other work fields (Stamm et al., 2016).
Figure D.5 Where do people work with varying psychology degrees?
Betsy Morgan and Ann Korschgen (2009) offer the following helpful tips for increasing your chances of getting a job after graduation. Many of these tools will benefit students who plan to apply to graduate school as well.
If you work hard now and plan ahead, you may be able to avoid regrets later. A Pew Research study asked college graduates whether (1) studying more, (2) starting their job search earlier, (3) choosing a different major, or (4) gaining more job experience during college would have helped them to get a better job (Pew Research Center, 2014). About three quarters of the group reported that doing at least one of one of these things would indeed have helped them to earn a better job. Graduates’ number one regret? Not getting enough job experience during college.
In 2013, the average starting salary for a BA degree recipient was $35,108 (NCES, 2015). By comparison, the 2013 average starting salary for master’s degree recipients was $51,935, and for doctoral recipients was $53,458 (NCES, 2015). In this same year, the median salary for full-time, doctoral-level psychologists was $80,000 (Lin et al., 2017). The highest salaries were for individuals with doctorates in general psychology ($110,000) and industrial/organizational psychology ($108,000), with the lowest salaries for individuals with doctorates in educational psychology ($73,000). Psychologists with a doctoral (Ph.D.) degree had a higher median salary than those with a professional (Psy. D.) degree ($84,000 vs. $70,000) (Lin et al., 2017). Across a lifetime, individuals with a psychology bachelor’s are expected to earn $2,001,000, whereas individuals with a doctorate in psychology are expected to earn $3,157,000 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2012) (Figure D.6). Clearly, earnings tend to increase with education, and higher levels of education will almost always yield greater financial rewards over the course of a career (Carnevale, 2016).
Figure D.6 Salary comparison for psychology degree pathways
Among early-career psychologists, clinical neuropsychologists reported the highest median first year salary of $72,500, followed by clinical child psychologists ($65,850), and clinical psychologists and industrial/organizational psychologists (both $65,000) (Doran et al., 2016).
Psychologists rank number seven (tied with medical scientists) among the top-paying occupations for those with doctoral degrees. The lifetime salary in 2009 dollars was $2,515,000 for graduate level psychologists, compared to the average lifetime salary for all doctoral occupations of $3,252,000 (Carnevale et al., 2011).
Of course, earning potential should not be the only reason that individuals choose a major. Job satisfaction is another important consideration.
In 2015, an impressive 88 percent of U.S. employees reported that they were overall satisfied with their jobs, marking the highest level of job satisfaction in the last 15 years (Society for Human Resources Management, 2016). In a study of 27,000 Americans, the most satisfying jobs were those that involved “caring for, teaching, and protecting others, and creative pursuits” (Smith, 2007, pp. 1–2). Most of the occupations with the highest-ranking happiness levels involved helping others, using technical and scientific expertise, or using creativity (pp. 1–2). A bachelor’s degree in psychology can increase the likelihood that you will be working in a job that fosters these skills (Landrum, 2009).
High levels of job satisfaction have also been observed among individuals who attend graduate school in psychology. In 2009, a full 72 percent of new doctoral recipients indicated that their primary occupation was their first choice. Most new graduates with a Ph.D. are fairly satisfied with their current position in terms of salary, benefits, opportunities for personal development, supervisors, colleagues, and working conditions (Michalski et al., 2011).
If you choose to earn a graduate degree in psychology, you will be in good company. About 45 percent of those with a bachelor’s degree in psychology or social work go on to graduate school (Carnevale et al., 2015). Those with graduate degrees in psychology earn 33 percent more, on average, than psychology majors with only a bachelor’s degree (“By the numbers,” 2016). In addition to a higher salary and strong job satisfaction, a graduate degree in psychology will give you proficiency in an area of psychological specialization and increased opportunities to work in diverse areas of psychology. Also, individuals with the highest degrees in psychology have the highest rates of full-time employment (Christidis et al., 2016a).
Job prospects in the field of psychology are much better for individuals with graduate degrees. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2015), job prospects will be best for those in clinical, counseling, or school psychology positions for candidates with a doctoral or education specialist degree and postdoctoral work experience. Individuals with a master’s degree will face keener competition for positions in psychology than those with a doctoral degree.
Employment for psychologists is expected to grow 19 percent from 2014 to 2024, which is faster than average for all occupations. Employment will grow because of increased demand for psychological services in schools, hospitals, social service agencies, and mental health centers (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2015).
Both degrees would prepare you for more specialized training in psychology and increase your job opportunities in the field of psychology beyond the bachelor’s degree.
A master’s degree in psychology requires at least two years of full-time graduate study in a specific subfield of psychology. In addition to specialized course work in psychology, requirements usually include practical experience in an applied setting or a master’s thesis reporting on an original research project. You might acquire a master’s degree to do specialized work in psychology. As a graduate with a master’s degree, you might handle research and data collection and analysis in a university, government, or private industry setting. You might work under the supervision of a psychologist with a doctorate, providing some clinical service such as therapy or testing. Or you might find a job in the health, government, industry, or education fields. You might also acquire a master’s degree as a stepping stone for more advanced study in a doctoral program in psychology, which would expand the number of employment opportunities available to you.
It takes more time to complete a doctoral degree in psychology, relative to a master’s degree. Among graduates who earned a research doctorate (Ph.D.) in psychology in 2013, the average time to degree completion was 7 years after starting graduate school, or 8.3 years after finishing their bachelor’s degree (Lin et al., 2017). The doctoral degree you choose to pursue would depend on your career goals. You may choose to earn a doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.) in psychology if your career goals are geared toward conducting research, or a doctor of psychology (Psy.D.) if you are more interested in becoming a practicing clinician. Training for the Ph.D. culminates in a dissertation (an extensive research paper you will be required to defend orally) based on original research. Courses in quantitative research methods, which include the use of computer-based analysis, are an important part of graduate study and are necessary to complete the dissertation. Psy.D. training may be based on clinical (therapeutic) work and examinations rather than a dissertation. Many psychologists who earn a Ph.D. in clinical or counseling psychology conduct research and practice as psychotherapists. If you pursue clinical and counseling psychology programs, you should expect at least a one-year internship in addition to the regular course work, clinical practice, and research. It is important to note, however, that psychologists with Psy.D. degrees are not the only ones who work as psychotherapists; some types of counselors and therapists may practice with only master’s degrees.
Figure D.7 lists by subfield the Ph.D.s earned in the United States in 2012, the most recent year for which these data are available. Among the doctorates awarded in the 2011–2012 academic year, the most popular subfield was clinical psychology, followed by general psychology. Of these doctorates, the majority were classified as research/ scholarship (74 percent), with fewer designated as professional practice (24 percent) or other types (1 percent) (APA Center for Workplace Studies, 2014).
Figure D.7 Number of doctorate degrees awarded by psychology subfield in 2012
Competition for openings for advanced degree programs in psychology is keen. If you plan to go to graduate school after college, there are a number of things you can do in advance to maximize your chances of gaining admission to the school of your choice.
The first step is to take full advantage of your opportunities in high school. By enrolling in challenging elective courses and working hard to develop an academic skill set, you will have paved the way for success in college. Successful students also take the time to learn effective study skills and to establish disciplined study habits. Involve yourself in extracurricular activities, gain some experience in the world of work by taking on a part-time job, and look for opportunities to volunteer in your school and community. In addition to helping you grow as a person, becoming a well-rounded student with high standards helps you to earn scholarships and increases your chances of being accepted by the colleges and universities of particular interest to you.
During your first year at college, continue to maximize opportunities and obtain the experience needed to gain admission to a competitive program. Kristy Arnold and Kelly Horrigan (2002) offer a number of suggestions to facilitate this process:
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Landrum, E., & Davis, S. (2013). The psychology major: Career options and strategies for success (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall.
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Silvia, P. J., Delaney, P. F., & Marcovitch, S. (2016). What psychology majors could (and should) be doing: A guide to research experience, professional skills, and your options after college (2nd ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
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