Careers in the Psychology field

Looking for a job in psychology but not sure how to stand out? Give yourself an edge over the competition. Advance your career in psychology with a doctoral degree in one of the three fastest-growing specialties in the field. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, industrial-organizational (I/O) psychology, clinical and counseling psychology, and school psychology have the most potential for growth in the next 10 years. Learn more about these fields as you consider a psychology degree online.

1. Industrial-Organizational (I/O) Psychology

Think of this field as psychology in the workplace. Companies hire I/O psychologists to help them solve personnel and organizational problems. You could work with human resources on staffing, training, and employee development, or with management on productivity and organizational initiatives. Sales and marketing teams may request your help to develop and analyze market research.

• Why it’s growing: To stay competitive and grow, companies are increasingly turning to psychologists for help in hiring the best employees and identifying organizational opportunities. The need for a psychologist’s insight in survey and market research is also expected to rise significantly in the next decade.
• Job outlook: The fastest-growing field in psychology, employment of I/O psychologists is projected to grow 53% between 2012 and 2022. However, because it’s a small, niche occupation, new jobs will only increase to about 900 over the 10-year period.
• Salary: Median pay is $83, 580, with top earners bringing in more than $200, 000 per year.

2. Clinical and Counseling Psychology

Many people picture a clinical or counseling psychologist when they think of psychology. Clinical psychologists assess and treat people with emotional, social, work, school, or physical health concerns. You could help people with short-term crises such as divorce or adolescent issues, or serious chronic conditions such as schizophrenia, phobias, or depression. As a clinical psychologist, you could work in a variety of settings, including hospitals, mental health clinics, and private practices.

Counseling psychologists help people physical, emotional, and mental health issues cope with everyday challenges such as career issues or cultural adversity (e.g., race, gender, religion, or sexual orientation). If they’re not offering psychotherapy to patients, many counseling psychologists work in research or education.

• Why it’s growing: As the stigma surrounding mental health declines, more people are seeking psychological help for depression and other mental disorders, marriage and family problems, job stress, and addiction. This greater demand will see job growth for clinical and counseling psychologists in hospitals, mental health centers, and social services agencies. There is also an increased need to help the aging population cope with issues such as Alzheimer’s, as well as military veterans with PTSD and other war trauma.
• Job outlook: Employment of clinical and counseling psychologists is projected to increase by 11% from 2012 to 2022.
• Salary: Median pay is $67, 650 for clinical and counseling psychologists, with top earnings of about $100, 000 per year for those with 10 or more years of experience.