Careers for Psychology Majors

In 2002–2003 psychology was the most popular intended undergraduate major according to a survey of college freshmen. As a single field and not a constellation of fields, such as is true of business, biology, or education, psychology outdrew all others. In 2000, 74,654 students graduated with a bachelor's degree in psychology. Most students stop their studies with a bachelor's degree in psychology and find work related to their college major.

The study of psychology at the bachelor's level is a fine preparation for many professions. Of the thousands of college seniors who graduated with a degree in psychology, many were not necessarily interested in a career as a psychologist. In 1999, fewer than 5% of 1997 and 1998 psychology B.A. recipients were employed in psychology or a field related to psychology. Of the 1997 and 1998 B.A. graduates in 1999, two-thirds were in for-profit business settings, usually the sales/service sector. These students often possess good research and writing skills, are good problem solvers, and have well-developed, higher-level thinking ability when it comes to analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating information. Most find jobs in administrative support, public affairs, education, business, sales, service industries, health, the biological sciences, and computer programming.

They work as employment counselors, correction counselor trainees, interviewers, personnel analysts, probation officers, and writers. Two-thirds believe their job is closely or somewhat related to their psychology background and that their jobs hold career potential. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, undergraduate psychology majors earned an average starting salary of approximately $30,000 per year.

In 1986, the National Science Foundation published a report that suggested a bright future for employment of psychology majors. The report indicated that one year after graduation, 90% of the psychology majors entering the labor force were employed. After two years that figure rose to 94%. Those are encouraging figures when you consider the fact that some 70,000 psychology majors graduate every year and nearly half enter the labor force immediately.

The psychology major is not a panacea (in other words, it will not be the best undergraduate training program for all careers). But you will find large numbers of persons in a diversity of professions who have their basic undergraduate training in psychology. For example, it is not uncommon to find lawyers who earned a bachelor's degree in psychology before they went to law school. Medical and dental schools often admit psychology majors who have good academic records and supplemented their majors with courses in the biological and physical sciences. It is also not uncommon to find psychology majors going to graduate school in business or social work. Many others are employed in social welfare settings or as counselors of various types (e.g., re habilitation). So don't feel as though the psychology major limits your ability to find a job; it does not. Your marketability will be related to several other factors (such as your grades, skills, personality, and extracurricular activities). In a study of 797 University of Washington graduates in psychology, nearly 70% said if they had it to do over again, they would still major in psychology. Additionally, these graduates indicated that their degree in psychology was very satisfying as a means to personal growth and a liberal arts education.

Job Skills Possessed
by Psychology Majors

Human Service Skills

These are skills necessary for successful employment in situations where direct services are provided to individuals who are in need of help.

Perform institutional research and evaluation
Write reports and proposals clearly and objectively
Organize and lead groups, organizations, or committees
Recognize and understand behavioral and emotional disorders
Select, administer, score, and interpret psychological tests
Respond in an unbiased and tolerant way to individual differences
Display fundamental counseling skills with individuals and groups
Collect, record, and report statistical and qualitative information
Perform crisis intervention techniques (e.g., listening and referral)

Perform interviews to learn about people's history, problems, and plans
Contribute to program or treatment planning, evaluation, and implementation
Demonstrate small group skills (e.g., team building and conflict management)
Communicate effectively and sensitively in both individual and group situations
Obtain information about problems through library research and personal contacts
Critically evaluate theories and research and apply the results to solve problems
Analyze problems on the basis of personal experience and psychological principles
Understand and modify your attitudes and actions in interactions with other people

Research Skills

These are some of the types of skills essential to jobs in which information based on basic or applied research is provided to assist decision making.

Construct and administer questionnaires
Use a variety of types of research equipment
Collect, organize, analyze, and interpret data
Deliver verbal presentations clearly and persuasively
Defend ideas in a clear, objective, non-dogmatic manner
Be familiar with a variety of research methods and designs
Recruit research subjects and treat them in an ethical manner
Select, administer, score, and interpret various psychological tests
Write reports clearly, concisely, objectively, and in the correct style

Use library resources to research problems and prepare literature reviews
Identify problems and suggest solutions on the basis of research findings
Create easily understood graphs, tables, and verbal descriptions of results
Select and compute appropriate statistical tests and interpret their results
Assemble, interpret, and critically analyze research findings in specific areas
Use computers to write reports, analyze data, and perform bibliographic searches
Deal effectively with financial, temporal, and personnel constraints on research

Entry Level Jobs for Psychology Majors

The types of entry-level jobs for which undergraduate psychology majors are typically prepared are those that use "people skills" (for example, communicating with and relating to individuals from diverse backgrounds as is required for case workers, counselor's aides, and in sales, marketing, personnel, and management positions), analytical skills (for example, figuring out why a certain problem occurs and how to minimize or eliminate it), writing skills (for example, writing a logically developed report), and research skills (for example, using statistics, tables, and graphs to analyze problems and communicate relevant findings). It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that these skills can be used in a wide variety of work settings. Human services (counseling, social work), business, criminal justice (probation officer, corrections officer), health and recreation, and education are areas that come readily to mind.

Sample of Entry Level Positions Obtained by Psychology Majors

Business Area

(A minor in business would be helpful)

advertising trainee
insurance agent
personnel worker/administrator
administrative assistant
job analyst
public information officer
advertising agent
loan officer
public relations
airline reservations clerk
management trainee
sales representative

claims specialist
marketing representative
small business owner
customer relations
marketing researcher
store manager
employee counselor
media buyer
staff training and development
employment counselor
occupational analyst
warehouse manager

Mental Health/Social Services Area

(A minor in family and child studies, justice studies, health and aging studies, or sociology would be helpful)

behavior analyst
director of volunteer services
probation/parole officer
caseworker
drug/substance abuse counselor
program manager
child protection worker
employment counselor
rehabilitation advisor

corrections officer
family service worker
residential youth counselor
counselor aide
group home coordinator
social service director
day care center supervisor
mental retardation unit manager
veterans' advisor

Other Positions

Various other minors may be helpful when combined with psychology in these fields)

affirmative action officer
community relations officer
hospital patient service representative
child care worker
congressional aide
newspaper reporter
college admissions counselor
director of alumni relations (college)

park and recreation director
college admissions recruiter
director of fund-raising (college)
statistical assistant
community recreation worker
fast-food restaurant manager
technical writer

Much of this information was provided by the American Psychological Association, whose web site contains a wealth of information for students about the study of Psychology. Please visit the APA Web site.