52 Jobs With a Psychology Degree

So you have earned your degree in psychology — now what? Whether you have already earned your master’s degree or just a bachelor’s degree, you will always have some interesting options. First things first, consider your long-term career goals and plan your actions with your ultimate vision in mind. Here are a few things to consider before committing to a career choice:

• your passions and interests;
• your skills;
• your life experiences;
• supply and demand;
• your financial goals;
• your lifestyle goals.

Psychology is one of the most interesting, flexible, and dynamic fields available. Your degree is highly adaptable — some attorneys and physicians begin their career paths with a psychology degree. Even sales and marketing require a solid understanding of human behavior!

There might be career options you aren’t even aware of. They include:

• substance abuse counselor;
• behavior analyst;
• career adviser;
• mental health case manager.

Your skills are also sought by human and social services agencies. If you only have your bachelor’s degree at the moment, you can look for job titles such as:

• psychiatric technician,
• case manager,
• rehabilitation specialist,
• residential assistant at a psychiatric or substance abuse hospital,
• residential assistant for education support services.

Having a graduate degree in psychology will open many more doors for you. Traditional careers related to a psychology degree include research, counseling, and social work. Careers in research require well-developed analytical and critical thinking skills and the ability to test assumptions. As a researcher, you must be prepared to perform a wide range of tasks, from analyzing brain functions to studying complex social relationships. Here are some research areas you might want to look at:

• alcohol and drug research;
• medical school research;
• nutrition research;
• military research;
• social research;
• experimental research.

Careers in counseling may be very rewarding, particularly when you align your personal interests with those of your patients. Here are some options for you as a counselor:

• suicide intervention counselor,
• veterans counselor,
• rehabilitation counselor,
• school counselor,
• multicultural counselor,
• mental health counselor,
• marriage and family counselor,
• domestic violence counselor,
• depression counselor,
• geriatric counselor,
• child abuse counselor.

Careers in social work involve helping people manage difficult situations in their lives and, in some roles, addressing emotional, behavioral, or mental health issues. Social work jobs include:

• disability policy worker,
• family social worker,
• addiction social worker,
• geriatric social worker,
• corrections social worker,
• public health social worker,
• school social worker,
• probation officer,
• parole officer,
• pediatric social worker.

Your knowledge of psychology is highly valued in the business world as well. Companies want to sell their products to consumers, and they need to know what motivates people to spend and how they make their buying decisions. Here are some possible directions to consider in the business world:

• advertising,
• sales,
• marketing,
• management,
• administration,
• human resources,
• corporate management.

More jobs with a psychology degree:

• Clinical psychologist;
• Special needs teacher;
• Industrial-organizational psychologist;
• Engineering psychologist;
• Air Force psychologist;
• Army psychologist;
• Counseling psychologist;
• Psychotherapist;
• Biogerontologist;
• Educational psychologist;
• Child psychologist;
• Forensic psychologist;
• Cognitive neuroscientist;
• Further education lecturer;
• Cognitive psychologist;
• Occupational psychologist;
• Consumer psychologist;
• Sport and exercise psychologist;
• Art therapist;
• Existential therapist;
• Research assistant;
• Life coach.

Keep in mind that some of these jobs require additional education, training, certification, or licensing, depending on where you live.