If you’re considering entering the field of psychology professionally, it is better to find out career prospects in it. In this article, we discuss the four main psychology degrees and how you’ll fare with each. Additionally, we also mention the different sub-categories that make up the field of psychology.
Psychology Degrees
Let us begin by illustrating how well you’ll earn after completing any of the four psychology degrees:
Associate’s Degree
Usually, it takes students two years to complete an associate’s degree in psychology. The best thing about these psychology degrees is that most community colleges offer them. Even though some posts will require you to complete your bachelor’s – or higher – there are still opportunities you can benefit from with an associate’s degree.
For instance, if you pair your psychology associate degree with other suitable courses, your employability will increase. Select a subject from the social/health sciences, education, or business for the best results.
You can make a place for yourself in the following areas:
- Residential treatment programs
- Mental hospitals (psychiatric technicians)
- Crisis hotlines
On average, an associate’s degree can earn you a salary of $48,000.
Later, you can earn your bachelor’s by transferring to a four-year program.
Read about the other fields with the potential of becoming fruitful careers.
Bachelor’s in Psychology Degrees
Potentially, your bachelor’s will make you a specialist in human behavior and emotion. Therefore, the completion of one of these psychology degrees makes graduates able to interpret how human interaction works. That means you can join diverse fields, such as customer service, social services, and case work.
Even though many people believe there is not a lot of potential with a bachelor’s, that isn’t true. Many employers recognize the skills that these psychology degrees bestow on a graduate. Dealing with people and understanding communication are two highly valued qualities. What’s more, they don’t just work in fields related to psychology but are wholly transferable.
In any case, you can expect to qualify for entry-level positions where you either work with the public or assist psychologists. Moreover, you will also walk out with a solid foundation perfect for working for government agencies and mental health facilities. Students with a bachelor’s in psychology will comfortably earn a salary between $84,708 – $91,135. You can choose to apply the skills you have acquired in the form of psychological techniques or in research settings.
You can also consider using this undergraduate degree as a basis for advanced qualifications.
Master’s in Psychology
Your master’s is one of the psychology degrees that permits you to apply for licensure. On obtaining it, you can practice your craft within a certain state. To make that happen, you must spend a period under the supervision of an experienced psychologist. After that, you’d sit for a board exam. Clearing it will make various employment opportunities available to a master’s graduate.
So, you may be looking at a hospital or a private practice. There, your task will be to administer help to individuals and groups. You can also become a school counselor because the job requires the candidate to have a master’s degree and licensure.
Master’s happens to be a highly popular program for psychology degrees in the United States. The two characteristics that make it so are its productive salary, i.e., $85,575 – $92,007, and job stability.
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Doctorate Psychology Degrees
The higher the level of your education, the more career opportunities that will be open to you. A doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology, for instance, may find you a place in hospitals and private practices both. There, you will instruct patients on making necessary changes in their lives.
Likewise, as a school psychologist, you may become a consult for lower level psychologists. In this case, your responsibilities will entail ensuring that children receive the best opportunities for success in educational institutions.
But that’s not all since you can also choose to become a part of the research field. Looking for ways that treat mental disorders more effectively can be your path, for instance. Overall, a doctorate in any field of psychology makes you an asset to the organization or body you work for. You can expect that you will earn a salary between $86,789 – $93,229 annually.
Regardless of the level of education you choose, all psychology degrees are designed to help you become a knowledgeable professional. As a graduate, you will find that you can turn many opportunities into a lifelong career.
Fields
Consider these sub-categories and choose one that matches your goals most closely:
Clinical Psychology
Associated with this field are various specialties fields in psychology. Your job may take you to counseling centers, clinics, independent/group practices, and hospitals. It will involve the assessment and, subsequently, treatment of different mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders.
Developmental Psychology Degrees
Your degree will earn you expertise in development on multiple scales, including physiological, cognitive, and social stages of life. You may choose to get a specialization in a particular age group.
Engineering Psychology
As an engineering psychologist, your responsibilities will be to conduct research on the best way for people to work with machines.
Experimental / Research Psychology Degrees
While continuing to carry out your research in a university, government, private, or nonprofit organization, your job will be to study human behavior.
Geriatric Psychology
After completing your education, you will be an expert on the problems specific to the elderly population. Since a huge portion of the American population will join the ranks of the latter, you won’t lack for opportunities.
School Psychology Degrees
With one, your work will take you to school district offices or elementary/secondary schools. There, you will determine the behavioral and learning issues that students face today.
A bit of research will show there are many more sub-divisions that you can select for study. Likely, you’ll choose a sub-category that aligns with your passion. It may affect how much you bring home. But the decision to complete one of the four psychology degrees will have a bigger impact on how much you earn. Find guidance on other well-paying jobs here!