What can you do with a psychology degree?

Psychology is a famously large discipline that offers something for everyone, from the origins and treatment of mental disorders to the genetic and biological processes driving human behavior. Its broad scope may in part explain why psychology is the 3rd most popular major in the country (IPEDS).

If you’re considering or currently pursuing a psychology degree, you’re also likely thinking about what your job prospects are after graduation, which extend far beyond becoming a therapist.

In this article, we explore what you can do with a psychology degree, including the career opportunities available at each degree level and nontraditional options to consider.

Clinical vs. nonclinical career paths in psychology

Career options in psychology can be divided into two paths: clinical and nonclinical.

Clinical roles in psychology involve direct patient care, such as providing talk therapy and diagnosing mental health disorders, and include jobs that require licensure (psychologist and mental health counselors). Nonclinical roles are essentially everything else, such as research, university teaching, and consulting.

Clinical psychologists often do a mix of both, treating patients in private practice while contributing to research in their specialization.

Jobs you can get with a psychology degree by degree level

The job opportunities available in psychology are closely tied to psychology degree level, with doctorates leading to the widest range of relevant jobs in the field.

Associate and bachelor’s in psychology

Psychology associate and bachelor’s degrees, like all undergraduate degrees in the social sciences, are generalist degrees. They provide foundational knowledge in psychological science but don’t offer direct access to traditional psychology professions, such as psychotherapists and psychologists.

An undergraduate psychology degree often leads to jobs in fields closely related to psychology, such as education, marketing, and human resources. Psychology-relevant jobs at this degree level include entry-level research assistant and coordinator positions, or mental health support roles that don’t require graduate-level licensure.

Based on a nationwide search on Indeed, the below are in-demand careers for people with just a psychology bachelor’s degree, along with their average early-career (0-1 years’ experience) earnings.

• Psychometrist – $58,000 – $94,000
• Mental Health Care Coordinator – $46,000 – $67,000
• Behavioral Health Specialist – $47,000 – $69,000
• Case Manager – $45,000 – $63,000
• Mental Health Technician – $39,000 – $54,000
• Mental Health Specialist – $45,000 – $67,000

Source: Glassdoor Salaries

Master’s in psychology

A master’s degree in psychology is particularly useful for becoming a therapist, and many people pursue it without a bachelor’s degree in psychology. To practice, mental health counselors in the United States need a master’s degree in counseling.

With lower educational credentials than psychologists, counselors tend to be lower paid: in 2023, substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors had a median salary of $53,710 compared to psychologists’ median of $92,740, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The most common titles available to people with master’s-level psychology degrees are Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC), and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT).

LPCs are the most universal title, as most U.S. states recognize them, while LMHC is the title accepted in a select few states, such as New York, Massachusetts, and Washington. LMFTs, while distinct in their focus on relationships, have a broad scope like LPCs and LMHCs.

If becoming a licensed counselor isn’t a long-term plan, then a master’s degree in psychology makes the most sense when used toward a psychology doctorate.

Doctorate in psychology

Of all psychology degrees, a doctorate in psychology provides the most career options in the field, from teaching and research in universities to treating and diagnosing serious mental illnesses.

Most psychology doctorate holders become psychologists (45%) or professors of psychology (11%), according to the APA’s Center for Workforce Studies.

Below are the most common career paths taken by psychologists, by specialization, and their average pay ranges across all experience levels:

• Clinical Psychologist – $98,000 – $180,000
• School Psychologist – $87,000 – $136,000
• Forensic Psychologist – $102,000 – $184,000
• Social Psychologist – $62,000 – $112,000
• Industrial-Organizational Psychologist – $75,000 – $133,000
• Rehabilitation Psychologist – $84,000 – $152,000
• Neuropsychologist – $103,000 – $192,000
• Sports Psychologist – $79,000 – $145,000

Source: Glassdoor Salaries

The largest portion of psychologists are clinical and counseling psychologists (37.1%) or school psychologists (31.3%) (BLS).

A 2021 APA survey found that the most popular specialty areas among licensed psychologists were clinical (44%), clinical child and adolescent (11%), behavioral and cognitive (10%), and counseling (10%) psychology. The least common specializations were group psychotherapy, industrial-organizational, and police & public safety psychology.

Psychology professors, the second most common job held by holders of psychology doctorates, earn a median pay of $84,380, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Depending on their level of seniority and experience, they can make between $90,000 to $152,000 on average. Some clinical psychologists split their time between lecturing in universities and keeping up a private practice as therapists.

Nontraditional jobs for psychology majors

The psychology major, rather than a path to employment by itself, is often a stepping stone to graduate studies, clinical roles, or academia.

The APA’s Center for Workforce Studies (CWS) found that the largest portion (38%) of psychology bachelor’s degree holders were in jobs unrelated to their degree. While most psychology-related jobs require graduate degrees, the major still opens doors to careers in fields that rely on an understanding of human behavior.

Education

Attuned to children’s unique developmental and psychological needs, psychology majors are strong candidates for early childhood and elementary education. Psychology graduates can also find themselves in the classroom as English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers, special education aides, or behavioral support assistants.

Among the holders of psychology bachelor’s degrees surveyed in 2019, 17% worked at educational institutions, according to the CWS.

Business

Psychology graduates are in high demand in most corporate sectors, particularly in human resources (HR), sales, and marketing. A wide range of for-profit jobs benefit from psych majors’ strong interpersonal, communication, and quantitative reasoning skills, including:

• Marketing Specialist
• UX Designer
• Human Resources Specialist
• Sales Representative
• Customer Service Representative
• Market Research Analyst
• Business Consultant

Additionally, some mid and late-career psychology bachelor’s degree holders work as financial specialists (e.g., accountants, auditors, and financial consultants), upper-level executives, and other management-related roles.

Social services

Working in social services is an ideal career path for psychology graduates who want to use their knowledge of human behavior to support primarily disadvantaged and vulnerable groups at the community level (e.g., in hospitals and schools).

Some entry-level social services jobs for holders of psychology bachelor’s degrees include:

• Case Manager
• Victim Advocate
• Child Advocate Specialist
• Social Services Assistant
• Family Support Specialist

In the social services sector, a Master of Social Work (MSW) provides access to more varied and better-compensated career opportunities.

» Read: A comprehensive guide to mezzo social work

Criminal justice

Criminal justice is a vast, highly complex field that needs workers who are sensitive to the risk factors contributing to antisocial behaviors, such as adverse childhood experiences, trauma, addiction, and systemic inequality.

Many psychology majors find employment in criminal justice settings (e.g., prisons and the courts) in roles like:

• Parole and Probation Officer
• Correctional Behavioral Specialist
• In-Prison Group Facilitator
• Case Manager
• Substance Abuse Counselors

These jobs often call for people who studied psychology, social work, sociology, or a similar field.

Where are psychology majors now? Real-world examples

The table below lists what former psychology majors reported doing for work now, based on their feedback on popular online forums like Reddit and Quora.

Most users with advanced degrees in psychology reported working in psychology-relevant roles that allowed for professional autonomy (therapists and professors), while bachelor’s holders worked in mostly supportive roles in mental health or in other fields.

Do I need to study psychology to find work in the field?

With the right training and experience, plenty of jobs in psychology are available without a psychology degree – even in the mental health field.

Therapy

Psychologists and mental health counselors aren’t the only professionals allowed to practice as therapists. Social workers can be therapists too, provided they are Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSW).

Like psychologists, LCSWs can provide talk therapy and treat and diagnose illnesses, often working with populations struggling with houselessness, substance abuse disorders, and other challenging circumstances. To become one, you’ll need to earn a Master of Social Work (MSW), in addition to collecting the required clinical hours and passing an exam.

Mental health support

Many mental health roles exist beyond the traditional talk therapist, and a handful do not require a psychology degree.

Jobs that provide indirect mental health support through initial patient assessment, coordination of their mental health services, and other tasks, can often be accessed with certification and relevant experience. Examples include patient care coordinators, peer support specialists, and mental health or behavior health technicians.

» Read: Psychology degrees and careers

Final thoughts

A psychology degree – whether a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate – offers a diverse pool of career opportunities to choose from, even if some aren’t directly related to the field.

If you’re still weighing your options, a social work degree is a popular alternative to a psychology degree, with the key difference being an emphasis on macro, or systemic, approaches to client support. To discover whether this degree may be the better fit for you, head to our complete guide to careers in social work.

Have your mind made up on psychology? Take the quiz below for a list of the best-value colleges for psychology majors.