View Career Profiles: Please Select Airforce PsychologistApplied PsychologistArmy PsychologistBiogerontologistChild PsychologistClinical PsychologistCognitive NeuroscientistCognitive PsychologistCommunity PsychologistComparative PsychologistConsumer PsychologistCounseling PsychologistCriminal PsychologistCultural PsychologistDevelopmental PsychologistEducational PsychologistEngineering PsychologistEnvironmental PsychologistExperimental PsychologistForensic PsychologistGeriatric PsychologistGerontologistGeropsychologistHealth PsychologistMedia PsychologistMilitary PsychologistNavy PsychologistNeurologistNeuropathologistNeuropsychologistOrganizational-Industrial PsychologistPersonnel PsychologistPhysiatristPolice PsychologistPositive PsychologistPsychiatristPsychological AnthropologistPsychometricianRehabilitation PsychologistSchool PsychologistSocial GerontologistSocial PsychologistSpiritual PsychologistSports PsychologistTranspersonal Psychologist

Professions	Job Responsibilities
	Accelerated master's programs in psychology compress 2-3 years of coursework into 12-18 months through intensive scheduling, year-round enrollment, and credit optimization. These programs serve working professionals and career changers seeking faster degree completion while maintaining accreditation standards. Costs range from $15,000-$45,000 total, with online and hybrid formats offering maximum flexibility.
Airforce Psychologist	Quick Answer Air Force psychologists are commissioned officers who provide mental health services to airmen and their families, earning approximately $95,000-$210,000 annually in total compensation depending on rank and location. The career requires a doctoral degree (PhD or PsyD) from an APA-accredited program in clinical or counseling psychology, state licensure, and completion of 5.5-week Commissioned Officer Training. Air Force psychologists Continue Reading
Applied Psychologist	Applied psychology covers everything from organizational psychology to neuropsychology and everything in between underneath its umbrella. But generally speaking, applied psychologist is the use of psychological methods and scientific results to solve real, tangible and practical problems that affect students and animals. It is a very general term and there are a great deal of professional psychologists who can call themselves applied psychologists.
Army Psychologist	Quick Answer Army psychologists are licensed clinical or counseling psychologists who serve in the U.S. Army Medical Department, providing mental health care to soldiers, veterans, and their families. To become one, you'll need a doctoral degree (PhD or PsyD) in clinical or counseling psychology, state licensure, completion of the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB), and military training. The median Continue Reading
Biogerontologist	Quick Answer Biogerontology is the scientific study of the biological causes and processes of aging. Biogerontologists research why organisms age, investigate age-related diseases, and explore methods to extend healthy lifespan. Entry-level positions require a bachelor's degree in biology, chemistry, or a related science field, while most research roles require a master's or doctoral degree. Medical scientists (including biogerontologists) earn a Continue Reading
Child Psychologist	Child psychologists are licensed mental health professionals specializing in treating children and adolescents with emotional, behavioral, and developmental challenges. The career requires a doctoral degree (PhD or PsyD), 1,500-2,000 clinical hours, and state licensure. Clinical and counseling psychologists earn a median salary of $92,740 annually (May 2024 BLS) with 3% projected job growth through 2034. The complete path typically takes 8-10 years depending on whether you pursue a master's degree.
Clinical Psychologist	Learn how to become a clinical psychologist with this complete guide covering PhD vs PsyD programs, licensing steps, and salary data.
Cognitive Neuroscientist	Cognitive neuroscientists examine and understand brain functions and how they relate to behavior and development. Their primary job responsibility is to study and conduct research on how and why humans think and behave the way they do. They combine science and psychological knowledge to try and understand how behavior and actions are controlled by neural activity and functions.
Cognitive Psychologist	Cognitive psychologists study the human thought process by examining how people process and store information, especially in regards to subjects like language, decision-making, deductive reasoning, and problem-solving. Their research consists of intensive study of the aforementioned subjects and then applying that information so they can help solve real-world problems and help people understand their behavior and the behavior of others better.
Community Psychologist	Learn how to become a community psychologist. Explore education requirements, 2024 salaries ($117K median), degree programs, and career pathways.
Comparative Psychologist	Quick Answer To become a comparative psychologist, you'll need a PhD in psychology, typically with a focus on animal behavior and cognition, and complete extensive research training including 3,000+ hours of supervised experience. Licensure may be required depending on your role—academic researchers often don't need a license, while those offering applied services typically do. The process takes 8-10 years after Continue Reading
Consumer Psychologist	Quick Answer Consumer psychologists study how people make purchasing decisions and what influences buying behavior. They typically need a master's or doctoral degree in psychology with specialized coursework in marketing, business, and consumer behavior. As of May 2023, professionals in this field earn a median annual salary of $111,340, working in advertising agencies, market research firms, tech companies, and consulting Continue Reading
Counseling Psychologist	To become a counseling psychologist, you'll need a doctoral degree (PhD or PsyD in psychology), complete 2-3 years of supervised clinical training, and pass your state's licensing exam. The entire process—from undergraduate education through postdoctoral training—typically takes 8-10 years and leads to a median salary of $106,600 annually according to May 2024 BLS data.
Criminal Psychologist	Also known as forensic psychologists, these professionals occupy a niche part of the field by helping law enforcement and investigators with important tasks like building psychological profiles, understanding motives, narrowing down potential suspects and examine evidence. They draw upon their psychological studies to understand criminal behavior and actions and help use that understanding to draw inferences and notice patterns in criminality.
Cultural Psychologist	Cultural psychologists study how culture and human behavior influence each other. They typically need a master's or doctoral degree in psychology with cultural specialization and earn an average of $99,560 annually, according to the BLS category for "psychologists, all other." Career opportunities span research, counseling, education, and public policy development across universities, healthcare facilities, and government agencies.
Developmental Psychologist	Quick Answer Developmental psychology is the scientific study of how humans grow, develop, and change throughout their lifespan, from infancy through old age. Developmental psychologists examine physical, cognitive, emotional, and social changes to understand how people reach developmental milestones and navigate life transitions at different ages. From a baby's first steps to an adolescent's identity formation to an elderly person's Continue Reading
Educational Psychologist	Quick Answer Educational psychologists study how people learn in educational settings and develop research-based teaching methods to improve learning outcomes. Most positions require a master's degree in educational psychology or school psychology. As of 2024, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median salary of $84,940 for school psychologists. The career path typically takes 6-10 years of education and Continue Reading
Engineering Psychologist	Quick Answer Engineering psychologists design technology and products that match human capabilities, making everything from medical devices to smartphone apps easier and safer to use. They typically earn a median salary of $92,880 and need at least a master's degree in human factors or engineering psychology. Career opportunities span tech companies, government agencies, healthcare, and academia, with strong job growth Continue Reading
Environmental Psychologist	Environmental psychologists study how physical spaces affect human behavior and well-being. To become one, you'll need a doctoral degree (PhD or PsyD) in psychology with a focus on environmental psychology, which typically takes 8-10 years after high school. While the Bureau of Labor Statistics doesn't track environmental psychologists separately, they fall under "Psychologists, All Other" with a median salary of $117,580 annually.
Experimental Psychologist	Quick Answer Experimental psychologists use scientific methods to study human behavior, cognition, and learning through controlled research. Becoming one typically requires a PhD (8-10 years of education), with 2024 median salaries around $102,000. Most work in academic research, government agencies, or private research institutions, conducting experiments, analyzing data, and publishing findings to advance psychological science. The human mind remains one Continue Reading
Forensic Psychologist	To become a forensic psychologist, you'll need a doctoral degree (PhD or PsyD) in psychology with forensic specialization, complete 1-2 years of postdoctoral supervised experience (varies by state), and obtain state licensure. The process typically takes 10-13 years after high school and leads to a median salary of $117,580 according to 2024 national data.
Geriatric Psychologist	Complete guide to becoming a geriatric psychologist: education requirements, salary ($96K+ median), licensure steps, and job outlook. Start today.
Gerontologist	Not to be confused with geriatrics, gerontologists study and research all the aspects of aging, including social, psychological, developmental, and biological influences. Gerontologists study the physical and social changes in people as they get older; they study the actual aging process; they study the importance of an increasingly aging population, and they identify, analyze, and attempt to understand the reasoning behind age-related disease.
Geropsychologist	Geropsychology is a specialized field focused on the mental health and cognitive well-being of older adults, typically those 65 and older. Professionals in this field address age-related challenges, including dementia, depression, chronic illness adjustment, end-of-life concerns, and caregiver support. Career paths include clinical geropsychologist (requires doctoral degree and licensure, median salary $90,130), mental health counselor specializing in aging (master's degree required, median salary $53,710), and marriage and family therapist with geriatric focus (master's degree required, median salary $58,510).
Health Psychologist	Quick Answer Health psychologists study how mental, emotional, and social factors affect physical health. To become one, you'll need a doctoral degree (PhD or PsyD) in health psychology or clinical psychology with a health focus, complete 1,500-2,000 supervised clinical hours, and pass state licensing exams. Clinical psychologists in healthcare settings earn mean salaries ranging from $106,410–$136,500 depending on setting. Every Continue Reading
Media Psychologist	Quick Answer Media psychology studies how people interact with media and technology, examining effects on behavior, cognition, and social relationships. Media psychologists research topics such as the impact of social media on mental health, problematic media use, advertising psychology, and how media influences attitudes and decision-making. While many roles require a master's or doctoral degree, some applied positions in areas Continue Reading
Military Psychologist	To become a military psychologist, you'll need to earn a doctoral degree (PhD or PsyD) in psychology, complete 1-2 years of supervised clinical experience, pass the EPPP licensing exam, and commission as a military officer. The entire process typically takes 9-12 years after high school and offers median salaries starting around $92,000 annually for civilian psychologists, with military compensation including base pay plus benefits and bonuses.
Navy Psychologist	Navy psychologists earn $60,000-$120,000+ with bonuses and benefits. Learn education requirements, service commitments, and application steps for [xyz_school_year].
Neurologist	Quick Answer To become a neurologist, you need to complete a bachelor's degree (4 years), medical school (4 years), pass the USMLE or COMLEX exams, complete a 1-year internship, and finish a 3-year neurology residency. Neurologists earn a mean annual salary of $271,470 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with Medscape reporting an average of $343,000. They diagnose and Continue Reading
Neuropathologist	Quick Answer Neuropathologists are medical doctors who specialize in diagnosing diseases of the nervous system through tissue and laboratory analysis. The career requires 13-15 years of training: a 4-year medical degree, a 4-year pathology residency, and a 1-2 year neuropathology fellowship. Medical scientists (the BLS category that includes neuropathologists) earn a median annual salary of $100,590 as of May 2024, Continue Reading
Neuropsychologist	Neuropsychologists study the relationship of abilities, behaviors, and cognitive functions of people. They are in charge of assessing, diagnosing, and then clinically treating abnormal development, medical, psychological, or neurological conditions and problems. They study brain anatomy, diseases, and dysfunction in hopes of better understanding neurological issues that afflict people everywhere.
Organizational-Industrial Psychologist	Discover how to become an industrial-organizational psychologist. Learn degree requirements, salary expectations, and career pathways in I/O psychology.
Personnel Psychologist	Personnel psychologists earn $147,420 median salary. Learn about I-O psychology careers, educational requirements, job outlook, and how to get started.
Physiatrist	Discover physiatry careers: medical doctors specializing in physical medicine earn $260K-$364K. Learn education requirements, job outlook & subspecialties.
Police Psychologist	Learn how to become a police psychologist with salary data, education requirements, and career paths. Median salary $137,590 as of May 2024.
Positive Psychologist	Explore positive psychology careers focusing on human strengths and well-being. Learn about education requirements, salary data, and career pathways.
Psychiatrist	A psychiatrist's career combines medical training with mental health treatment, requiring an MD or DO degree, a four-year residency, and board certification. Psychiatrists diagnose mental disorders, prescribe medications, and provide therapy. The median annual salary is $226,880, with a projected 6% job growth through 2031.
Psychological Anthropologist	Psychological anthropology studies how culture shapes human thought, behavior, and mental health. To become a psychological anthropologist, you'll need at least a master's degree, though a PhD is strongly recommended. Median salaries range from $69,960 for anthropologists to $111,040 for psychologists in federal government roles, with job growth projected at 5-6% through 2033.
Psychometrician	Quick Answer To become a psychometrician, you'll need at least a master's degree in psychometrics, psychology, statistics, or a related field, though many positions require a PhD. Psychometricians design, develop, and validate psychological tests and assessments using advanced statistical methods. The career typically requires 6-8 years of education and offers median salaries around $99,000-$105,000 annually, with opportunities in education, healthcare, Continue Reading
Rehabilitation Psychologist	Learn how to become a rehabilitation psychologist: 8-10 year doctoral pathway, 3,000-5,000 clinical hours, licensure, $94K+ salary. Complete guide [xyz_school_year].
School Psychologist	Quick Answer School psychologists work with K-12 students, teachers, and families to support academic success, mental health, and behavioral needs. You'll need a master's degree or specialist degree (containing 60 or more graduate credits), 1,200 internship hours, and state licensure. The median salary is $81,500 nationwide, with a projected 6% job growth through 2031. School plays a critical role in Continue Reading
Social Gerontologist	Social gerontology is an interdisciplinary field (not a licensed profession) where professionals work with older adults to improve quality of life through advocacy, care coordination, and community program development. Most positions require a master's degree in social work, gerontology, or related fields. According to the BLS May 2024 data, healthcare social workers serving elderly populations earn a median salary of $68,090, with experienced professionals earning $97,570 or more annually.
Social Psychologist	Discover how to become a social psychologist with our complete guide. Learn education requirements, salary data ($111,340 median), career paths, and job outlook.
Spiritual Psychologist	Explore spiritual psychologist careers, education paths, salaries, and accredited programs. Complete guide to becoming a spiritual psychology professional.
Sports Psychologist	Sports psychologists help athletes overcome mental barriers and enhance performance through counseling and mental training techniques. To become a sports psychologist, you'll need a master's or doctoral degree in psychology with a specialization in sports, state licensure for clinical practice, and optional certification (CMPC). Median salaries for psychologists were $94,310 annually in 2024, with specialized sports psychologists often earning $100,000-$150,000+.
Transpersonal Psychologist	Transpersonal psychologists use knowledge of the psychology of spirituality and the spiritual side of the human mind to help patients unlock enhanced capacity for thought, creativity, emotion, and compassion. It helps people better understand themselves and analyzes transpersonal experiences and what effect they have on the perception, emotions, and spiritual development of the person.

What Is the Practice of Psychology?

Psychology is the study of the human mind and its functions. Psychology is a science, and therefore relies heavily on experimentation and data. Though the field is certainly informed by anecdotal evidence, as well as individual and group experiences, its foundation rests on the scientific process and quantitative evidence.

"Psychology" is an umbrella term that encompasses a large range of niche sciences. These include cognitive behavioral psychology, hypnotherapy, counseling, social work, and pain research, to name a few. Psychologists may focus on a single age group, such as adolescents or the elderly, or a single population, such as an entire ethnic group.

The practice of psychology requires careful analysis, data collection, and observation of human thoughts, behaviors, and emotions. Psychologists rely on evaluation, assessment, and experimentation to help individuals find solutions to behavioral problems and to increase the psychologist's understanding of the brain. To this end, the practice of psychology may focus either on individual experiences or on patterns of human thought and behavior. Psychologists may seek insights into the underlying cause of behavior or dysfunction through a variety of assessment techniques, such as talk therapy, psychotherapy, experimentation, or other means.

Read more about the practice of psychology.

What Does a Psychologist Do?

The main goal of a psychologist is to understand the reasons behind otherwise unclear thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. People experience a huge range of feelings about events in their lives, people, relationships, career and family, and more. Some of those feelings are healthy, and some may have damaging short-term and long-term effects. A psychologist's role is to help people improve, day by day, so their interactions with the world around them become increasingly healthy and happy.

Psychologists help to treat a wide variety of behavioral disorders, such as anger, depression, anxiety, guilt, grief, and more. They may also help treat chronic conditions, such as congenital mental disorders (think schizophrenia) or pain conditions (think fibromyalgia). Any life-disrupting condition with its roots in the human mind can qualify a person for psychological help.

Core Duties and Responsibilities

While a psychologist's duties depend heavily on the specific job they perform, these duties may include:

• Helping patients or clients to work through emotional disruption, such as death, moving, loss of a job, divorce or other major life changes
• Collecting information about patients through assessments, evaluations, surveys or other methods
• Researching and identifying patterns of human behavior
• Assisting with serious mental disturbances, such as psychosis, neurosis, obsessive-compulsive disorder, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and much more
• Conducting scientific experiments and studies
• Looking for and testing patterns of human thought and behavior
• Writing and publishing articles to add to the overall understanding in the field
• Working with other members of a care team, such as physicians, family members, orderlies, nurses or specialists
• Helping people through both short-term problems (such as grief) and longer-term issues such as serious mental disorders
• Giving patients tools to help them deal with stress, anxiet,y and other normal human emotions
• Providing support in overcoming addictions or other hindering conditions

Common Career Paths

Depending on which of these duties interests you, the patient demographic you would like to focus on, and the type of setting in which you want to work, you may opt for a number of different roles. These include:

• Clinical psychologists, who diagnose a variety of mental, social, emotional, or behavioral disorders
• Neuropsychologists, who study the effects of trauma and injury on the brain
• Counseling psychologists, who help their patients deal with a wide variety of life challenges
• Health psychologists, who study and aid patients with the interaction between mental and physical symptoms and maladies
• Forensic psychologists, who give evidence in court and help other lawmakers understand human motivations
• Workplace psychologists, who help people and organizations function in more healthful ways at work
• Developmental psychologists, who study the path of the human mind through life
• School psychologists, who assist students and teachers in educational settings
• Social workers, who use psychological principles to assess and make recommendations about home and living situations

Typical Work Environment & Occupational Challenges

Most psychologists work in private practice, generating their own client base and serving either specific populations or working as general practitioners, serving patients with any need they are qualified to help with. Those who don't work for themselves usually work in schools, government facilities, clinics, or hospitals. These may include elementary schools to colleges, inpatient and outpatient programs, physician offices, rehab centers, and mental health institutions. Other psychologists work in corporate settings.

Some psychologists work as researchers at universities or other institutions of learning and spend most of their time devising and carrying out studies, then interpreting the results. Still others may travel from place to place performing assessments and making recommendations about the setup of schools, foster homes, family homes, and more.

Most psychologists work full-time, and many work in the evenings and on weekends to accommodate their patients' work schedules. While practicing psychologists often set their own hours, it is common for a psychologist in private practice to exceed the typical 40-hour work week.

Psychologists, like many professions in the field of mental health, must be prepared to witness difficult and sometimes even heartbreaking situations. Abuse and neglect are common issues, as are severe traumas such as rape, progressive illness, or death. To deal with these challenges, it is important for a psychologist to make their own mental health and wellness a priority, along with proper fitness, rest, and diet.

Psychologist Salary & Job Outlook

Whether they're delivering direct patient care in the clinical setting, providing counseling services, or taking one of the career paths in areas like research, consulting, applied psychology or academia, psychologists have a nuanced understanding of the human condition that can only be gained through years of study and residency training. That depth of knowledge comes with a respectable salary to match.

The median psychologist salary was $81,040 according to May 2021 BLS stats. Salaries for psychologists vary significantly based on geographic locale, the industry in which they work, and the psychology specialty they practice.

Salary by Industry and Setting

The industry or setting in which you work as a psychologist will play a large role in your earning potential. The BLS reports that psychologists working in government earn some of the highest salaries, followed by those working in hospitals and ambulatory care centers.

Work Setting	Median Annual Salary
Government	$103,850
Hospitals	$99,330
Ambulatory healthcare services	$83,770
Elementary and secondary schools	$78,830

It should be noted that independent psychologists working either as consultants or in their own counseling practice have the ability to earn far more than the salaries highlighted by the BLS. Specializing in fields like forensic psychology or I-O psychology, starting your own independent consultancy, and building a practice that serves unique needs can position you to earn significantly more than typical employer-offered salaries.

Clinical, Counseling, and School Psychologist Salaries

Despite the different roles and practice settings for clinical and counseling psychologists, they all fall under the broad category of "licensed psychologist," requiring state licensure to practice as independent healthcare providers.

As of May 2022, the BLS reports clinical and counseling psychologists earned an average salary of $102,740, while the top ten percent earned more than $168,790.

Clinical and counseling psychologists earn the highest mean salaries when working in clinical settings, such as:

• Employment services: $128,300
• Offices of other health practitioners: $111,750
• Insurance carriers: $111,420
• Home healthcare services: $110,570
• Educational support services: $108,530

School psychologists, who are similar to clinical and counseling psychologists but work in educational settings, earned an average salary of $87,550 in May 2022. In elementary and secondary schools, their average annual income was $87,320.

Neuropsychologist Salaries

Neuropsychologists earn a median salary of $106,000+ annually while evaluating cognitive functioning in patients with brain injuries, stroke, dementia, and other neurological conditions.

Industrial-Organizational Psychologist Salaries

Industrial-organizational psychologists are experts in the study of people and the workplace, applying psychological principles to designing work environments for optimal efficiency, safety, and worker morale. Working directly for massive corporations or third-party contracted consultancies, this specialized branch of applied psychology is highly valued for its ability to add significantly to the bottom line while keeping staff happy and injury-free.

According to the BLS, industrial-organizational (I-O) psychologists earned an average salary of $144,610 as of May 2022, with the top earners in the field making more than $210,030 a year.

College-Level Psychology Instructor Salaries

Postsecondary psychology teachers, including staff instructors and tenured professors at universities and colleges, earned an average of $88,470 as of May 2022.

Psychology Specialists Salaries

Psychology specialists, including forensic psychologists, social psychologists, neuropsychologists, and cognitive and developmental psychologists, earn significantly more than clinical, counseling, school, and I-O psychologists, reporting a median salary of $106,420 as of May 2022. This is likely attributable to advanced knowledge in specialty areas of psychology and the nature of fields like forensics, in which practitioners set their own consulting fees.

Essential Skills & Job Requirements

The job title and job description of a psychologist may vary greatly depending on the role and the setting in which they work. To be successful, a psychologist must be able to adapt to their environment and harness a wide base of knowledge and specialized skills.

Key Professional Skills

• Good bedside manner and interpersonal communication skills
• A firm understanding of psychological tenets, human behaviors and motivations, and the main conditions that typically affect people
• Knowledge of severe psychological conditions and evidence-based treatment approaches
• Ability to work collaboratively with patients, family members, other members of the medical community, specialists, and educators
• Excellent observational and analytical skills for assessment and diagnosis
• Good communication skills for explaining complex concepts to diverse audiences
• Skepticism without judgment, enabling you to question patients on their thoughts and beliefs without being unkind or unsympathetic
• Patience, as change often takes a long time
• Excellent problem-solving skills for treatment planning
• Trustworthiness and ethical decision-making
• Facility with a range of psychological techniques, such as behavioral therapy, psychotherapy, talk therapy, and more

Read about the 50 Best Jobs for Psychologists and search our psychology job board.

Psychology Training, Licensure, and Certification

Students who earn a bachelor's degree in psychology may be able to find employment in a support role, but they are restricted (by law) from taking part in advanced duties and client interactions. Examples of such entry-level roles include research assistant, data analyst, or administrative assistant.

Master's Degree Requirements

A master's degree is required to practice psychology (and to refer to oneself as a "Psychologist") in every state across the country. It is the professional standard that every person must meet if they wish to pursue private practice or to treat patients with mental health issues.

Many licensed professional psychologists choose to pursue a doctoral degree after completing a master's program, which further increases their career options. With a doctoral degree, an individual possesses the credentials to teach in an academic setting and may pursue advanced research projects. Individuals holding a doctoral degree may also practice as a clinical, counseling, or research psychologist and are qualified for dozens of other job titles that require an advanced degree.

Educational Pathway

The typical path to becoming a psychologist begins with a bachelor's degree. Students enrolled in a bachelor's program will learn the fundamentals of psychology practice, along with basic concepts and principles. Core curriculum will include some of the prerequisites necessary to apply to a master's program, but students should be careful to address all the prerequisite courses required by master's programs if they intend to pursue the career beyond the entry level.

To pursue a psychology career in earnest, an individual must plan to earn a master's degree. A master's degree in psychology (or a closely related field) will prepare a student to practice in settings ranging from hospitals, private practice, and community mental health centers, with advanced theoretical concepts grounded in clinical practice. The degree satisfies the education requirements for licensing established by virtually all states across the country, and is a legal requirement to treat patients in a counseling, therapy, or clinical setting.

Learn more about psychology schools and colleges.

State-Specific Licensing Requirements

Each state has unique licensing requirements for psychologists. Explore state-specific licensing, education, and certification requirements through the interactive map below.

Frequently Asked Questions About Psychology Careers

What type of psychologist makes the most money?

Industrial-organizational psychologists earn the highest median salary at $144,610 annually, followed by specialized psychologists in research and forensic roles. Psychiatrists, who hold medical degrees, earn significantly more at $226,880, but they complete medical school rather than traditional psychology doctoral programs.

What is the easiest psychology career to get into?

Entry-level positions like mental health counselor or marriage and family therapist require a master's degree and are considered more accessible than doctoral-level psychology careers. These roles offer strong job growth (15-18%) and median salaries around $59,190-$63,780. Research assistant positions are available with a bachelor's degree, but are limited in scope and salary.

Can you become a psychologist with just a bachelor's degree?

No, you cannot practice as a licensed psychologist with only a bachelor's degree. State laws require at least a master's degree to practice psychology independently. However, a bachelor's in psychology can lead to entry-level positions such as research assistant, case manager, or behavioral health technician, with salaries typically ranging from $35,000-$45,000.

How long does it take to become a licensed psychologist?

Becoming a licensed psychologist typically takes 8-12 years: 4 years for a bachelor's degree, 2-3 years for a master's degree, 4-6 years for a doctoral degree, plus 1-2 years of supervised clinical experience. School psychologists can practice with a specialist degree (3 years post-bachelor's) and 1,200 internship hours. Total timeline varies by specialty and state requirements.

What's the difference between a psychologist and a psychiatrist?

Psychologists hold doctoral degrees (PhD or PsyD) in psychology and cannot prescribe medication in most states. They focus on psychotherapy, psychological testing, and behavioral interventions. Psychiatrists are medical doctors (MD or DO) who can prescribe medication and often focus on the biological aspects of mental health. Psychiatrists earn significantly more ($226,880 median) than psychologists ($81,040-$144,610 median).

Which psychology careers have the best job growth?

Mental health counselors (18% growth) and marriage and family therapists (15% growth) are projected to have the fastest job growth through 2031. Most psychologist specialties, including clinical, counseling, school, and I-O psychologists, are projected to grow 6%, which is on par with the average for all occupations.

Key Takeaways: Psychology Careers

• Strong Job Growth: Psychology careers are projected to grow 6% through 2031, with over 180,000 psychologists currently employed in the United States, expected to reach 193,000 by 2031.
• Salary Range Varies by Specialty: Psychology careers offer median salaries from $59,190 (mental health counselors) to $144,610 (industrial-organizational psychologists), with psychiatrists earning $226,880.
• Education Requirements: Most psychology careers require a master's degree minimum, with many clinical and research positions requiring a doctoral degree (PhD or PsyD) and 1,200-3,000 hours of supervised experience.
• Diverse Career Paths: Psychology offers 50+ specialized career paths, including clinical psychology, forensic psychology, school psychology, I-O psychology, and emerging fields like media psychology and positive psychology.
• Fastest Growing Specialties: Mental health counseling (18% growth) and marriage and family therapy (15% growth) offer the strongest job market growth, though they require only master's degrees.
• State Licensure Required: All states require psychologists to be licensed, with specific requirements varying by state. Most require a doctoral degree, supervised experience, and passing the EPPP exam.
• Private Practice Potential: Independent psychologists in private practice or consulting can earn significantly more than median salary figures, with I-O consultants and forensic psychologists setting their own fees.

Find Your Perfect Psychology Degree Program

2024 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary figures and job growth projections for Clinical and Counseling Psychologists, Industrial-Organizational Psychologists, School Psychologists, Psychologists-All Other, Psychiatric Techs, Psychiatrists; Substance Abuse, Behavioral Health and Mental Health Counselors; Marriage & Family Therapists; and Social Workers are based on state and national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed October 2025.