A psychology degree ranks in the top three most popular majors for soon-to-be college freshmen. Despite its popularity, the prospect of a bachelor’s degree in psychology often leaves students unsure about the types of careers they could pursue after graduation.
In fact, there is a big misconception that a psychology degree is useless unless you want to be a counselor or therapist. But nothing could be farther from the truth!
A psychology degree can be a great choice for a variety of career pursuits as it provides a general understanding of people as well as valued skills in writing, research, and reasoning—qualities that are valuable in almost any job.
What does a psychology degree cover?
Psychology majors dive into the science of human behavior. They also develop the skills to understand and interpret research findings about how people behave.
Coursework examines the mind and brain, human interactions, mental health, theories of personality, clinical psychology, cognitive neuroscience, child psychology, developmental psychology, behavioral disorders, animal behavior, and more.
What types of jobs can you get with a psychology degree?
A psychology degree provides a solid foundation that opens doors to a variety of career options—many of which don’t require a graduate degree. So, whether or not you choose to pursue an advanced degree, a psychology major is a value-packed program option that will equip you to confidently step into a diverse selection of careers.
Check out 48 jobs that psychology graduates can pursue:
1. Activities Director
Creates enrichment activities for participants or residents of a program or facility.
2. Admissions Counselor
Promotes a college or university to prospective students.
3. Behavior Specialist
Treats individuals with behavioral issues that impair learning or social functions.
4. Case Manager
Organizes and facilitates care options to best meet an individual’s mental, physical and emotional health.
5. Clinical Psychologist*
Diagnoses and treats individuals with mental health issues.
6. Coach
Trains athletes and teams for success.
7. Conservation Officer
Protects wildlife and the environment.
8. Corporate Trainer
Provides education and training to company employees.
9. Corrections Officer
Maintains responsibility for the custody and control of individuals in a prison or jail.
10. Criminal Investigator
Investigates crimes and other events for legal and official purposes.
11. Disability Case Manager
Manages care services for disabled clients, usually in a healthcare setting such as a hospital, nursing home, or residential facility.
12. Educational Program Researcher*
Creates and conducts studies that yield information regarding particular aspects of education.
13. Educational Psychologist*
Studies children of all ages and how they learn.
14. Employment Interviewer
Matches job seekers with potential employers.
15. Financial Aid Counselor
Offers advice to students regarding the financial aid process and provides information on available programs, procedures, and eligibility.
16. Forensic Psychologist*
Assesses behavioral, emotional, and psychological problems and disorders.
17. Group Facilitator
Plans, guides, and manages a group event to meet its goals.
18. Guidance Counselor*
Assists and advises school-aged students about academic and personal decisions.
19. Healthcare Administrator
Oversees the day-to-day administrative operations of hospitals and other healthcare facilities.
20. Home Care Aid
Helps elderly, disable, and ill persons live in their own homes or in residential care facilities instead of in a health facility.
21. Human Resources Specialist
Recruits, screens, and interviews job applicants and place newly hired workers in jobs.
22. Industrial/Organizational Psychologist
Applies psychological principles and research methods to improve the overall work environment, including performance, communication, professional satisfaction and safety.
23. Information Specialist
Manages data and secured files, analyzing data, communicating with stockholders, and training other people in the job.
24. Loan Officer
Evaluates, authorizes, or recommends approval of commercial, real estate, or credit loans.
25. Market Research Analyst
Gathers and analyzes data on consumers and competitors to examine potential sales of a product or service.
26. Mental Health Counselor*
Helps patients work through issues such as depression, anger management, suicidal thoughts, parenting, aging, relationship problems, stress, addiction and self-image.
27. Motivational Speaker
Delivers speeches intended to motivate or inspire an audience.
28. Occupational Therapist*
Uses therapeutic techniques to improve, rehabilitate, or maintain a patient’s ability to perform everyday activities.
29. Personnel Recruiter
Seeks out, interviews, and screens applicants to fill existing and future job openings and promote career opportunities within an organization.
30. Physical Therapist*
Helps injured or ill people improve movement and manage pain.
31. Preschool Teacher
Uses play to teach children under 5 about the world.
32. Professional Coach
Partners with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential.
33. Project Manager
Maintains responsibility for planning, organizing, and directing the completion of specific projects for an organization while ensuring these projects are on time, on budget, and within scope.
34. Psychiatric Aide
Participates in the promotion, treatment and rehabilitation of psychiatric patients in clinics, homes and community facilities.
35. Psychiatric Technician
Provides therapeutic care to and monitors conditions of patients with mental illness and developmental disabilities
36. Psychological Stress Evaluator
Prepares reports and keeps records on polygraph examinations.
37. Psychopathologist*
Researches, studies, and diagnoses mental health conditions.
38. Public Relations Specialist
Creates and maintains a positive public image for the individuals, groups, or organizations they represent.
39. Real Estate Agent
Helps clients buy and sell real estate property.
40. Research Assistant
Provides support to either a research fellow or a research team, through collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data.
41. School Psychologist*
Applies expertise in mental health, learning, and behavior, to help children and youth succeed academically, socially, behaviorally, and emotionally.
42. Social Services Aide
Provides assistance in the delivery of social services to individuals and families to resolve various human services issues.
43. Social Worker*
Diagnoses and treats mental illness or works for social welfare agencies.
44. Substance Abuse Counselor
Specializes in treating patients who have a chemical dependency on drugs or alcohol.
45. Technical Writer
Translates complex technical information into useful and easy-to-understand language.
46. User Experience Researcher
Studies target users to collect and analyze data that will help inform the product design process.
47. Victims’ Advocate
Supports victims of crime by offering emotional support, victims’ rights information, help in finding needed resources and assistance in filling out crime victim-related forms.
48. Volunteer Coordinator
Manages all elements of volunteering at a company or organization.
*Requires a graduate degree.
Study Counseling and Psychology at MACU
Pursue a degree in counseling and psychology at Mid-Atlantic Christian University—one of the few schools that offers an undergraduate program that includes a variety of counseling courses in addition to psychology.
MACU’s curriculum seamlessly combines a Christian worldview and practical skills that prepares students for a meaningful career of helping others. Courses encourage growth in a variety of areas, including knowledge, scientific inquiry, critical thinking, communication, and professional development.
Plus, it’s affordable. But don’t just take our word for it! MACU’s counseling and psychology degree has been ranked nationally in the top ten Best Affordable Counseling Degree Programs.
Ready to take the first step towards entering the psychology field?
Learn more about how MACU’s counseling and psychology degree may be a good fit for you.
Are you curious about the human mind and what makes people tick? A psychology degree is a versatile degree that can lead to a number of career opportunities as well as pathways to continue education for a specialized role, from becoming a counselor to working toward a role as an industrial and organizational (IO) psychologist.
In fact, there are many opportunities for those with a psychology degree in a range of industries that you might not know about outside of the field of psychology. Some subfields and applications of psychology include traditional counseling and helping type professions to business and healthcare, as well as specializations that work with specific populations: children, adolescents, families, rehabilitation, gerontology and more.
Common Jobs for Psychology Degree Holders
A typical psychology bachelor’s degree introduces students to the science and clinical practice of psychology. Students can expect to complete subjects from biology and behavior theories to learning, memory and ethics.
This type of curriculum can be applied to a variety of job functions, and some of the most common job opportunities for those who hold a psychology degree:
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Therapy and counseling
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Training and development
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Private healthcare education
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Mental health support
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Career counseling
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Human resources
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Social work
Some roles in psychology require more than just an undergraduate degree. Specialized roles are more often expected to hold a master’s or doctoral degree.
Jobs for Psych Majors in Healthcare and Therapy
There are plenty of roles for psychology majors in healthcare and therapy. In fact, many of the applications of psychology can be practiced in a clinic or hospital.
Healthcare roles for psychology majors:
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Clinical psychologist
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Rehabilitation specialist
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Mental health counselor
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Research Assistant
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Group Facilitator
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Case manager
*Requires a graduate degree
Some roles, such as becoming a clinical psychologist, require additional graduate-level training.
Psychology Careers in Education
A degree in psychology can lead to a number of careers in education. It’s possible to apply your education to help improve teaching methods and understand the needs of students of all ages and backgrounds.
Education careers for psychology majors:
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Behavior specialist
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Professional coaching
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Educational program researcher
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School psychologist
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Guidance counselor
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Educational psychologist
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*Requires a graduate degree
A master’s and doctoral degree may be required for specialized roles, such as becoming a psychologist or guidance counselor.
Using a Psychology Degree for Research
Psychology can also be applied to research in many forms, whether it’s used to help a business operate more efficiently or sell more products. Psychology research can be used in a number of industries and roles.
Research careers for psychology majors:
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Industrial/Organizational Psychology
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Abnormal psychology/psychopathology
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Criminal psychology and forensics
*
*Requires a graduate degree
It’s not surprising that psychologists help with the formation of policies and procedures within an organization, and an industrial/organizational psychology master’s degree can help get you there.
Unique Careers for Psychology Degrees
Psychology majors can also apply their skills to management roles as well as the advertising industry where understanding different management theories or capturing the attention of customers requires specialized knowledge of human behavior.
Lesser-known careers for psychology majors:
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Management roles
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Motivational speaker
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Product or brand market researcher
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User experience researcher
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Corporate trainer
The skills gained through a psychology degree can help you succeed in a number of unique career paths and industries.
Graduate and Doctoral Degrees For Psychology
An advanced degree in psychology is needed to become a psychologist. In addition, many of the above mentioned psychology careers also require your studies to be concentrated in a specific field of psychology, such as industrial/organizational psychology for those who want to work with organizations and human resources.
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Clinical psychology
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Forensic psychology
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Industrial-organizational psychology
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School psychology
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Sports psychology
Finishing your master’s or doctoral degree in psychology can open up new opportunities for psychology majors. If you’re interested in becoming a psychologist, then it’s important to find the right graduate program for your psychology specialization.
