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Industrial Psychologists Job Overview

Industrial psychologists, also known as industrial organizational psychologists, enhance productivity and the quality of work life by using psychological principles and research methods. They collaborate with managers to reorganize a work environment to improve worker productivity. Many industrial psychologists work with companies to design new products and develop training courses.

Industrial Psychologists Schools and Degrees

A lot of colleges and universities provide bachelor's degrees in industrial-organizational psychology. Master's and doctoral degrees are also available.

Job Requirements

Individuals who have a bachelor's degree in industrial-organizational psychology typically work in human resources, however they do have other job opportunities. Individuals with a master's degree in industrial-organizational psychology work as consultants and in human recourses. They also work for government agencies and have various types of positions in the private sector.

Nature of Work

• Evaluate employee performance
• Observe and interview employees to learn about job satisfaction
• Create and implement employee selection and placement programs
• Provide suggestions for changes in organizational functioning

Industrial Psychologists Jobs and Outlook

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a much faster than average job growth for industrial organizational psychologists from 2008 to 2018.

The major employers of industrial psychologists are shown below:

• Private sector
• Government agencies
• Consulting services

The median annual earnings for industrial organizational psychologists in 2009 was $83,260.

Job Numbers and Growth

Industrial psychologists in the US number about 2,000. Workers generally expect a very low unemployment rate. There were about 1% of employees without jobs in 2008.

Area Job Conditions

Where are jobs most numerous? Washington (District of Columbia), (), and (). Least common? Washington (District of Columbia), (), and ().

Salaries vary across the country, from highest in Washington (District of Columbia), (), and () to lowest in Washington (District of Columbia), (), and ().

Training and Education

Obtaining a master's degree will help job seekers. Industrial psychologists with four or more years of college are 99% of the total. Recommended schools are shown in the column to the right; request information from them to help you decide which if any could help you with this career.

Part-Time Work and Self-Employment

Whether by choice or necessity, 24% of industrial psychologists work part-time. About 39% of workers do not work for a company or organization.

Industrial Psychologists by Metropolitan Area (city and its surroundings)

In the table below, a Job Density near 0% means the area has an average number of people in this occupation, for its population. A higher or lower Job Density (e.g., +22% or -45%) tells you there are that many more or fewer workers of that type there than in the average US metro area. So, the higher the number, the more common the occupation.

District of Columbia