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Psychologists Job Overview

Psychologists study human behavior. They're involved in various areas including social service in clinics, government agencies, schools and private industry. They help emotionally or mentally disturbed patients make adjustments to life. Some psychologists are involved in research or teaching.

Some of the areas of specialization are clinical psychology, school psychology, industrial and organizational psychology, developmental psychology, social psychology, and experimental or research psychology.

Psychologists Schools and Degrees

Many schools offer graduate degrees in psychology. Also, The American Board of Professional Psychology provides specialty certifications in numerous areas.

Job Requirements

Most psychologists are required to have a master's or doctoral degree and a license. Psychologists seeking an independent practice are usually required to have a doctoral degree. Psychologists who have a doctoral degree also work in clinical positions, teach, perform research or are involved with administrative duties.

Psychologists who have a master's degree have opportunities for employment as an industrial organizational psychologist. They can also be a psychological assistant and work under the supervision of a psychologist who has a doctoral degree. They may also conduct research or perform psychological evaluations.

Every state requires psychologists who are working in independent practice, or providing any type of patient care to meet certification or licensing requirements. Licensing laws vary by the type of position and by state.

Nature of Work

• Provide individual group or family therapy
• Give diagnostic tests
• Collaborate with physicians and other specialists to develop and implement intervention and treatment programs for patients
• Create and implement behavior modification programs

Psychologists Jobs and Outlook

The Bureau of Labor Statistics has projected a 12 percent employment growth from 2008 to 2018 for psychologists.

The major employers of psychologists are shown below:

• Educational institutions
• Government agencies
• Healthcare facilities

In 2008 the median annual earnings for clinical, counseling and school psychologists was $64,140.

Job Numbers and Growth

Psychologists in the US number about 12,000. 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? Eugene (Oregon), Boulder (Colorado), and Gainesville (Florida). Least common? Nassau (New York), St. Louis (Missouri), and Atlanta (Georgia).

Salaries vary across the country, from highest in Sacramento (California), Oakland (California), and San Francisco (California) to lowest in Tallahassee (Florida), Seattle (Washington), and Allentown (Pennsylvania).

Training and Education

Obtaining a master's degree will help job seekers. 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 psychologists work part-time. About 27% of workers do not work for a company or organization.

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.

Arizona

California

Colorado

Connecticut

District of Columbia

Florida

Georgia

Illinois

Indiana

Louisiana

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Missouri

New Mexico

New York

North Carolina

Ohio

Oregon

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

Tennessee

Texas

Virginia

Washington

Wisconsin