What Can You Do with a Major In Psychology? What are Career Options and Salaries?
You’re thinking about your future and are interested in studying psychology. You like the idea of examining and directly engaging in research that contributes to our understanding of human behavior, mental processes and emotional experience.
If you major in psychology, what can you do with it? What type of jobs can you find and what kind of salaries do those jobs pay?
The good news is that psychology is a great major. That’s because a major in psychology opens the door to a variety of career choices, whether you choose to continue your education at the graduate school level or start your career after graduation.
Career Outcomes for Psychology Majors
When you graduate with a B.A. in Psychology from Stonehill, you will have been fully involved in the science of psychology by designing and conducting research, analyzing data and presenting findings and ready for career or graduate school.
Just take a look at some of the degrees and occupations that psychology majors at Stonehill College enter into after graduation. There are many possible occupations you can pursue as a psychology major — this is not a comprehensive list of career options!
Jobs for Psychology Majors
- Clinician
- Clinical Social Worker
- DSS Social Worker
- Guidance Counselor
- Psychologist
- School Counselor
- Speech Therapist
- Community Care Assistant Director
- Nursing Home Administrator
- Physical Therapist
- Occupational Therapist
- Registered Nurse
- Clinical Researcher
- Neuroscience Researcher
- Research Assistant
- Research Project Coordinator
- Correctional Officer
- Police Officer
- Probation Officer
- Account Manager
- Financial Analyst
- Sales Representative
- Peace Corps Community Development Advisor
- United Way Director
- VISTA Coordinator
- College Administration
- Human Resources
- Officer Manager
- I/O Consulting Firm
- College Professor
- Elementary School
- High School
- Special Education
Graduate School Degrees
- Cognitive Psychology
- Clinical Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
- Social Work
- Social Psychology
- Clinical Psychology
- Law
- Art and Museum History
- Counseling
- Experimental Psychology
- Industrial/Organizational Psychology
- Occupational Therapy
- Physician Assistant Studies
- Public Relations
- School Counseling
- School Psychology
- Social Work
- Applied Educational Psychology
- Educational Psychology
- Nutrition
- Speech-Language Pathology
- Human Resource Management
The knowledge I gained from my psych classes at Stonehill helped make the learning process at Women & Infants much quicker and easier. Already being familiar with the basics allowed for a smooth transition … I was able to really jump right in.
Salaries and Outlooks
A psychology degree is a great base if you want to work in a wide range of areas. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is part of the United States Department of Labor. It measures labor market activity, working conditions, price changes and productivity in the U.S. economy. It is a great resource for understanding what a job pays as well as how large or small the demand will be in the future for that job.
Here is what the Bureau of Labor Statics has to say about some of the positions that psychology majors go into:
| Positions | Median Salary as of May, 2019 | Job Outlook/Growth 2019-2029 |
|---|---|---|
| Clinical Researcher | $88,790 | Projected to grow 6%, faster than the average for all occupations |
| Psychologist | $80,370 | Projected to grow 3%, as fast as average for all occupations |
| Human Resources Manager | $116,720 | Protected to grow 6%, faster than average |
| High School Teacher | $61,660 | Projected to grow 4%, as fast as average for all occupations |
| Registered Nurse | $73,300 | Projected to grow 7%, faster than the average for all occupations |
| Financial Analyst | $81,590 | Projected to grow 5%, faster than the average for all occupations |
| Physical Therapist | $89,440 | Projected to grow 18%, much faster than the average for all occupations |
| Speech Pathologist | $79,120 | Projected to grow 25%, much faster than the average for all occupations |
| Note: BLS may update salaries and projections | ||
With a Major in Psychology — What Can’t You Do?
Majoring in psychology at Stonehill equips you with skills that will serve you well, wherever your career may take you. You’ll hone your writing, public speaking and critical thinking skills throughout the program, and graduate knowing that you’re qualified to enter a variety of postgraduate opportunities.