JOB OPPORTUNITIES
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts strong growth of job opportunities for psychologists, particularly in businesses, nonprofit organizations, and research and computer firms. The highest paid and greatest range of jobs are available to those with doctoral degrees. Applied areas such as clinical, counseling, health and educational psychology show faster than average job growth. Few psychologists leave the profession, indicating that they are happy with their career. Close to 70% secure their FIRST choice when looking for a job.
Nationwide, psychology is the second most popular major (after business administration). But most undergraduate psychology majors do not go on to graduate school in psychology. Psychology provides an excellent preparation for many different fields and careers. Employers find that psychology majors have many attractive qualities that serve them well in a variety of positions and settings. Psychology students "possess good research and writing skills, are good problem solvers, and have well-developed, higher-level thinking ability when it comes to analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating information" (APA).
Down to Nuts and Bolts in Psychology:
What exactly can I do and how much can I earn?
Current data from Salary.com provides the following information for individuals employed in psychology-related careers in Central Pennsylvania (data reflect median salary range, not starting salary):
- Clinical Psychologist, counseling clients with a variety of mental health, personal, job-related, or family problems: $45,500-$53,870 (masters degree) and 66,478 - 86,046 (doctorate).
- School or Guidance Counselor, working with students on personal and school-related issues, as well as career selection, $35,954-43,578 (60% have a masters degree).
- Market Research Analyst, studying potential sales of a product and analyzing sales data, $34,650-$74,500 (graduate degree preferred, but some are employed with a bachelors degree).
- Human Resources: recruiting, interviewing, and training employees, $39,400-$52,830 (bachelors degree in most cases). Human resource managers average $6,459 - $92,423.
- Mental Health Technician, such as a case manager, drug abuse counselor, or life skills counselor, working with clients to identify needs and provide services, $24,630-$32,070 (bachelors degree)
- Social Worker, counseling individuals or families to improve their living situation (e.g., helping a family gain access to health care services or job training) $38,160-$46,240 (bachelors degree)
- Parole Officer, Responsible for managing designated cases for prisoners who are on parole. $42,313-$53,365.
- Applied Psychologists, such as industrial-organizational psychologists, applying psychological principles to the workplace or other applied setting, $85,000-$90,000 (masters or doctorate).
In addition to the jobs listed above, here is a sampling of some of the jobs that recent Elizabethtown College graduates have obtained:
· Account Consultant- Blue Cross-Blue Shield
· Account Executive- 84 Lumber
· Account Executive- Bank of America
· Account Executive- Harte-Hanks Data Services
· Assistant Director- Hartford Life Insurance
· Case Manager- Volunteers of America
· Child Care Counselor- KidsPeace Hospital
· Data analyst- Nemours-A.I Dupont Hospital for Children
· Director of Career Services- University of Maryland
· Events Coordinator- Walgreens
· HIV Case Manager- AIDS Community Alliance
· Human Resource officer- QVC
· Juvenile Probation Officer- Dauphin County
· Marketing Manger- Swarthmore College
· Mediator/Arbitrator- State of Delaware Family Court
· Mental Health Therapist- Gateway Rehabilitation Center
· Mortgage Development Officer- Sovereign Bank
· Personal Financial Advisor- Ameriprise Financial
· Police Officer
· Program Director- PA Counseling Services
· Program Director- Salisbury Behavioral Health
· Protective Services Caseworker- Lancaster county Office of Aging
· Research Coordinator- Penn State University
· Revenue Services manger- quest Diagnostics
· Sales Consultant- Cutting Edge Media
· Senior Management Analyst- US Dept of the Army
· Technical Writer, The Brookings Institution
