Five Career Options for Psychology Majors

HomeCareersFive Career Options for Psychology Majors (That Arent a Psychologist)This page may contain affiliate links.Oct 11, 2019Majoring in psychology can be a great choice, especially if youre interested in understanding why people think and make the choices they do. However, if you’re worried about life after college, you might be wondering if psychology is a useful or lucrative major. Have no fear! This post outlines some of the trending and highest-paying jobs in psychology. Management Consultant/Analyst ($82,450 per year) Management consultants figure out how to make businesses run more efficiently. Think House of Lies with a little less Don Cheadle and a lot more traveling. In this role, you gather information about business challenges. You conduct on-site employee interviews, pour through financial data, and much more. Youre also tasked with formulating creative solutions to tricky problems, and presenting them to company decision makers. It’s common to specialize based on project type or industry. This is a high-pressure job where at least 25% of employees report working more than 40 hours per week. Since you’ll often have to conduct on-site interviews, expect frequent travel. Market Research Analyst ($63,230 per year) As a market research analyst, youre responsibilities vary. For instance, you’ll be expected to gather data through methods including surveys, polls, and interviews. Youll also need to analyze and translate that information into useful information. Since almost every industry employs market researchers, it’s not necessary for you to specialize in a particular area. Most analysts have the typical 9 to 5 work schedule, but they might work overtime during periods with tight deadlines. Additionally, all that time in psychology labs will prepare you for the math and analytical skills this position often requires. Human Resources Specialist ($60,350 per year) According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the role of a human resources specialist is to serve as a liaison between an applicant and an employer. This means that they’re responsible for interviewing candidates, letting candidates know job requirements, keeping employment records, and processing paperwork. They are also responsible for ensuring that employees and employer are thriving and adhering to local, federal, and state regulations. Most human resources specialists work in-office. However, recruitment specialists travel to career and job fairs, universities, and conferences to meet with potential candidates. Public Relations Specialist ($59,300 per year) Public relations specialists manage the relationship between a brand or company and the public brand. Potential duties include: Helping clients maintain a specific corporate identity Advising clients on how to communicate with the public Helping clients maintain a positive public image As a public relations specialist, you might also have to reach out to the media and write press releases. If you decide to take this path, be aware that long and stressful days are common. You might also have to work with demanding clients. Social Worker ($47,980 per year) Social worker is probably one of the first career options you think of for a psychology major. Which makes sense, given the nature of the job. Social workers maintain a caseload of clients, respond to emergency situations, and check in on their clients’ well-being. Responsibilities may also include: Regular check-ins with clients to evaluate their situations Maintaining a database of community and residential programs Attending court hearings But just who are these clients? Depending on your specialty area, clients range from children to people with mental illness to hospital patients. As a social worker, your work schedule can vary. Some social workers keep traditional hours, others work second or third shift hours, while others are on-call. It depends on where and with whom you work. You might be expected to make client site visits, and those can affect the hours you work as well. You might be asking why psychologist isn’t on this list. After all, it seems like the most obvious choice for someone majoring in psychology. It’s a little tricky to become a psychologist with just a bachelor’s degree; you usually need a master’s degree or PhD. However, if psychology is your passion, don’t let having only a bachelor’s degree stop you from achieving your dream. You can still find well-paying jobs in the field, even without an advanced degree. *All salaries taken from Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor,Occupational Outlook Handbook, Human Resources Specialists, on the Internet athttps://www.bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/human-resources-specialists.htm(visitedFebruary 27, 2019).