Are you looking to start a new career? Do you want to explore a new field, new job opportunities, and new earning potential? There’s no better time than right now to earn a degree. And a psychology degree in particular could be the perfect choice. Psychology allows you to study the human mind, discovering what influences behaviors, motivations, and more. Many fields need psychologists, from healthcare to the corporate world. You can search online to discover the benefits of earning a psychology degree.
With a psychology degree, you’ll have the knowledge and the skills needed to enter a wide range of different careers. From working as a psychologist to working in schools and even traditional offices, there’s a lot you can do with this versatile degree. Search online to find psychology degree programs that you can get started in.
The following are just a few of the reasons you might want to consider earning a degree in psychology.
A Psychology Degree Gives You Plenty of Career Options
If you’re looking for a degree that’ll give you a lot of opportunities, a psychology degree is a great fit. Psychology is one of the most popular majors across colleges and universities. And that’s partly because psychology majors are able to access a wealth of different job opportunities in many different industries and fields.
Graduates with psychology degrees are in demand too. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the psychology profession is expected to grow by 14 percent through 2028. That’s a far faster growth rate than most professions – and it means there will be plenty of career options available.
So, what can you do with a degree in psychology? Here are just a few examples of the kinds of careers you could choose.
Psychometrist
A psychometrist administers and scores psychological testing. These professionals work alongside licensed psychologists, who assess the test results after the psychometrist’s work is done. You can administer clinical tests to patients, work in organizations where you administer tests to prospective employees, or work in education where you administer standardized tests.
Clinical Psychologist
This is perhaps the most “traditional” job you can get with a psychology degree. A clinical psychologist provides psychotherapy, working with patients to make positive changes in their lifestyle or mental health. You might work with clients who have mental illnesses, behavioral disorders, eating disorders, neurological disorders, and more.
Psychiatric Technician
A psychiatric technician works in a clinical setting with patients. In this role, you’re in charge of patients’ overall mental wellness and you’ll report on their mental and emotional state to medical staff. You might help with personal hygiene, work within rehabilitation programs, and administer oral or injectable medications.
Human Resource Personnel
Every company needs human resources professionals – and if you have a psychology degree, you can be a perfect fit for human resources personnel. In this role, you aid the human resources manager in implementing company policies and strategies. You can also help to hire new employees, screening applicants and recruiting individuals with the right qualifications.
Substance Abuse Counselor
Substance abuse counselors work with individuals who are addicted to alcohol, opiates, cocaine, and other drugs. You’ll work with patients as they begin and undergo recovery, helping them adjust and adapt as well as face withdrawals. This is currently one of the fastest growing and in-demand careers.
Marriage and Family Therapist
Marriage and family therapists are similar to counselors or traditional clinical psychologists. They work with couples and families in private practices or in hospital settings to help patients make changes in their marriages and families. A therapist will typically meet with both individuals and couples or whole families.
Your Earning Potential Can Increase With a Psychology Degree
In addition to being able to apply for many different jobs and becoming eligible for new career paths, there’s another big benefit to earning a psychology degree. You can increase your earning potential and get a higher salary.
With a psychology degree, you’ll have more education and become eligible for jobs higher up the career ladder. And that can lead you to begin earning more money than you are right now.
Of course, your salary will depend on the job you choose once you’ve earned your psychology degree. But the following are a few examples of the earning potential of popular psychology jobs:
- Psychometrist: $10,000 to $20,000 base pay.
- Substance abuse counselor: $25,000 to $40,000 per year.
- Psychiatric technician: $22,000 to $47,000 base pay.
- Human resources personnel: $10,000 to $30,000 per year (entry-level positions).
- Marriage and family therapist: $40,000 to $100,000 per year.
- Clinical psychologist: $50,000 to $70,000 per year.
Additionally, you may be able to earn more if you become a psychologist in a more specialized field. For example, an industrial-organizational psychologist earns an average of $102,530 per year. Neuropsychologists earn an average of $90,460 per year, and counseling psychologists earn an average of $58,360 per year.
Keep in mind that in most cases, a master’s degree in psychology is required as a minimum education for many jobs. Some may even require a doctorate degree. Advancing in psychology may mean earning a more advanced degree, which can also benefit you salary-wise.
You Can Earn Your Degree Online
Earning your psychology degree doesn’t require you to attend classes in person or live on campus at a university. Plenty of colleges and universities actually offer online psychology degree programs – and that means you can take courses right at home, on your own schedule.
Online degree programs are convenient and easily accessible. You can work on your degree from anywhere, and you can fit your classes and coursework into your busy life. You’ll get a quality education without having to be physically present.
And some of the top universities offer online psychology degrees. You can study at universities like the following:
- Arizona State University, which offers a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology.
- Oregon State University, which offers Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees in psychology.
- Pennsylvania State University, which offers Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees in psychology via its World Campus program.
- University of Florida, which offers a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology.
You can find universities offering online psychology degrees with a search online. You can easily compare different degree programs, consider the costs and requirements, and find the perfect program to get you started.