Can You Find a Rewarding Career in Psychology?

Psychology ranks as the second most popular undergraduate major, showing an extraordinary
boom of 48% in the number of degrees earned between 1988 and 1993, according to the U.S.
Department of Education.

"Among fields requiring a college degree, it is expected to be the third-fastest growing field in
America trough the year 2005 and to continue to grow steadily for at least another dozen years after
that.--American Psychological Association, 1996.

Employers view psychology as a useful degree for employees to receive, because it strengthens their
interpersonal and critical thinking skills. In addition, it helps people improve their research,
observational, data analysis, and writing skills.

To maximize their career prospects, community college students need to plan to invest in completing
a bachelor’s degree and eventually pursuing an appropriate graduate degree required for their
specialization. Graduate education boosts students’ potential earnings, which currently average
$56,000 annually for professional psychologists. Psychology instructors can assist students in making
timely decisions regarding their future educational plans and available career options.

The traditional image of the psychologist as primarily an analyst or therapist in private practice has
changed enormously. A majority of today’s psychological professionals work in a diversity of fields
in health, industry, and education and serve in newer specialties such as school, health, industrial and
counseling psychology. Most students wanting to become psychotherapists often start in assistant
positions in state hospitals, public clinics, mental health centers, and humans service agencies. Many
now begin employment in alcohol and drug abuse programs, crisis intervention services, community
mental health clinics, nursing home and rehabilitation centers, correctional facilities, human resource
agencies, and social welfare organizations.

While some graduates go on to advanced degrees, others find their education helps them land initial
positions in social services, public affairs, administrative support, management, sales, and education.
A psychology degree, also, provides a solid foundation for graduate study, mental health counseling,
business, health care, and a variety of other specialties or professions.

Opportunities for psychology graduates will continue to expand in variety and breadth, with
hundreds of career pathways emerging in new and unconventional fields. Six promising new or
developing career areas include: