Have you been thinking about possible careers in the psychology field which also yield higher salary options? It seems that you have landed on the right page as we have brought you a complete guide that will enrich your knowledge about different careers in the psychology field that you can pursue.
Psychology is a vast field, and one must decide their goals in advance to combat all the complications throughout the journey and ultimately land in the desired career.
However, you must consider other factors other than pay scale, including geographic location, sector of employment, educational background, and years of professional experience, while choosing the right career for you.
1. Psychiatrist
One of the highest paying fields attached with psychology is a psychiatrist. A psychiatrist refers to the physician who specializes in the psychiatry department and the branch of medicine associated with diagnosis, prevention, study, and treatment of mental disorders.
Psychiatrists are medical doctors who check whether the patients’ symptoms are the result of a physical illness, a combination of physical and mental ailments, or strictly mental issues. A psychiatrist can expect an annual salary of about $216,090.
Educational Qualifications required for becoming a psychiatrist: The desired individual must have accomplished eight years of post-undergraduate study. Following this, they must graduate from any medical school and finally complete a four-year residency.
2. Neuropsychologist
As the name suggests, a neuropsychologist is a physician who specializes in the field of brain and cognitive science. Neuropsychologists diagnose patients with profuse types of nervous system disorders.
They often work with neurologists as both share the same background, i.e., brain and its functions. Typically, a person in this field often performs cognitive tests, runs brain scans, assesses people suffering from brain injury, and studies how drugs impact the nervous system. A neuropsychologist can expect an annual salary of about $90,460.
Educational Qualifications required for becoming a Neuropsychologist: A neuropsychologist aspirant must possess a doctorate degree in neuropsychology or clinical neuropsychology.
3. School Psychologist
School psychologists are those physicians who work under educational institutions to diagnose and treat behavior and learning problems among students. A school psychologist is an expert physician in mental health, learning, and behavior to help students succeed academically, socially, behaviorally, and emotionally.
You can generally observe a school psychologist working with other professionals, such as teachers, doctors, and even parents, to understand and help students with their problems.
Sometimes, students might even hurt their heads while playing, and it is the psychologist who makes sure that the injured student is mentally stable by asking general questions. A school psychologist can expect an average salary of about $58,360.
Educational Qualifications required for becoming a school psychologist: A school psychologist aspirant must have accomplished a 60-credit school psychology specialist program, which ultimately leads to a master’s or EdS degree.
4. Industrial-Organizational Psychologist
Industrial-Organizational Psychologists utilize their psychology skills towards tackling workplace issues. They tend to focus their efforts on increasing worker productivity, selecting the best employees for particular jobs, developing market research surveys, and other valuable activities.
An I/O psychologist must possess in-depth knowledge about different subject matters such as knowledge of organizational development, attitudes, career development, decision theory, human performance and human factors, small group theory and process, criterion theory and development, consumer behavior, job, and task analysis and individual assessment. Anyone in the Industrial-Organizational Psychologist field can expect an average salary of about $102,530.
Educational Qualifications required for becoming an I/O psychologist: Generally, an I/O psychologist must possess a master’s degree in psychology. Although having a doctorate degree might result in more opportunities and higher salaries.
5. Clinical Psychologist
One of the most significant areas of employment in the psychology field is clinical psychologist. These physicians specialize in the assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental illness.
You may find a clinical psychologists working in their own mental health clinics, hospitals, and private practices. The more experience you gain in this career, the brighter the chances of having increments in your salaries. A clinical psychologist may earn an average salary of about $81,330.
Educational Qualifications required for becoming a clinical psychologist: The primary requirement for a clinical psychologist aspirant is a doctorate degree in psychology. However, you must also complete one to two years of supervised residency and pass state licensing exams in order to practice as a licensed clinical psychologist.
Conclusion
There is a fair scope in the psychology field, given that you are aware of the goals and career you want to choose. Choosing a career is a tough choice to make, and you can’t rush into a career based on a pay scale. It would be best if you considered every aspect of it while opting for a suitable career.
We hope that the above paragraph will help you understand different career options in the psychology field along with their average pay scale. Please stay connected with us for more information about various fields, career scopes, and related blogs.
