What Are the Best Entry-Level Psychology Jobs?
Graduates of bachelor’s degree programs enjoy a wide variety of options for entry-level psychology jobs that provide them work experience and unique challenges and rewards. Those opportunities will increase as more fields welcome the expertise psychologists provide.
Students increasingly choose the field and Psychology programs attracted 4% of students in the 1980s. That number jumped to 6.5% in the 1990s. Now, students have made psychology the fourth most popular major in the country, according to the American Psychological Association.
Touro University Worldwide, a pioneer in online education, offers an online Bachelor of Arts in Psychology that prepares recent college grads for both entry-level psychology jobs and continuing education in psychology.
How Touro University Worldwide Prepares Psychologists for Success
The Touro University Worldwide BA in Psychology gives students the option to pursue their degree in six areas: Industrial/Organizational Psychology, Elementary Education, Secondary Education, Special Education, Human Services, Child and Adolescent Psychology, and Forensic Psychology.
Students in all areas learn to better understand what drives human behavior. They also learn a holistic approach to mental health treatment that best supports patient wellbeing. Graduates from the program have the option of pursuing an online Master of Arts in Psychology.
Careers for Recent College Grads in Psychology
Psychology graduates who want an entry-level psychology job like having many options. That’s partly because a bachelor of arts program prepares graduates to use their skills in fields outside psychology, according to psychology.org.
Students can consider any of the following job possibilities listed in the following sections. Note: All salary and job projection figures come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) unless otherwise noted.
Human Resources
Attracting, hiring, training, and retaining talented personnel is a complex process. Psychologists, especially those focused on organizational psychology, are well prepared for this area. They’re also in demand. Federal projections call for a 7% increase in human resource specialists between 2019 and 2029. The average salary in the profession reached $67,760 in May 2019.
Human Services
Human services – foundational to social work- is another rapidly growing field. Agencies at the local, state and federal levels offer jobs in this field, as do some nonprofits. Human services professionals work with individuals, families, and communities to connect them with the social services they need. The BLS projects the field to grow 13% by 2029. The average annual salary reached $61,750 in May 2019.
Teacher
A degree in psychology can better prepare teachers for classroom challenges, parent meetings, and curriculum design. They also have the skills to meet the needs of all students. The number of high school teachers is expected to increase by 4% by 2029, while the average salary reached $65,930 in May 2019.
Research Assistant
A career as a research assistant presents an attractive option for those who intend to enter graduate school. Becoming a research assistant in the social sciences gives recent college graduates the chance to learn successful approaches to research planning, data analysis, and report writing. The BLS provides no job growth numbers in this field, but Research Assistants earned an average salary of $51,340 in May 2019.
Sports Psychologist
Sports psychologists help talented athletes overcome mental and emotional issues that can hinder them from progressing in their athletic career. They work primarily with professional sports programs, although some larger college programs employ them, as well. The BLS reports average pay for all psychologists reached $98,230 in May 2019. Growth in the profession is projected at 3% by 2029.
Psychiatric Technician
A psychiatric technician works within a mental health team at a healthcare facility. They typically observe patient behavior, listen to patient concerns, and work on the admissions and discharge of patients. The BLS projects 12% growth in this field and reports an average annual salary of $32,020 in May 2019.
College Advisor or Career Counselor
College advisors and career counselors help students stay on track to finish their degrees. They also guide them toward careers that match their interests. In this profession, recent college graduates play a key role in helping students plan their futures. The BLS projects 8% growth in this field and reports an average annual salary of $61,000 in May 2019.
These entry-level psychology jobs offer recent college graduates a chance to acquire job experience and prepare for continuing education in psychology. With the expected growth in the field, the career possibilities should continue to multiply.