Jobs with a BA in Psychology & Salaries

Dr. Bruce Fretz (former Psi Chi National President) points out, "Students often think only of mental hospitals as places for employment for those interested in work related to psychology." As a matter of fact, many doors are open to graduates with a psychology degree. The following is a list generated by Dr. Fretz:

• Community Relations Officer: works either for business or government in promoting good relations with the local community.
• Affirmative Action Officer: works for recruitment and equal opportunities for minorities; employed by business, industries, schools and government.
• Recreation Worker: plans and supervises community recreation facilities. (Increasing number of opportunities available for therapeutic recreation workers, often requiring course work in therapeutic recreation.
• Urban Planning Officer: deals with city planning, renewal.
• Personnel Administrator: works with employee relations, selection, promotions, etc.
• Advertising copywriter: researches audience and media, writes text of advertisements.
• Media Buyer: researches product and audiences to select most effective media for advertising.
• Health Educator: gives public information about health and disease.
• Vocational Rehabilitation: counsels persons with handicaps and illnesses in preparation for new vocations (some states require an M.A. degree for this position).
• Psychiatric Assistant: administers routine tests, helps with patients under supervision of psychiatrist.
• Director of Volunteer Service: responsible for volunteers--recruits, supervises, trains, and evaluates volunteers.
• Public Statistician: collects and interprets data on health and disease and community relations.
• Customs Inspector: serves at international borders and airports in investigations and inquiries.
• Probation and Parole Officer: persons with psychology backgrounds are often preferred for such positions, especially with adolescent parolees.
• Newspaper Reporter: social science, psychological interest areas.
• Technical Writer: researches and writes material dealing with social science and psychological knowledge for magazines, newspapers and journals.
• Sales Representative: major publishers of psychological books often seek out undergraduates with psychology majors for these positions on college campuses.
• Opinion Survey Researcher: does opinion polls and interprets results.
• Daycare Center Supervisor: supervises and coordinates activities of preschool children with working parents.
• Research Assistant: assists in the collection and analysis of data for major investigations. Positions usually available only in large hospitals, businesses, and government.
• Laboratory Assistant: psychology background preferred for students working with animal behavior research, especially primate laboratories.
• Scientific Instrument Salesperson: opportunities in sales and development for companies specializing in psychology apparatus.

BACK TO TOP

• Dr. Fretz's site
• Basic information about psychology as a career
• Sample job categories and salary ranges
• Occupational Outlook Handbook (2002-2003 ed.)
• APA's research on recent trends in psychology
• General information about salaries across cities
• Psychology Department, University of Scranton
  

BACK TO TOP

• Careers at Master's and doctoral levels in psychology
• Job listing in psychology (an excellent page by socialpsycholgy.org)
• A comprehensive list (This is a comprehensive list of good psychology-related web sites developed by Southwestern University, including career, graduate schools, organizations, conferences, and other fun stuff)
• Psychology career web site (web page by Sharon Wilkenfeld at the University of New south Wales)
• Careers in psychology (by Marky Lloyd and Duss Dewey - The home page contains many useful links to various areas in psychology)
• Salaries in psychology (1999, by APA)
• Salaries by subdisciplines in psychology (by jobstar.org)
• Salary information

You may also check U.S. Departmentof Labor for more information.

More Useful Sites:

• University of Scranton - Careers
• University of Scranton - Psychology and Helping Professions
• A Student's Guide to Careers in the Helping Professions
  

BACK TO TOP