Good paying jobs with a bachelors degree in psychology can be challenging to find. You may discover that it's best to get creative with your qualifications and branch out from the mental health field in order to score a great salary. If you're done with your four-year degree and can't (or don't want to) jump back into graduate school right away, you could be feeling as if you've wasted a lot of time and money on a useless degree. That's not exactly the case. There are plenty of things you can do with your undergraduate degree in psychology.
Are There Good Paying Jobs with a Bachelors Degree in Psychology Exist?
If you're looking for good paying jobs with a bachelors degree in psychology, first ask yourself what your ultimate career goals are. Do you want to become a psychiatrist, psychologist, or licensed clinical social worker, ensuring that you are interacting directly with patients? Do you need another degree and much more experience in the mental health field to gain credentials in order to research and report or become a professor? You may have to put in more time with less than ideal pay. However, the rewards at the end of the long educational trek can pay off. To get a good paying job in the psychology field, you'll need at least a Master's degree.
Whether you are considering pursuing a degree in psychology, are in the process of earning the degree, or have already graduated with. there are plenty of options. However, without a graduate degree, you won't likely be able to work directly with mental health patients and make a "good" salary. Keep in mind that the notion of a "good paying jobs" is relative, depending on where you live, what your expenses are like and your needs. Some people may consider lower salaries to be "good" as long as they're able to feel as if they truly help others daily. Others may feel that a salary of less than $50,000 per year is not good enough. Do research for several fields and positions in your area, or places where you may be interested in moving, to determine the best balance and fit for you.
Examples of Job Options for Psychology Majors
There are several job options that will offer a good salary. They are just not going to be found within the mental health field. You will, however, find that employers look at a Bachelor's degree in psychology as an indication that you have a fairly good understanding of how to interact with people-and of course that you enjoy observing and engaging people in conversations. PsiChi.org, the International Honor Society in Psychology, states that only about 25 percent of psychology graduates end up in a position directly related to the field. Other fields to consider that may offer good paying jobs with a bachelors degree in psychology include:
- Child care
- Education
- Sales
- Human resources
- Management
- Training
- Caregiver
- Customer service
- Marketing
- Advertising
- Reporting
- Writing
- Researching
- Life coaching
- Corrections
- Law enforcement
You may also be able to find a position as an assistant in a psychologist's office or psychiatric center that will pay an acceptable salary. In general, however, the four-year degree in psychology will give you a boost in any position working with people because of its emphasis on communicating with others and understanding their motivations. Finding a job that pays well when you haven't yet climbed to the masters or doctoral levels in the psychology field can be difficult if you want to stay as close as possible to mental health positions.
Be Creative and Appreciate the Detour
Earning a great salary with this degree is most feasible when you're willing to widen your horizons and consider other types of work that can be enriched by your understanding of the human mind. Think of the skills you gained or could gain as a psychology major, such as teamwork, communication skills, research capabilities, conflict-resolution, and more and play those up on your resume in order to get the good paying jobs you want, whether those jobs symbolize a career change or a stepping stone to a psychology career.
If you do hope to someday be more closely involved with the mental health field as a therapist, you can use these opportunities to prove that you would be an ideal candidate for a graduate program. You'll need shining letters of recommendation to be accepted, so even if you have to veer off of your intended course for a bit, think of the benefits: a higher salary while you plan or study for your degree and the support and references that will help you get to your ultimate goal.
