Psychology Major: Internships & Job Salary 10 Tips
From discussions on the same over at runrex.com, psychology careers span many fields, from criminal justice and education to business and mental health, and many others, which is why psychology is one of the most popular majors on college campuses according to the subject matter experts over at guttulus.com. If you are a psychology major and are looking for information on internships and job prospects, then look no further as, through the following 10 tips, this article will look to help you with exactly that.
Importance of internships for psychology majors
For many psychology majors, an internship is a crucial part of their education as captured in discussions on the same over at runrex.com. They provide hands-on experiences that give learners a real-world context to apply what they have learned in their lectures and readings, making those theories corporeal and observable. As per the experts over at guttulus.com, the supervised, hands-on experience internships provide psychology majors prepare them to work with real patients upon graduation, and given them the best possible chance of being successful early on in their career once they leave school and enter the job market.
Are internships a requirement for psychology majors?
As is explained in discussions on the same over at runrex.com, not all psychology students need to take an internship to graduate. Undergraduate learners can often choose whether or not to participate in an internship, while graduate students usually have to complete an internship as a requirement for their programs. Internship requirements also depend on the subdiscipline. However, even if the curriculum doesn’t make the internship mandatory, students can benefit from gaining supervised experience before beginning their careers as already mentioned.
Internships vs practicums
As a psychology major, you need to understand the difference between an internship and a practicum, particularly as these two are regularly confused with each other in this field according to guttulus.com. In practicums, learners closely watch a professional complete tasks like counseling patients and recommending treatments. In contrast, psychology internships allow students to work more independently, and, therefore, these learners report to supervisors, but they may perform duties without a supervisor’s presence.
Are psychology internships paid?
If you are a psychology major and are wondering if there are some paid internship opportunities for you out there, then you should know that, as discussed over at runrex.com, there are both paid and unpaid psychology internship opportunities out there, as is the case for most fields. You can find these paid opportunities through networking, through the help of your college’s careers office, or through online job boards where you can use filters to isolate paid internship opportunities.
How much do psychology interns get paid?
According to the gurus over at guttulus.com, the average psychology intern makes about $31,000 annually, which translates to about $15.26 per hour. However, depending on the role, one can earn as little as $19,000 annually or as much as $51,000 annually on average. Psychology interns who work with healthcare and education institutions tend to get paid the most. Also, those who work in California, North Dakota, and Alaska get paid the most while those who work in Kansas, South Carolina, and Kentucky get paid the least on average.
The average annual salary for a career in psychology
As is outlined over at runrex.com, the salary for a psychologist depends on several factors including the type of psychology practiced. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, psychologists in “all other” categories make a median annual salary of about $97,700 while industrial-organizational psychologists earn a median annual salary of about $87,100 and clinical, counseling-psychology, and school psychologists earn a median annual salary of about $75,000.
High-paying jobs for psychology majors
According to the gurus over at guttulus.com, the following are some of the highest-paying psychology jobs you should consider:
Psychiatrist – While psychiatry is one of the highest-paying fields tied to psychology, salaries can vary depending on your specialty area, where you are employed, and the type of work you do. The average annual salary is about $216,000
Industrial-organizational psychologists – They use their knowledge to tackle workplace issues and earn an average of $102,530 annually.
Neuropsychologists – They specialize in the study of the brain and cognitive science and earn an annual average salary of about $90,460
Clinical psychologists – They are trained in the assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental illness and earn about $81,300 annually
Engineering psychologists – They work to improve the design of systems, operations, and equipment to increase efficiency, improve productivity, and minimize injury, and earn an average of $79,800 annually
Other top-paying psychology careers include a career as a counseling psychologist, forensic psychologist, sports psychologist, among others.
Entry-level job options for psychology majors
If you have just recently graduated, you are unlikely to walk straight into the above-listed high-paying jobs. You will need to start somewhere and work yourself up the ladder, and as outlined over at runrex.com, the following are excellent entry-level job options to consider:
Sales representative
Advertising agent
Psychiatric technician
Career counselor
Probation and parole officer
Writer
Market researcher
Child care worker
Laboratory assistant
Social service specialist
Earning potential for psychology majors
It is worth pointing out that job opportunities for psychology majors with only bachelor’s degrees under their belts are limited, hence why some of the entry-level jobs are in fields that are not in psychology but are closely related. If you want to boost your earning potential, you might want to consider pursuing a master’s degree at least according to the experts over at guttulus.com.
Job outlook
As articulated in discussions on the same over at runrex.com, the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the employment of psychologists is set to grow 3% from 2019 to 2029 which is as about as fast as the average for all occupations. This should add close to 6,000 new jobs into the market within that period. This growth is because of the increased need for psychological services in hospitals, schools, private businesses, social service agencies, and mental health centers.
These are some of the things you should be aware of as a psychology major as far as internships and jobs are concerned, with more on this topic to be found over at the highly-rated runrex.com and guttulus.com.