Different Types of Psychology Degrees and the Jobs Within Psychology

With a degree in psychology, you can use core skills such as research, decision-making and communication to work in a vast array of fields, including business, counseling, human resources and many more.

You can narrow down which field you'd like to consider by researching different roles and thinking about which population and special interests you may have, according to Beth Lippold. Lippold is a career advisor at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) with more than 11 years of counseling experience.

She said you can speak with people you may know who work in the psychology field. And that can help you gain a better understanding of what it takes to work in that career while also helping you develop your professional network.

With a clear focus on your interests and the populations you'd like to work with, you can better align your goals with the career path you'd like to pursue.

How Long Does it Take To Start A Career in Psychology Career?

That depends on your career goals and how much you're willing to advance your education. There are several types of psychology degrees, each building on your knowledge and expertise of the discipline. There are also several entry-level psychology careers that you can consider to build your experience in the field.

But bear in mind that to become a licensed psychologist with the ability to treat clients, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) noted you'll likely need a doctoral degree and additional training hours. (A doctorate in psychology is not currently offered at SNHU.)

It typically takes between eight and 12 years to in total to become a psychologist, according to Indeed's Career Guide. Along that path, there are four types of psychology degrees that you might earn. They include two at the undergraduate level and two at the graduate level.

Associate Degree in Psychology

An associate degree in psychology is an undergraduate degree that introduces you to the subject of psychology. It typically takes two years to get an associate degree, which is why it's referred to as the "two-year college degree."

After earning the 60 credits required for an associate degree, you may decide to continue with a bachelor's degree. Although, earning an associate is not required to pursue your bachelor's. (An associate in psychology is not currently offered at SNHU.)

Bachelor's Degree in Psychology

A bachelor's degree in psychology is another undergraduate degree that will help you develop a strong foundation in the subject while also allowing you to take general education courses that round out your education. With a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Psychology, you can choose to specialize in a specific area of psychology that interests you, such as:

• BA in Business Psychology
• BA in Child Psychology
• BA in Forensic Psychology
• BA in Mental Health

There are a lot of factors that influence how long it takes to get a bachelor's degree. While bachelor's are generally known as "four-year college degrees," you may be able to slow down or accelerate your pace with an online degree.

If you attend a transfer-friendly university, for example, you may be able to bring any previously earned credits with you — including an associate degree — which can position you closer to graduation day.

Graduates with a bachelor's in psychology can work in a variety of different roles, but some students earn a bachelor's in order to move forward with an advanced degree. That's why Cara Huntley '23 said she earned a BA in Psychology from SNHU.

"I earned this degree so that I could be one step closer to accomplishing my long term career goal of becoming a forensic psychologist," Huntley said. "This degree not only has extended my knowledge of criminal justice and psychology, but has opened doors for me in the mental health field."

What Are 5 Career Options with a Bachelor's in Psychology?

There are many types of psychology and roles in a variety of fields that you can unlock with a bachelor's in psychology.

While psychology has many uses professionally, certain fields may naturally suit you. A few of the fields you can consider are:

Human Resources

Human resources (HR) is one of the non-psychology fields that nonetheless employs many people with a psychology education. As a human resource generalist, you would be charged with helping HR managers evaluate and administer a company’s policies that relate to employees, including training, payroll and benefits, and more. Human resources professionals also interview, screen and recruit new employees, according to BLS.

As you move up in your career and become a human resources manager, other duties can include overseeing insurance, salary and benefits packages offered to new hires.

According to BLS, human resources specialists made an annual median of $67,650 in 2023 and their role is projected to grow 8% through 2033.* Human resources managers made a median of $136,350 in 2023, and the role is projected to grow 6% through 2033, BLS reported.*

Probation and Correctional Treatment Officer

Many times, when someone is released from jail or prison, they are still under court-ordered conditions regarding their behavior. It falls to probation and parole officers to provide that supervision.

In this role, you would interview probationers and parolees — as well as their family, friends and associates — to evaluate if they are abiding by their parole or probation conditions and determine what resources are likely to help them successfully reintegrate into society. Generally speaking, probation officers work with people who have been placed on probation rather than sent to prison. Parole officers work with people who have been released from prison, BLS reported.

Correctional treatment officers, or specialists, help probationers and parolees build and stick to rehabilitation plans. They can evaluate clients using psychological tests and learning about their personal and work history, help them find substance abuse or mental health treatment if needed and help them find jobs and housing, BLS said.

Probation and correctional treatment officers made a median salary of $61,800 in 2023, and the field is projected to grow 4% through 2033, BLS reported.*

Social and Human Service Assistant

Lippold highlighted that one pathway into psychology is starting in an advocacy role. One example is working as a social and human service assistant.

Social and human service assistants, also known as aides or human service workers, work with clients to ensure their needs are being met. They may work directly with social service workers — such as psychologists and social workers — to help develop care plans for their clients. Beyond supporting their clients in their day-to-day lives, they also help research and obtain benefits for their clients like food stamps or Medicaid, according to BLS.

BLS reported social and human service assistants made a median salary of $41,410 in 2023 and is expected to grow 8% through 2033.*

Management Analysts

While some firms that employ management analysts prefer a master's degree, a bachelor’s degree in psychology can help you secure an entry-level position in the field, BLS said. Earning the Certified Management Consultant designation from the Institute of Management Consultants (IMC) USA can improve your chances.

Also called management consultants, management analysts advise a business or organization’s leaders on improving efficiency, often by finding cost savings and areas to increase revenue. Management analysts can be self-employed, and some work as part of a consulting firm. They interview employees and managers and observe business practices first-hand to acquaint themselves with the organization. They use that information as well as financial and employment data analysis to recommend new procedures or other changes to increase efficiency and profitability, according to BLS.

Management analysts made a median salary of $99,410 in 2023, and the field is expected to grow by 11% through 2033, faster than the average for other occupations, BLS reported.*

Nonprofit Agency Program Manager

As a program manager at a nonprofit agency, you would handle projects that an organization has embarked on to further its mission. You would likely work with anyone from volunteers to agency executives and ensure other employees and volunteers are appropriately trained to participate in the project you manage.

Master's Degree in Psychology

Once you earn a bachelor's degree, you can choose to advance with a graduate degree, such as a Master of Science (MS) in Psychology.

Some concentrations you have available to you include:

• MS in Child and Adolescent Psychology
• MS in Forensic Psychology
• MS in Industrial-Organizational (I-O) Psychology

How long it takes to get a master's degree can vary. For instance, at SNHU, a master's degree in psychology is 36 credits and can take you a little more than a year to complete.

What Are 5 Career Options with a Master's in Psychology?

It's helpful to explore the educational options after earning your bachelor's in psychology to advance your career or open doors to a variety of other professions. And there's a lot you can do with a master's in psychology.

Adjunct Instructor

If you want to teach psychology courses at the college level, you'll need at least a master's degree in the field. According to BLS, adjunct instructors teach about their subject area, plan lessons, assess assignments and offer advice to help students meet their goals.

BLS reported postsecondary teachers earned a median of $84,380 in 2023, and the role is projected to grow 8% through 2033.*

Market Research Analyst

Earning a master's in psychology could also prepare you for work as a market research analyst. "Market research analysts study consumer preferences, business conditions, and other factors to assess potential sales of a product or service," BLS said.

In 2023, market research analysts earned a median of $74,680, and the field is projected to grow 8% through 2033, according to BLS.*

Training and Development Specialist

A master's in psychology could be a stepping-stone toward working as a training and development specialist, too. These professionals work to design, coordinate and implement trainings to enhance employees' skills and knowledge, according to BLS.

BLS reported training and development specialists made a median of $64,340 in 2023, and the role is projected to grow 12% through 2033.* Training and development managers made a median of $125,040 in 2023, and the field is projected to grow 7% through 2033.*

School Counselor

School counseling is a field that lends itself to those with a psychology background but often requires a master's degree in counseling and licensure. (SNHU is not currently enrolling new students in the graduate counseling program.)

School counselors work with students to help them achieve a range of academic, personal and social goals, BLS noted. For example, at the high school level, a school counselor might advise students applying to college and be a conduit between the student and school. Counselors can also intervene and work with parents of students with behavioral problems, as well as students who need extra resources to learn efficiently despite learning or physical disabilities.

BLS noted the median salary for school counselors was $61,710 in 2023, and the role is projected to grow 4% through 2033.*

Social Worker

(A master's in social work is not currently offered at SNHU.)

Becoming a licensed social worker generally requires a master's degree in social work, as well as meeting state licensure requirements. The field does lend itself to many of the skills you develop studying psychology.

Social workers work with clients, and sometimes their families, to connect them with various services and treatment options they need for whatever problems they are facing

In addition to these roles, you can enter or advance in many fields with a master's degree in psychology, including forensic or industrial-organizational psychology.

Doctorate in Psychology

If you want to earn a terminal degree in psychology, you might consider a doctoral psychology program. Depending on your career goals, you'll likely earn either:

• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
• Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

According to the American Psychological Association (APA), a PhD is more common and meant for those who want to focus on scientific research or teaching, while a PsyD can be found in professional schools of psychology for those who want to provide psychological services. (A doctorate in psychology is not currently offered at SNHU.)

Is Psychology a Good Degree?

Dr. Barbara Lesniak, executive director of social science programs at SNHU with 15 years of experience as a counselor, said one of the main advantages of studying psychology is that the concepts you will encounter are applicable in virtually any profession.

“It’s a very broad-based degree,” Lesniak said. “I would say one of the biggest values is it can get you a job in a directly psych-related field, but psychology applies to any job.”

Two questions Lippold likes to ask students are, "Why do you want psychology and what are you going to do with it?" The reason for these questions is to help students figure out what steps they need to take to achieve their desired outcome.

As many as 80% of social sciences graduates go into a different field, research from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and National Science Board (NSB) showed. According to an article in Psychology Today, some popular alternatives include:

• Advertising and marketing
• Management and administration
• Social work
• Training and development

Psychology is the study of the mind and how the workings of the mind affect behavior, according to the APA. That incorporates every level of human behavior, from individuals to entire groups and at every stage of life. When you earn a bachelor’s degree in psychology, you will equip yourself with the knowledge that can help you better understand and work with the people in your world.

The Personal Benefits of a Psychology Degree

In addition to preparing yourself for any number of careers, there are many other benefits inherent in earning your bachelor’s degree in psychology. It can give you insight into the behavior of other people and groups, as well as your own. What you learn can help you communicate and build more fruitful relationships at work and in your personal life.

“(Students are) basically going to learn what makes people tick,” Lesniak said. “You’re also going to be able to look into things like building relationships, what motivates people. You can use the degree directly in your work, but I think you can also use it to help understand yourself better."

*Cited job growth projections may not reflect local and/or short-term economic or job conditions and do not guarantee actual job growth. Actual salaries and/or earning potential may be the result of a combination of factors including, but not limited to: years of experience, industry of employment, geographic location, and worker skill.

Joe Cote is a writer and organic marketer at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU), where he has worked since 2016. Previously he spent more than a dozen years as a reporter and editor at weekly and daily newspapers in Vermont and New Hampshire. He lives near SNHU's Manchester, New Hampshire campus with his wife and daughter. Connect with him on LinkedIn.