Psychometrician Salary and Career Facts

Explore the career requirements for psychometricians. Get the facts about education and licensure requirements, salary, and potential job growth to determine if this is the right career for you.

What Is a Psychometrician?

Psychometricians, also known as psychometrists, administer various types of psychological tests and score and interpret the results. They may also be responsible for building a base of clients or patients in which they can do further tests or follow and observe changes over time. They are also in charge of the administrative or clerical duties of their office. The National Association of Psychometrists (NAP) states that some companies may also refer to this position as a neuropsychological technician or a psychological assistant (www.napnet.org). If you choose this career path, you could work as support staff for a licensed psychologist or neurologist.

Degree Required	Bachelor's degree in psychology at a minimum Master's degree Ph.D.
Education Field of Study	Psychology Biology Other social science
Key Responsibilities	Interact with patients in the administration of psychological tests, Score administered tests, Interpret test results, Prepare written reports of test results
Licensure and Certification	Certified Specialist in Psychometry credential preferred by employers
Job Growth (2020-2030)*	8% (for all psychologists)
Mean Salary (2021)**	$48,342

Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, **PayScale.com

What Activities Would I Perform?

In general, you would assist licensed psychologists and neuropsychologists with the administration, scoring, and interpretation of tests. You may also monitor client behavior, schedule appointments, conduct billing and perform other office maintenance duties.

Additional responsibilities could include reviewing documents for accuracy and writing summary reports and progress notes. You would also need to learn and maintain a working knowledge of policies and procedures as well as codes of operation.

What Are the Requirements?

In order to work as a psychometrist, the NAP states that you need a bachelor's degree in psychology or a similar field from an accredited institution (www.napnet.org). Although it is not required, the NAP recommends earning Certified Specialist in Psychometry status to increase your professional standing.

If you have a bachelor's degree, the Certification for Psychometrists website states that you would need a minimum of 3,000 supervised hours of experience in order to take the exam (www.psychometristcertification.org). This experience usually consists of test administration and scoring. The NAP states that you would only need a minimum of 2,000 hours of experience with an accredited master's or doctoral degree.

Employment Statistics

Most psychometrists earned between $14.48 and $25.34 per hour as of December 2021, according to PayScale.com. Higher salaries were earned by more experienced psychometricians. Certification may also increase your salary. The BLS predicted job growth of 8% for all psychologists between 2020 and 2030.

What Are Some Related Alternative Careers?

If you are interested in a career within the mental health field, you may consider being a psychiatric technician, where you will be responsible for providing therapy and treatment to patients, such as administering medicine and maintaining the cleanliness and safety of their environment. This position would only require a postsecondary certificate. Another possible career choice would be being a medical assistant where you would primarily focus on performing the administrative duties of the office space. This position also only requires a postsecondary nondegree award. Alternatively, you could become a registered nurse, where you will be responsible for organizing and administering care to patients. This position requires a bachelor's degree, like psychometricians.