What Is the Salary for Graduates with a General Psychology Degree?

<h3 id="section---DegreeAndCareerInformation">Degree and Career Information</h3> <p>Psychology is a social science field where individuals learn to study the mental processes behind human behavior through interpretation, observation and other methods. Typically, these studies focus on a person's feelings and beliefs that influence the individual's actions. </p> <p>Your salary as a graduate with a general psychology degree will vary greatly depending on the job, location and level of education you've obtained. Many positions in psychology require an advanced degree, so your earnings may be lower if you have only an undergraduate degree. Many graduates with a bachelor's degree in general psychology may be employed in fields such as human resources, case management, customer service and administrative assistance. </p> <h3 id="section---ImportantFactsAboutACareerInPsychology">Important Facts About a Career in Psychology</h3> <p /> <table border="1"><tr><td> Job Outlook (2021-2031)</td><td> 6% (<i>for all psychologists</i>)</td></tr> <tr><td> Key Skills </td><td> Communication, problem-solving, critical thinking and interpersonal skills</td></tr> <tr><td> Licensure </td><td> Varies by state and occupation; typically required for all practicing psychologists</td></tr> <tr><td> Work Environment</td><td> Private practice offices, clinics, hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, mental health facilities</td></tr> </table><p><i>Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics</i> </p> <h3 id="section---ClinicalCounselingAndSchoolPsychologist">Clinical, Counseling and School Psychologist</h3> <p>According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the mean annual wage of clinical, counseling and school psychologists was $99,640 in May 2021 (<i>www.bls.gov</i>). Psychologists must have either a master's degree or a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in general psychology or a specialized area of psychology to work as a psychologist. While some employment is possible with a master's degree, a doctoral degree is needed if you wish to enter private practice. </p> <p>The BLS reported that many of these professionals worked in offices of other health practitioners and earned a mean wage of $106,870 in May 2021. While those working in the offices of physicians earned a mean salary of $106,520, those working in individual and family services earned a mean of $78,900. </p> <h3 id="section---HumanResourcesManager">Human Resources Manager</h3> <p>Graduates with general psychology degrees may work in the human resources field, which generally requires you to have strong people and communication skills. Human resources managers oversee the recruitment of qualified personnel and the implementation of employee benefit packages for their companies. </p> <p>According to the BLS, the mean annual salary of a human resources manager was $136,590 a year in May 2021. The BLS reported that most worked in the company and enterprise management industry and earned a mean wage of $151,750. </p> <h3 id="section---CaseManager">Case Manager</h3> <p>While some case management positions require an advanced degree, a bachelor's degree in general psychology may be sufficient. These professionals design treatment and recovery plans for patients based on individual circumstances. The average annual salary of a social services case manager was $42,010 in March 2023, according to <i>PayScale.com</i>. Entry-level professionals earned a somewhat lower average wage of $39,899. </p> <h3 id="section---CustomerServiceRepresentative">Customer Service Representative</h3> <p>Some graduates with degrees in general psychology may work as customer service representatives. These workers ensure customer satisfaction and handle customer complaints. The BLS reported that customer service representatives earned a mean wage of $39,070 in May 2021. Business support services employed the highest number of these professionals and paid them a mean wage of $33,430. Agencies, brokerages, and other insurance-related activities also employed a significant number and offered a higher mean wage of $42,530. </p> <h3 id="section---AdministrativeAssistant">Administrative Assistant</h3> <p>Graduates with an undergraduate degree in general psychology degrees may decide to work as administrative assistants. According to the BLS, secretaries and administrative assistants (except legal, medical and executive assistants) earned a mean wage of $41,080 in May 2021. Top employers included elementary and secondary schools, where the mean salary was $39,970.</p>