Like most social science degrees, psychology has wide-ranging job prospects, not just limited to the field of psychology itself. Out of the 100,000 psychology students who graduate every year, many pursue careers in healthcare, business, education, human resources, and marketing. 

A psychology degree alone won’t even set you up for a psychology job, as you’ll most likely need to major in it afterward. So, what is the overall value of a psychology degree? 

How Valuable is a Psychology Degree? 

Psychology has increased in popularity significantly as a major over the last 15 or so years. However, only around 60% of those who have achieved a bachelor’s degree in psychology end up working in that field. Of course, this percentage increases with regards to those who decide to do a master’s in psychology. 

Satisfaction levels are moderately high in regards to those with a psychology degree who are now in employment. A psychology degree may not land you in a high-earning job immediately but can over time. 

The Job Market

People often falsely believe that job prospects related to psychology degrees are limited to psychology-related jobs – this is not the case at all.

For many jobs related loosely to psychology, such as social work, school counseling, and mental health counseling, a bachelor’s degree in psychology alone will not be sufficient. You will need to complete a master’s. 

However, there are lots of options for those interested in only completing a bachelor’s. These involve a lot of jobs not involved directly with psychology at all, including business, education, healthcare, and non-profit social work. It is easy to get into any of these career areas with a psychology bachelor’s degree.

What’s in the Degree 

Psychology degrees center around the study of human behavior through theory and research methods. 

There are two different types of psychology bachelor’s. A Bachelor of Science in psychology consists of more research using quantitative skills. A Bachelor of Arts in psychology, on the other hand, takes a more social science-oriented perspective on the study, with more theory-based content. 

Getting a Master’s in Psychology 

As we’ve mentioned, if you want a psychology job, you will more than likely need first to attain a master’s in the subject. With a master’s, job prospects increase tenfold, and you can follow such pursuits as becoming a family therapist, a counselor, and a survey researcher. 

If you’ve got your sights on bigger earning careers, a psychology master’s could lead you to a $79,010 salary as a clinical psychologist. 

Concluding Thoughts

Psychology degrees are a good bachelor’s degree choice for those who have their sights on a few different career paths, as they can open doors to a wide range of prospects.