Where Psychologists Can Work

Where Psychologists Can Work Student Resources Careers Print Where Psychologists Work Employment Statistics, Schedules, Pay Rates, and Outlook By Kendra Cherry facebook twitter Kendra Cherry, MS, is an author, educational consultant, and speaker focused on helping students learn about psychology. Learn about our editorial policy Kendra Cherry Updated on July 09, 2018 Tom M Johnson / Getty Images More in Student Resources Careers APA Style and Writing Study Guides and Tips How many psychologists are there? Where do they typically work? What kind of pay can a psychologist expect? We found answers to these questions in the 2016-2017 Occupational Outlook Handbook from the U.S. Department of Labors Bureau of Labor Statistics. Employment Statistics Psychologists held approximately 173,900  jobs in 2014. Approximately 33 percent were self-employed in 2014, usually as private practitioners. Work Environment An estimated 25 percent of psychologists work in elementary and secondary school settings.  Educational institutions often employ psychologists in positions other than teaching,  like  counseling, testing, research, and administration. Approximately 10 percent of psychologists work for government agencies at the state and local levels. The government often employs psychologists to work in public hospitals, clinics, correctional facilities, and other settings. Around nine percent were employed in the offices of mental healthcare practitioners other than physicians and another six percent worked in state, local, and private hospitals. Those who work in healthcare often work for mental health practitioners, physicians, outpatient mental health and substance abuse centers, and private hospitals. Five percent were employed in family and individual services. After several years of experience, some psychologists, usually those with doctoral degrees, can enter private practice or set up private research or consulting firms. In addition to the previously mentioned jobs, many psychologists held faculty positions at colleges and universities and as high school psychology teachers. Psychologists are also employed in a number of other areas not specifically mentioned in the Occupational Outlook Handbook. Many psychologists work in research positions in various subfields of psychology. Some additional areas of employment include positions in industrial-organizational psychology and human-factors psychology. Other psychologists work in business as managers, consultants, and marketing researchers. Religious organizations also employ psychologists. Work Schedule Can Vary A psychologists work schedule depends largely upon the specialty area in which they work and who employs them. Those who work in school, business, government, or healthcare settings often work full-time each week during normal business hours. Those who are self-employed or work for outpatient clinics may find that their work hours are less regular. They can often set their own schedules, but they may also find themselves having to work evenings or weekends in order to accommodate clients or deal with client emergencies. Salary Information The median salary for all psychologists in 2016 was $75,230, which translates to $36.17 per hour. Median salaries for specific jobs include: Clinical, counseling, and school psychologists - $73,270Industrial-organizational psychologist - $82,760All other psychologists - $95,710Psychologists working in government - $92,880Psychologists working in hospitals - $81,740Psychologists working in mental health practices - $75,670Psychologists working in family and individual services - $66,220 Job Outlook Employment for psychologists overall is predicted to grow 19 percent from 2014 to 2024, which is significantly faster than the outlook for most other careers. For school, clinical, and counseling psychologists, its 20 percent.