Looking for a job in psychology but not sure how to stand out? Give yourself an edge over the competition. Advance your career in psychology with a doctoral degree in one of the three fastest-growing specialties in the field. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, industrial-organizational (I/O) psychology, clinical and counseling psychology, and school psychology have the most potential for growth in the next 10 years. Learn more about these fields as you consider a psychology degree online.

 

1. Industrial-Organizational (I/O) Psychology

Think of this field as psychology in the workplace. Companies hire I/O psychologists to help solve organizational problems as well as to improve productivity. You could work with human resources on staffing, training and employee development, providing leadership coaching and development, or consulting with management on employee productivity and organizational initiatives. Sales and marketing teams may request your help to develop and analyze market research.

  • Why it’s growing: To stay competitive and grow, companies are increasingly turning to psychologists for help in hiring the best employees and improving organizational performance. The need for a psychologist’s insight in survey and market research is also expected to rise significantly in the next decade.
  • Job outlook: The fastest-growing field in psychology, employment of I/O psychologists is projected to grow 53% between 2012 and 2022. However, because it’s a small, niche occupation, new jobs will only increase to about 900 over the 10-year period.
  • Salary: Median pay is $83,580, with top earners bringing in over $200,000 per year.

 

2. Clinical & Counseling Psychology

Many people picture a clinical or counseling psychologist when they think of psychology. Clinical psychologists assess and treat people with emotional, social, work, school, or physical health concerns. You could help people with short-term crises like divorce or adolescent issues, or serious chronic conditions like schizophrenia, phobias, or depression. As a clinical psychologist, you could work in a variety of settings, including hospitals, mental health clinics, and private practices.

Counseling psychologists help people with physical, emotional, and mental health issues cope with everyday challenges such as career issues or cultural adversity (e.g., race, gender, religion, or sexual orientation). If they’re not offering psychotherapy to patients, many counseling psychologists work in research or education.

  • Why it’s growing: As the stigma surrounding mental health declines, more people are seeking psychological help for depression and other mental disorders, marriage and family problems, job stress, and addiction. This greater demand will see job growth for clinical and counseling psychologists in hospitals, mental health centers, and social services agencies. There is also an increased need to help the aging population cope with issues like Alzheimer’s, as well as military veterans with PTSD and other war trauma.
  • Job outlook: Employment of clinical and counseling psychologists is projected to increase by 11% from 2012 to 2022.
  • Salary: Median pay is $67,650 for clinical and counseling psychologists, with top earnings of about $100,000 per year for those with 10 or more years of experience.

 

3. School Psychology

As a school psychologist, you will work with students who have special needs, learning disabilities, and behavioral issues (such as drug/alcohol use and bullying). By investigating factors in school and at home that contribute to behavior and negatively affect learning, school psychologists help students overcome challenges that teachers and parents may not know about or know how to address. Students also turn to school psychologists for general counseling when coping with personal crisis.

  • Why it’s growing: As awareness of the connection between mental health and learning continues to rise, so does the demand for mental health services in schools. Currently this field has a limited number of graduates, so school psychologists are finding good job opportunities upon graduation.
  • Job outlook: Employment for school psychologists is projected to grow 11% in the next 10 years.
  • Salary: Median pay is $67,650, with earnings for school psychologists topping out around $110,000 per year.

 

Degree Recommendations for Job Opportunities

Capella has degree programs in each of these three fast-growing psychology fields:

 

See graduation rates, median student debt, and other information at Capella Results. 

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