Psychology Degree Guide
Since 1970, psychology degrees have been a popular choice among students. A psychology degree can provide you with various career choices and professional opportunities.
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) reports that psychology degrees made up 6% of all bachelor’s degrees conferred in the 2021-22 academic year. The discipline provides you with in-demand skills that can be applied in many different occupations and industries.
With such a wide field, the degree choices can be overwhelming. To help you narrow it down, this guide covers psychology degree types, program options, and popular career pathways for graduates.
What Is a Psychology Degree?
At its core, a psychology degree explores the human mind, helping you understand behaviors and what drives people across different settings and backgrounds. In a psychology degree program, you’ll take general psychology, humanities, and social sciences courses. Focus areas at the undergraduate level include behavior analysis, health sciences, and addiction studies.
Graduate degrees in psychology help you develop specialized psychological knowledge and experience in research and clinical settings. With a doctorate degree in psychology, you can pursue a clinical psychologist role.
Differentiating between psychology degree levels, focus areas, and programs can be overwhelming. Below, we break it all down so you can choose the best path for your goals.
Types of Psychology Degrees
Psychology has plenty of subdisciplines with different professional approaches and requirements. Specializing in one of these fields can lead to better learning experiences and more specific career opportunities.
Before specializing, you should understand your career options to avoid limiting yourself. For example, you should research the differences between counselors and therapists, as well as psychologists and psychiatrists.
To help you identify the right focus area for you, we’ve narrowed down our list to some of the most common psychology concentrations:
- Addiction Counseling (Substance Use Counselor)
- Behavioral Psychology
- Child and Adolescent Psychology
- Early Childhood Education
- Educational Psychology
- Forensic Psychology
- Marriage and Family Counseling
- Mental Health Counseling
- Industrial/Organizational Psychology
- School Counseling
Reality Check: Can I Get a Psychology Degree Online?
Yes, you can earn a psychology degree entirely online. Many psychology majors prefer this option for the increased flexibility it offers compared to traditional, on-campus programs. Some schools even offer more affordable tuition rates for their online psychology programs than for their in-person counterparts.While many psychology programs are fully online, some may have in-person requirements, especially at the graduate level. Be sure to review the curriculum details of your prospective program to check for any on-site components.
Psychology Degrees: From Associate to Doctorate
Each psychology degree level offers unique career options. An associate program can lead to an entry-level career; a bachelor’s program can launch graduates into social service occupations; and a psychology graduate program can lead to clinical, counseling, research, and academic opportunities.
Associate Degree in Psychology
- Program Length: 2 years
- Potential Jobs: Human services assistant, research assistant, and psychiatric technician
An associate psychology degree covers psychology foundations, historical developments, core concepts, theoretical knowledge, and practical applications. These programs typically take two years to complete, but some online associate degrees in psychology offer accelerated options.
Associate degree graduates can pursue entry-level careers in social services, such as human service assistants. However, many graduates with an associate degree in psychology choose to pursue a bachelor’s degree to expand their career opportunities.
Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology
- Program Length: 4 years
- Potential Jobs: Substance use counselor, market research analyst, public relations specialist, and training and development specialist
Bachelor’s psychology degrees provide more comprehensive training than associate degrees. A bachelor’s in psychology may divide the training into upper- and lower-level studies.
Lower-level courses offer general overviews of the major psychology subdisciplines, such as cognitive and behavioral psychology. Meanwhile, upper-level courses delve into advanced topics like social, developmental, and forensic psychology.
Programs typically run for four years, but you can reduce this timeline with previous college credits or an associate degree. Some programs offer specializations at this level, giving you greater control of your future career path. For example, you can choose a major like substance abuse counseling or applied psychology.
Featured Online Bachelor’s in Psychology Degrees
Master’s Degree in Psychology
- Program Length: 2 years
- Potential Jobs: I/O psychologist, mental health counselor, school psychologist, and forensic psychologist
Psychology degrees at the master’s level provide advanced theoretical training and practical application. These graduate degrees take two years to complete and often focus on research, analysis, and clinical preparation. Specializations allow you to pursue subdisciplines like mental health counseling, child psychology, and forensic psychology.
A master’s in psychology can lead to many clinical careers. Career options may include counseling careers and certain psychologist roles. You may also continue your studies and earn a doctoral degree.
Featured Online Master’s in Psychology Degrees
Doctorate in Psychology
- Program Length: 4-5 years
- Potential Jobs: Psychology professor, research psychologist
Psychology doctoral degrees provide the most advanced training available in the field. They cover advanced research, quantitative methods, and analytical techniques.
While many psychology doctorates allow you to create your own plan of study based on your research interests and career goals, specializations like research psychology and educational psychology may also be available. You can also choose between Ph.D. and Psy.D. programs. Both degrees can lead to the same careers, but their curricula and requirements can differ.
Psychology doctorates typically run between 4 and 7 years, and career opportunities after graduation include postsecondary teacher, licensed counselor, and psychologist.
Featured Online Ph.D. in Psychology Degrees
What to Consider Before Applying to a Psychology Program: 3 Factors
There are several factors you need to take into account when applying for a psychology program, including program accreditation and the types of specializations offered. Below, we’ll help you understand how to narrow your search down to find the best program for your needs.
- 1
Check Your Psychology Program’s Accreditation Status
Accreditation validates a school and qualifies graduates for employment and licensure. Regional accreditation is the standard for institutions, ensuring they meet the educational and service standards of their specific region.
Programmatic accreditation covers discipline-specific curriculum and instruction. In psychology, the American Psychological Association (APA) provides accreditation for psychology doctoral programs.
- 2
Ensure Your Focus Area Is Offered
While a psychology degree offers the basis to pursue various related careers, a specialization can help you start working in a specific field faster. Not all psychology programs offer degree specializations, so if you have a specific area of interest, it’s important to check whether your prospective program includes that option.
For example, if you want to focus on organizational psychology, choosing a program with that specialization can better prepare you for success in the field.
- 3
Review the Admission Requirements
Reviewing admissions requirements and acceptance rates can help you find a degree program that aligns with your goals. Some programs set minimum GPA or GRE score thresholds, especially at the graduate level. Others may take a more holistic approach, placing more emphasis on work experience, letters of recommendation, or other qualifications. Standard application requirements include:
- Official transcripts
- Letters of recommendation
- Standardized test scores, such as the ACT, SAT, or GRE
- Personal statement or essay
- Resume or CV
What Can You Do With a Psychology Degree?
Psychology degrees build skills you can apply to many fields, including community services and human relations. You can create your own career path by specializing in a particular field of psychology. Below, we examine popular psychology jobs across industries, including business, human services, and counseling.
| 10 Psychology Careers | Median Annual Salary (2024) | Projected Job Growth (2023-33) | Minimum Degree Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| Social and Human Service Assistant | $45,120 | 8% | Associate |
| Market Research Analyst | $76,950 | 8% | Bachelor’s |
| Public Relations Specialist | $69,780 | 6% | Bachelor’s |
| Training and Development Specialist | $65,850 | 12% | Bachelor’s |
| Substance Use Counselor | $59,190 | 19% | Bachelor’s* |
| Licensed Mental Health Counselor | $59,190 | 19% | Master’s |
| Marriage and Family Therapist | $63,780 | 16% | Master’s |
| School Psychologist | $86,930 | 7% | Master’s |
| I/O Psychologist | $109,840 | 7% | Master’s |
| Clinical and Counseling Psychologist | $95,830 | 7% | Doctorate |
| Psychology Professor | $80,330 | 8% | Doctorate |
Psychology Degree Salaries
Psychology degrees can lead to well-paying careers. According to the BLS, the median annual salary for community services occupations is $57,530, more than $8,000 higher than the median annual salary for all occupations ($49,500).
Psychologists, who hold advanced degrees, earn some of the highest wages in the field, earning median annual salaries of $92,740. The top 10% of earners in the field make more than $168,870. The table below includes the most recent average salaries for psych graduates.
How Much Does a Psychology Degree Cost?
Paying for a psychology degree is top of mind for many prospective psych majors. An online psychology degree can cost anywhere from $1,400 per year for an associate degree to around $13,500 a year for a doctorate degree, on average, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
You should start by filling out the FAFSA, which can give you access to federal and state financial aid. You can also pursue scholarships from states, schools, and organizations.
An online degree can also help minimize travel and room and board costs. Online psychology degrees are cheaper, on average, than their campus-based counterparts.
| Degree Level | Online Psychology Programs | Traditional, On-Campus Psychology Programs |
|---|---|---|
| Associate | $1,442 | $1,490 |
| Bachelor’s | $9,328 | $12,000 |
| Master’s | $9,299 | $11,739 |
| Doctorate | $13,584 | $13,440 |
Frequently Asked Questions About Psychology Degrees
Whether a psychology degree is worth pursuing ultimately depends on your career goals. While a psychology degree can open doors to many fulfilling and high-paying careers, you’ll need to earn a doctorate degree to work as a psychologist, which can be a very expensive and time-consuming endeavor.A psychology degree is also a strong choice if you’re aiming for a counseling career, such as becoming a marriage and family therapist or substance use counselor.
For roles outside of psychology and counseling, especially those in business, a psychology degree can still provide a strong foundation, though a degree in a business-specific field may be more directly aligned with your goals.
