Datapoint: What do people do with their psychology degrees?

More than half of people whose highest degree is a master’s, doctorate or professional psychology degree¹ work in professional services — such as health care, counseling, financial services or legal services — as their primary job.² Another one-third of doctorate holders work in teaching or research.³ A smaller proportion of master’s degree holders (18 percent) and professional degree holders (15 percent) work in teaching or research.

But people with psychology bachelor’s degrees work in a wider range of primary jobs. Sales was the most common primary job for these individuals, followed closely by other work activities,³ professional services and management/supervision.

Primary job by level of highest psychology degree

— Karen Stamm, PhD, Luona Lin, MPP, and Peggy Christidis, PhD.

For more information, contact APA's Center for Workforce Studies.

¹ National Science Foundation, National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, Scientists and Engineers Statistical Data System (SESTAT). (2013). Integrated Survey Data [Generation of custom tables]. Retrieved from www.nsf.gov/statistics/sestat/. This report includes weighted estimates on employed individuals whose highest degrees were in psychology at the following degree levels: approximately 1.3 million individuals with bachelor's degrees, 435,000 individuals with master's degrees, 115,000 individuals with doctorates and 45,000 individuals with professional degrees. The use of NSF data does not imply NSF endorsement of the research, research methods or conclusions contained in this report.

² Primary job refers to primary work activity, the work activity on which the individual spent the most hours in their principal job.

³ Research included applied and basic research. Other work activities included design, development, computer applications, production, quality management and work activities not otherwise specified.