When seeking out jobs at the BA-level, it is good to remember that in nearly every setting where there is a professional psychologist on staff, you can be relatively optimistic that there will be a need for some type of BA-level paraprofessional. You will have to spend some time looking, but the end result could be satisfying employment. For more information, follow this link for a description of different categories of psychology careers.
Positions Obtained by UNL Psychology Graduates
| Academic Advisor | Attorney |
| Certified Financial Planner | Counselor |
| Corrections Officer | Customer Service Representative |
| Dentist | Doctor |
| Employment Interviewer | Investment Officer |
| Librarian | Manager: Health Care Facility |
| Manager: Retail Outlet | Optician |
| Medical Examiner | Pilot Instructor |
| Physical Therapist | Psychologist |
| Realtor | Reporter/Anchor |
| Social Service Worker | Stockbroker |
| Welfare Examiner |
Related Occupations
| Advertising Manager | Criminologist |
| Editor | Educator |
| Job Analyst | Judge |
| Lawyer | Market Research Analyst |
| Mental Health Worker | Occupational Therapist |
| Penologist | Personnel Manager |
| Police Officer | Psychiatric Nurse |
| Public Relations Specialist | Sales Worker |
| Special Education Instructor | Speech Pathologist |
| Technical Writer | Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor |
Characteristics of Potential Work Settings
- Offices, laboratories, clinic areas, classrooms, production areas
Current Employers of UNL Psychology Graduates
| Bakers Supermarket | Banana Republic |
| Brookline Public Library | Carnegie Endowment International |
| Children's Hospital | Douglas County Hospital |
| Data Documents Inc. | Educational Testing Service |
| Embassy Suites Hotels | Iowa State University |
| Family Violence Network | Mutual of Omaha |
| Lancaster County Corrections | Nebraska Department of Social Services |
| New York Life Insurance | State Probation Administration |
| Private Law Firms | Disney World |
| United States Armed Services | Selection Research Inc. |
| United States Postal Service | Lancaster Office on Mental Retardation |
Psychology-Related Internships (see Internship Office for current openings)
| *Area Management Intern | *Medical Program Intern |
| *Employment Coordinator | *Researcher: Government |
| *Human Services Instructional Assistant | *Sales Representative |
| * Law Clerk | *Voc Rehab Specialist Intern |
| *Crisis Line Worker | *Research Writing, Public Education |
| *Gallery Assistant | *Staff Employment Trainer |
| *Insurance Intern | *Youth Care Worker |
Related Avocational and Leisure-Time Activities
| Camp Counselor | Student Council Rep. |
| College Recruitment | Volunteer: Mental Health Agency |
| Peer Counselor | Tutor |
| Public Relations | Senior Citizens Home |
Employment Statistics
* Psychologists held about 179,000 jobs in 2004
- One-fourth were employed by educational institutions
- One-fifth were employed by various health facilities
- One-fifth were employed by government agencies
* 770 Psychologists were projected to be employed as such in Nebraska in 2012
* Two-fifths of all psychologists are self-employed
* 37,000 persons held psychology faculty positions at colleges, universities, and community colleges
* Job opportunities are expected to increase faster than average through the year 2014
- Increased emphasis on school psychologists and psychologists in hospitals, social service agencies, mental health centers
- Public concern for the development of human resources
- Changes in the level of government funding
- Increase in coverage of counseling by many insurance companies
* Job opportunities are best for individuals with a doctoral degree
- Primarily for those in school, clinical, counseling, health, industrial, and engineering backgrounds
- Extensive training in quantitative research methods and computer science will improve employment chances
* Competition will be tougher for those with master's degrees only
- Many candidates for fewer spaces
Salary Information
* Average annual salary of psychologists with a doctoral degree: $54,950
Offices of other Health Practitioners $64,460
Educational Institutions $58,360
Outpatient Care Centers $46,850
Individual and Family Services $42,640
Industrial-Organizational Psychologists $71,400
* Average starting salary for psychologists with a Bachelor's Degree with the Federal Government: $18,007-$22,660
* Counseling and school psychologists with 1 year experience starting salary with the Federal Government: $27,507
* Average starting salary for all psychologists in the State of Nebraska: $42,310
This information was compiled by Krystal Hergott in August 2006 from the following sources:
• Career Services Center. College of Arts and Sciences Psychology Major. (This handout is available in Room 230, Nebraska Union.)
BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF SOME PSYCHOLOGY-RELATED OCCUPATIONS
Industrial/Organizational Psychologist
Work Activities: interview and observe workers and supervisors to establish job requirements, develop interview techniques, rating scales and tests for selection, placement and promotion of workers.
Educational Requirements: BA but for advancement a master's degree or Ph.D. is required
Salary: starting wage $29,000 with a Master's Degree (median wage $63,000 with a Master's degree) and $36,620-$112,660 with a PhD and 10 yrs. of experience; $38,000 for associate professors in psychology, and $51,000 in departments of business and management.
Outlook: Growing faster than average; excellent for those with Ph.D.'s and with extensive training in quantitative research.
Occupational Therapy
Definition of Occupation: to help individuals of all ages who have physical, developmental, emotional, and social deficits learn skills to enable them to lead independent, productive, and satisfying lives
Work Activities: determine the function an individual can safely perform, provide activities that develop abilities to the maximum, and teach ways to compensate for lost function, adapt the home, school and workplace for independence.
Educational Requirements: BA degree and associate degree in occupational therapy (OT). In 2007, a Master's degree or higher will be the minimum requirement
Salary: The Median earnings in 2002 was $51,990 with a range of earnings from $35,130-$74,390 a year. An assistant made roughly around $23,000 a year.
Outlook: one of the fastest growing health professions in the United States .
Social Worker
Work Activities: help individuals, families, groups and communities solve their problems, increase and improve the community resources available to people.
Educational Requirements: Bachelor's degree in social work, or a major in sociology or psychology and a Master' s degree in social work.
Salary: average earnings for full-time social workers are $33,150 a year, lowest ten percent earn less than $21,270 a year, and the highest earn over $54,250 a year.
Outlook: very good. The number of degrees being given in this field will not keep pace with the increasing number of positions available
Clinical Psychologist
Work Activities: work with patients to uncover information that will help them understand and correct their problems and assess and treat mental and emotional disorders
Educational Requirements: BA degree, plus graduate school - typically six years beyond the BA degree. A Ph.D. is required
Salary: Median $51,170 (range $30,090-$87,060) for work in hospitals, schools, and prisons; independent practice $55,000 to $65,000
Outlook: great
Psychiatrist
Work Activities: diagnosis, treat, and prevent mental illness and emotional problems, deal with patients who may be severely depressed, anxious, alcoholic, drug addicted, neurotic, psychotic, or delusional
Educational Requirements: BA degree plus 4 yrs in medical school followed by 4-5 years of residency
Salary: Median earnings average $163,144 a year
Outlook expected to grow in demand
Forensic Psychologist
Work Activities: working at penal institutions in rehabilitating criminals; examining defendants to determine if they are insane or if they are fit to stand trial; working with the FBI to relate specific cases to various criminals and suspects
Educational Requirements: B.A. in Psychology, Ph.D. from a Forensic Psych. program.
Salary: starting wages $40,000 with the state and local agencies; with a few years of experience - $60,000.
Outlook: good
Adolescent Rehabilitation
Work Activities: work with the adolescent in gathering information, evaluating, assessing, counseling and other goal-directed services with regard to behavior modification, drug and alcohol use, emotional instability and those with criminal records and works with families and medical specialists in helping the client.
Educational Requirements: Bachelor's degree with emphasis on behavioral science is usually required. At the graduate level, a wide range of psychology courses, clinical internships, and specific supervised work experience is usually required.
Salary: with a Bachelor's degree beginning salary is from $20,000 to $25,000 a year. A Master's degree - $21,00 to $30,000, with experience and time salary increases to $28,000 to $34,000. With a Ph.D. - in government agencies, $40,000 to $60,00; private practice, $50,000 to $70,000.
Outlook: private rehabilitation is expected to grow rapidly and will remain stable in the public sector.
Art therapy:
Work Activities: use arts and psychology together to help analyze people with psychological disorders, use art as a medium for unconscious expression, plan and conduct programs to assist in the rehabilitation or personal development of mentally ill, emotionally disturbed, mentally or physically handicapped individuals.
Educational Requirements: BA in psychology plus Master's degree or certificate in art therapy.
Salary: beginning income between $23,500 and $25,000
Outlook: okay if planning to go out of Nebraska.
Mental Health Counselor
Work Activities: help individual deal with such problems as addictions and substance abuse, family, parenting, marital problems, suicide, stress management, problems with self-esteem, issues associated with aging, job and career concern, educational decisions, and issues of mental and emotional health.
Educational Requirements: BA or B.S. and generally a master's degree or doctorate in mental health counseling, other counseling, or in psychology or social work.
Salary: a little below $30,000 with a year of experience; salaries can range from $19,760-$50,170
Outlook: high demand
updated July 2005 by Hope Van Houten and Krystal Hergott
Information was obtained from various websites that can be found on the UNL career services page at http://www.unl.edu/careers/
