Why Seniors Are Getting Psychology Degrees

If you’re captivated by the idea of understanding human nature, consider a career in psychology.

Psychology is an amazing field, enabling seniors to capitalize on their rich life histories and wisdom. A degree in psychology will allow you to understand the working of the human mind and discover what influences human behaviors. Although the human mind is well-researched, it’s still a daunting mystery.

The field of psychology has significantly advanced our understanding of human behavior, but still the there’s so much that remains unknown to us about the capabilities of the human mind.

If you have a degree in psychology, then you’ll become part of the noble and ongoing research into the human mind.

That said, there’s so many career paths you can pursue as a psychologist, including being a school counselor, an addiction or clinical psychologist.

If you’re still wondering if earning a psychology degree is the right for you, then take a look at these reasons to major in psychology.

A Psychology Degree Opens the Door to A Variety of Careers

Psychology is not a one-size-fits-career option. In fact, one of the greatest perks of a psychology degree is the numerous career paths graduates can follow.

Psychology students are also in demand. The Bureau of Labor Statistics says that the psychology profession will grow 14% by 2028.

What’s even better, students can tailor their psychology education to focus on a specialty area that appeals to their wishes. Some potential professions you can choose include:

1) Substance Abuse Counselor

A substance abuse counselor provides necessary support to individuals recovering from alcohol, opiates, cocaine, and other drug addictions. By building trust with the patients, a counselor will provide support, resources, and judgment-free guidance that patients can use on their road to addiction recovery. This is currently one of the fastest-growing and in-demand careers.

2) Marriage and Family Therapist

Marriage and family therapists work to provide therapy and counseling to couples and families who wish to resolve emotional conflict within marriages and families. As a result, they help to reduce or prevent a crisis from occurring.

3) Psychometrist

As a psychometrist, you’ll administer and scores psychological testing. You’ll work along with licensed psychologists, who’re responsible for assessing the test results after the psychometrist’s work is completed.

You can also work in clinics to administer tests to patients, in companies to administer tests to prospective employees, or in educational institutions to administer standardized tests.

4) Clinical Psychologist

A clinical psychologist is arguably the most traditional job you can land with a psychology degree. As a clinical psychologist, you’ll provide psychotherapy to patients. You’ll help them make positive adjustments to their lifestyles and mental health.

You’ll work with different clients with a variety of disorders, such as behavioral disorders, neurological disorders, eating disorders, mental illness, and more.

5) Psychiatric Technician

Psychiatric Technicians work in clinics or hospitals and are in charge of the patient’s overall mental wellness. Their work involves reporting the mental and emotional state of patients to medical staff.

They also work within rehabilitation programs, give a hand in personal hygiene, and administer oral and injectable medications to patients.

6) Human Resource Personnel (HR)

There’s a high demand for human resource personnel in companies and government organizations. As an HR officer, you’ll help managers implement various company policies and strategies. You will also help with screening applicants and recruiting qualified individuals.

Increase Your Earning Potential

Besides qualifying for many jobs and becoming eligible for new career paths, you also have an opportunity of increasing your earning potential in the psychology field.

A psychology degree provides you education and makes you eligible for jobs higher on the career ladder, which means a higher salary. Obviously, your salary will depend on the job you select once you’ve graduated with a psychology degree.

Here are examples of the earning potential presented by popular psychology jobs:

Substance abuse counselor – $25,000 to $40,000 per year
Psychiatric technician – $22,000 to $47,000 per year
Human resources personnel – $30,000-$55,000 per year for entry-level positions
Marriage and family therapist – $40,000 to $ 100,000 per year
Clinical psychologist – $50,000 to $70,000 per year

Your opportunity to earn a higher salary will increase most if you become a psychologist in a more specialized field.

For instance, if you become an industrial-organizational psychologist you can expect an annual salary of $102,530. As a Neuropsychologist, you can earn $90,460 per year, and as a counseling psychologist you can earn $58,830 per year.

But remember, you’ll need a master’s degree in psychology to apply for most of these jobs. In other cases, you might even need a doctorate.

You Can Earn a Psychology Degree Online

In this modern age, many people are pursuing their degrees online. You can do the same if you don’t want to attend physical classes.

Many universities offer online psychology degree programs, meaning you can take the courses right in the comfort of your home.

An online degree program is very convenient and easily accessible. As long as you have a laptop and an internet connection you can attend classes from anywhere and integrate your coursework into your busy schedule. You need not be present to receive a quality education, all thanks to the internet.

Here’s a list of top universities offering online psychology degrees:

Pennsylvania State University: Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology
Oregon State University: Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science Degrees in Psychology
Arizona State University: Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology
University of Florida: Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology

Take a leap of faith today and search for these psychology degrees online. Compare the different programs and see which ones meet your education and cost requirements.