Psychology Careers
Find out what careers you can achieve with a Psychology degree from MBU, and how you can get there!
Psychology Careers
These are just some of the many careers a Psychology BA can prepare you for. Select a career to learn about the job, average salary, employment outlook, required education level, and more.
Clinical Practice
- Child Development Specialist
- Counseling Psychologist
- Educational and School Psychologist
- Experimental Psychologist
- Forensic Psychologist
- Industrial/Organizational Psychologist
- Neuropsychologist
- Psychiatric Technician
- Qualified Mental Health Professional
- Registered Behavior Technician
- Rehabilitation Counselor
- Sports Psychologist
Social Services
Use the resources below to find more career profiles on these and hundreds of other jobs you could achieve with a Psychology BA.
Career Spotlights
Clinical Psychologist
Studies cognitive, emotional, and social behaviors at the individual level. Can work directly with patients or in research settings.
Education: Bachelor’s required, master’s or doctorate highly preferred
Workplaces: Hospitals, schools, private practice, government and social service agencies
Median Pay: $94,310/year
Job Outlook: 6% (faster than average)
School Counselor
Helps students resolve academic and social problems and create plans for the next academic year or post-graduation.
Education: Master’s degree
Workplaces: Public, private, and charter schools, colleges and universities
Median Pay: $65,140/year
Job Outlook: 4% (average)
Marriage and Family Therapist
Assesses, diagnoses, and treats cognitive, behavioral, and mental health disorders in the context of couples and family systems.
Education: Master’s degree
Workplaces: Mental health centers, outpatient care centers, private offices
Median Pay: $63,780/year
Job Outlook: 13% (faster than average)
MBU Alumni Employers
Our Psychology majors have gone on to build impactful careers with hospitals and healthcare systems, non-profits, school districts, human resource agencies, marketing firms, and cultural organizations.
- Brightview Senior Living
- Capital One
- Chesterfield County School District
- COMPASSion Counseling
- Daikin U.S. Corporation
- DynCorp
- EZETT Youth and Family Services
- Fluvanna County Public Schools
- Harrisonburg-Rockingham Community Services Board
- Highlight Educational and Behavioral Services
- Home Instead Senior Care
- Humana
- Liberty National Life Insurance Company
- Mental Health Cooperative
- Richmond VA Public Schools
- Riverside Family Support
- Shamrock Foods Company
- Therapeutic Alliance
- University of Mississippi Medical Center
- WellCare Medicare
What’s your path?
MBU offers dozens of complementary minors, majors, clubs and more to enhance your study of psychology and put you on the right path to your dream career.
Consider pairing your Psychology major with…
A minor in:
- Applied Behavior Analysis & Autism Studies
- Biology
- Business
- Chemistry
- Communication
- Criminal Justice
- English
- Healthcare Administration
- Human Resource Management
- Leadership Studies
- Management
- Peacebuilding and Conflict Resolution
- Public Health
- Sociology
- Religious Studies
- Sexuality & Gender Studies
A double-major in:
- Applied Behavior Analysis & Autism Studies
- Biology
- Business
- Criminal Justice
- English
- Health Sciences
- Healthcare Administration
- History
- Marketing
- Public Policy
- Social Work
- Strategic Communications
Build one of these Skill Stacks to gain an edge in the job market:
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Inclusivity
- Collaboration
- Data Fluency
Join one of these MBU clubs or professional organizations for connection and networking:
- A Brighter Tomorrow
- Criminal Justice & Leadership Club
- Help Save the Next Girl
- Morgan’s Message at MBU
- Net Impact Environmental Group
- Psi Chi Psychology Honors Society
- Psychology Club
- Sociology Club
- Social Work Club
- American Psychology Association
- American Psychology Foundation
- Virginia Academy of Clinical Psychologists
- Psi Chi Honor Society
Consider one of our outstanding MBU graduate programs:
- Autism Studies (MA)
- Applied Behavior Analysis (MS)
Consider pairing your Psychology major with…
A minor in:
- African American Studies
- Applied Behavior Analysis & Autism Studies
- Busines
- Communication
- Criminal Justice
- Education
- English
- Healthcare Administration
- Human Resource Management
- Leadership Studies
- Management
- Peacebuilding and Conflict Resolution
- Public Health
- Sociology
- Religious Studies
- Sexuality & Gender Studies
- Spanish Language & Hispanic Cultures
A double-major in:
- Applied Behavior Analysis & Autism Studies
- Business
- Criminal Justice
- Elementary Education
- English
- Healthcare Administration
- History
- Public Policy
- Social Work
- Special Education
- Strategic Communications
Build one of these Skill Stacks and gain an edge in the job market:
- Communication
- Leadership
- Inclusivity
- Collaboration
- Problem-Solving
Join one of these MBU clubs for connection and networking:
- A Brighter Tomorrow
- Criminal Justice & Leadership Club
- Help Save the Next Girl
- Morgan’s Message at MBU
- Net Impact Environmental Group
- Psi Chi Psychology Honors Society
- Psychology Club
- Sociology Club
- Social Work Club
- American Psychology Association
- American Psychology Foundation
- Virginia Academy of Clinical Psychologists
- Psi Chi Honor Society
Consider one of our outstanding MBU graduate programs:
- Autism Studies (MA)
- Applied Behavior Analysis (MS)
Consider pairing your major with…
A minor in:
- African American Studies
- Applied Behavior Analysis & Autism Studies
- Biology
- Business
- Chemistry
- Communication
- Creative Writing
- Criminal Justice
- English
- Film
- Human Resource Management
- Leadership Studies
- Management
- Peacebuilding and Conflict Resolution
- Public Health
- Sociology
- Religious Studies
- Sexuality & Gender Studies
- Spanish Language & Hispanic Cultures
A double-major in:
- Applied Behavior Analysis & Autism Studies
- Biology
- Business
- Criminal Justice
- English
- Health Sciences
- History
- Marketing
- Public Policy
- Strategic Communications
Build one of these Skill Stacks and gain an edge in the job market:
- Communication
- Creativity
- Data fluency
- Collaboration
- Problem-Solving
Join one of these MBU clubs for connection and networking:
- A Brighter Tomorrow
- Criminal Justice & Leadership Club
- Help Save the Next Girl
- Morgan’s Message at MBU
- Net Impact Environmental Group
- Psi Chi Psychology Honors Society
- Psychology Club
- Sociology Club
- Social Work Club
- American Psychology Association
- American Psychology Foundation
- Virginia Academy of Clinical Psychologists
- Psi Chi Honor Society
Consider one of our outstanding MBU graduate programs:
Explore Internships
No matter your major, an internship is a chance to explore your interests, build real-world skills, and give you a real competitive edge in the job market. The McCree Center for Career Success can help find the right opportunity for you.
Planning for Graduate School
If you’re considering a career that requires a graduate, terminal, or medical degree, exploring graduate school early can save stress later. Requirements vary by program, but many share common prerequisites and application steps.
Depending upon the field of psychology in which you want to specialize, you should choose your undergraduate elective courses carefully.
For example, if you plan to study family counseling in graduate school, it would be helpful to have taken classes in child, adolescent, and adult development psychology, whereas someone interested in forensics should take forensic psychology, abnormal psychology, and drugs and behavior.
Most psychology graduate programs don’t require clinical experience before applying, but relevant internships, research, or work experience can strengthen your application. Explore programs early to understand their expectations and plan experiences that align with your goals.
Some graduate programs require entrance exams such as the GRE, which assesses general knowledge and may offer a psychology subject test. Preparation can take weeks or months, so check requirements early to give yourself time to study and practice.
See what graduate programs Mary Baldwin has to offer!
McCree Center for Career Success
The McCree Center for Career Success helps students connect their education to their future careers. Services include:
- Career exploration and planning
- Resume and cover letter support
- Interview preparation
- Internship and job searches
- Networking and professional development
- Graduate school preparation
Visit us to learn more!
