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The information on this page is designed to help you explore possible careers. Use the links below to navigate to different areas of the page. We recommend working with a career counselor to help you identify careers based on your skills, interests, and values.
Resources with Ideas for Careers and / or Places of Employment
List of Employers and Job Titles Developed from Job Postings in PSU Handshake for Psychology Majors
Psychology majors may find employment in a variety of areas based on their skills and experience. Some psychology graduates choose to work in human services in the areas of counseling, advocacy, and behavioral health services; in program development in local, state, and federal government; and in business in the areas of human resources, public relations, advertising, market research, retail, and sales.
The following list of employers and job titles was derived from the University Career Center's jobs database where the employer specifically requested psychology majors. Career-related internships or part-time jobs may be a prerequisite to finding professional-level employment after graduation in these and other fields. This list does not reflect all potential places of employment or kinds of jobs for psychology majors.
This list does not reflect current openings.
- Benaroya Research Institute — Clinical Research Coordinator
- Casey Family Program — Research Specialist
- Cascade AIDS Project — Bilingual HIV Prevention Specialist, Men's Wellness Center Coordinator
- Cascadia Behavioral HealthCare — Mental Health Intake and Access Specialist, Director of Corrections and Programs
- Catholic Community Services of Western Washington — Case Manager, Certified Peer Counselor (Youth or Parent), Chemical Dependency Professional, Family Support Specialist, Mental Health Therapist, Outpatient Therapist, Prevention Coordinator, Program Manager, Women's Advocate
- Central City Concern — Case Manager, Supported Employment Supervisor, Mental Health Specialist, Team Leader - Housing Rapid Response, Alcohol and Drug Counselor
- Centralia College — Student Success Specialist
- City of Beaverton — Mediation Services Program Coordinator
- City of Hillsboro — Police Officer
- City of Salem — Housing Assistance Representative
- Clackamas Community College — Workforce Outreach and Recruitment Specialist
- CODA, Inc. — Recovery Center Manager, Direct Service Counselor - New Directions Women's Program, Clinical Coordinator
- Community Action Organization — New Parent Network Supervisor, Outreach Worker
- Contra Costa County — Animal Services Public Education Coordinator
- Cowlitz County — Probation Officer
- De Paul Treatment Centers, Inc. — Primary Residential Counselor - Men's Program
- Eckerd Youth Alternatives, Inc. — Counseling/Social Services, Residential Youth Counselor
- Evergreen State College — Career Counseling Specialist
- Human Services Council — Case Manager, Case Aide
- Independent Living Resources — Director of Programs and Services
- IRCO - Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization — Asian Gang Outreach Worker
- Jackson County — Community Justice Director
- Janus Youth Programs, Harry's Mother — Residential Services Treatment Supervisor
- Lane County — Bilingual juvenile Counselor I, Bilingual Juvenile Groupworker, Secure Program Supervisor
- McKesson Provider Technologies — Regional Triage Analyst
- Morrison Child and Family Services — Family Support Specialist and Child and Family Outreach Services, Youth Care Specialist
- Mt. Hood Community College — Family Worker - Early Head Start
- Multnomah Education Service District — Behavior Consultant
- NARA/NW — Residential Aide
- Oregon Cascades West Council of Governments — Private Care Manager
- Oregon Child Development Coalition — Developmental Support Coordinator, Mental Health and Disabilities Specialist
- Oregon Health & Science University — Senior Research Associate (provide support for NIH-funded clinical study)
- Oregon Secretary of State Audits Division — Principal Contributor 2 - Outreach, Education, and Training Coordinator
- Outside-In — Youth Specialist I, Resources & Activities Specialist, Bilingual Case Manager, Project Coordinator
- Pacific Interpreters, Inc., Interpreter Recruitment Department — Staffing and Support
- Portland Community College — Student Resource Specialist for Upward Bound Program, Assistant Coordinator, Adult Basic Skills Assessment Technicians, Sylvania ROOTS Program/Developmental Education Advisor
- Portland YouthBuilders — Advocate - Student Services Team
- Providence Health System — Telephone Triage Counselor
- SAIF Corporation — Vocational Coordinator
- State of Oregon — Marketing Writer (Public Information Representative 1); Training and Development Specialist; Human Resources Analyst; Adult Probation/Parole Officer; Juvenile Parole/ Probation Officer; Adult Protective Service Specialist; Public Affairs Specialist; Publications Editor; Research Analyst 2, 3, 4; Social Services Specialist; Diversion Specialist
- SeattleGenetics — Clinical Trials Assistant
- Shoreline Community College — Academic Advisor (master's required)
- Southwest Washington Agency on Aging and Disabilities (SWAAD) — Case Manager
- Strategic Therapy Associates, Inc. — Residential Treatment Counselors
- Terwilliger Plaza — Activities Coordinator
- The Hartman Group — Qualitative Research Associate
- Tongue Point Job Corps Center — Residential Living Supervisor, Drug and Alcohol Counselor
- Trillium Family Services — Child and Adolescent Treatment Specialist; Director of Research and Evaluation (requires a master's degree)
- UCLA-Integrated Substance Abuse Programs — Staff Research Associate
- United Community Actions Network (UCAN) — Family Services Program Manager
- US Department of Veterans Affairs — Management Analyst
- Vancouver Housing Authority — Mentor Program Coordinator
- Volunteers of America — Research Site Coordinator
- Washington School for the Deaf — Recreation Specialist I
- Washington State University — Academic Coordinator/Retention Specialist
- Western Psychological & Counseling Adolescent Counselor — Chemical Dependency Adolescent Counselor
- Work Unlimited — Residential Program Director
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Careers Reported by Psychology Majors on College/University Surveys
Psychology majors develop skills that are highly valued by employers. These skills include: critical thinking, research, analysis, oral/written communication, presentation, & problem-solving skills. Students and alumni may find employment in government agencies, nonprofits, educational institutions, and businesses depending on their skills and experience. Internships or other career-related experience may be a prerequisite to finding professional-level employment.
This is a list of jobs psychology majors reported having at (or shortly after) graduation. This list was built from survey data published by colleges and universities across the United States. The University Career Center provides this list as a tool for generating ideas for further exploration.
- Academic Advisor for a university
- Account Coordinator for a high technology public relations & communications agency
- Admissions Counselor for a college/university
- Analyst for a financial, economic, & litigation consulting firm
- Analyst for the CIA
- Applied Behavioral Analysis Counselor for a nonprofit serving people with disabilities
- Assistant Basketball Coach for a college
- Assistant Director for a group home
- Assistant Language Teacher for a cultural exchange program
- Associate Clinical Data Coordinator for a clinical research company
- Associate Systems Analyst for an investment firm
- Audit Associate for an accounting firm
- Behavioral Manager for a drug-treatment center for adolescents
- Behavioral Therapist for an applied behavioral analysis consulting firm
- Benefits Coordinator for a business
- Bilingual Family Caseworker for a community action agency
- Cancer Resource Specialist for a health nonprofit
- Career Services Coordinator for a university
- Career Specialist for a nonprofit serving unemployed/underemployed people
- Case Manager for a nonprofit serving seniors
- Child Support Enforcement Specialist for a state agency
- Client Services Specialist for a newsletter covering fashion, beauty, & entertainment
- Clinical Research Assistant for a health care company serving patients living with cancer
- Clinical Research Coordinator for a hospital
- Compensation Analyst for a high-tech company
- Compliance Coordinator for a university
- Computer Analyst for a college
- Consultant for an information technology/management consulting firm
- Coordinator of Quality Initiatives for a hospital
- Counselor for a youth center
- Crisis Counselor for a nonprofit serving children and families
- Data Manager for a public health department
- Deputy Copy Chief for a news magazine
- Development Associate for a health nonprofit
- Developmental Service Worker for a group home
- Director of Admissions for a nursing home
- Director of Alumni Relations for a university
- Domestic Violence Advocate for a community-based social justice organization
- Early Intervention Associate for an organization serving people with physical disabilities
- Editorial Assistant for a publisher
- Editorial Manuscript Coordinator for a professional association
- Educational Specialist for a nonprofit serving people with autism
- Environmental Health Specialist for a public health agency
- Environmental Specialist for a federal agency
- Family Supports Manager for an nonprofit serving people with disabilities
- FBI/CIA Agent
- Financial Analyst for medical device manufacturer
- Financial Consultant for a financial consulting firm
- Financial Systems Analyst for a publishing firm
- Fundraiser for a university
- Graphic Designer for an information technology company
- Group Leader for a nonprofit serving young girls
- Health Educator for a women’s health organization
- Human Resources Assistant for a medical center
- Immigration Counselor for a faith-based nonprofit
- Information Technology Specialist for a computer software company
- In-Home Support Counselor for a nonprofit organization serving children in foster care
- Intake Mental Health Worker for a social services agency
- Intervention Specialist for a school district
- Investment Banking Analyst for an investment banking & financial services firm
- Lead Research Assistant for a research institute focusing on human development
- Life Skills Trainer for an independent living skills training company
- Logistics Analyst for an electronics firm
- Marketing Assistant for a hospital
- Mental Health Assistant for a social services nonprofit serving children and families
- Mental Health Specialist for a medical/dental school
- Merchandising Production Coordinator for a flash-sale based online retailer
- Network Information Specialist for a university
- Overseas Sales Representative for a manufacturer
- Patient Care Coordinator for a hospital
- Placement Coordinator for a family preservation program
- Prevention Case Manager for a health institute serving Latino families
- Program Coordinator for a food bank
- Program Coordinator for a government program supporting literacy
- Program Coordinator for a nonprofit serving homeless adults
- Program Director for a philanthropy
- Program Manager for a health nonprofit
- Programmer Analyst for a computer firm
- Project Aide for a US Senator
- Project Coordinator for a managed health company
- Project Manager for a human resources consulting firm
- Public Information Officer for a state agency
- Publisher’s Assistant for a publisher of computing books
- Purchasing Manager for an internet retailer
- Recovery Advocate for a behavioral health nonprofit
- Regional Field Director for a political campaign
- Regional Sales Associate for an investment advisory firm
- Relief Worker for a residential rehabilitation center for women
- Reporter for a newspaper
- Research Associate for an economic consulting firm
- Research Analyst for a cable broadcasting conglomerate
- Research Assistant for a national health agency
- Research Associate for a national laboratory
- Research Project Coordinator for a drug treatment facility
- Research Specialist for a hospital
- Research Study Coordinator for a health research company
- Resident Counselor for a performing arts academy
- Residential Counselor for a community mental health provider
- Sales Representative for a medical technology company
- School-Based Case Manager for a nonprofit providing mental health services to children
- Senior Group Leader for a social services agency
- Senior Quality Control Analyst for a biotechnology firm
- Skills Trainer for an organization serving people with disabilities
- Special Education Life Skills Teacher for a school district
- Staffing Specialist for a staffing agency
- Survey Statistician for a federal agency
- Teacher for a nonprofit alternative teaching certification program
- Technical Recruiter for a staffing firm
- Therapeutic Mentor for a community services agency
- Training Coordinator at a university
- Trust Administrator for a financial management and advisory company
- Volunteer Coordinator for a hospice
- Volunteer Recruiter for a social services nonprofit
- Writer/Editor for a writing/editing/desktop publishing company
- Youth Counselor for a social services agency serving displaced youth
- Youth Support Worker for a nonprofit serving people with autism
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Careers Reported by Psychology Majors on the American Community Survey
The following list of job titles was generated from American Community Survey data. Every year, the federal government surveys 3,000,000 people. This list shows some of the most-often reported careers for people who majored in psychology. Please be aware that additional education, internships, or career-related experience may be a prerequisite to some of the careers on this list. The University Career Center provides this list as a tool for generating ideas for exploration. To find a brief description of the following occupations, go the the Standard Occupational Classification system.
- Counselors
- Elementary and Middle School Teachers
- Social Workers
- Psychologists
- Postsecondary Teachers
- Lawyers and Judges
- Registered Nurses
- Physicians and Surgeons
- Education Administrators
- Human Resources Workers
- Medical and Health Services Managers
- Social and Community Service Managers
- Chief Executives and Legislators
- Accountants and Auditors
- Management Analysts
- Financial Managers
- General and Operations Managers
- Marketing and Sales Managers
- Secondary School Teachers
- Special Education Teachers
- Human Resources Managers
- Clergy
- Computer Systems Analysts
- Computer and Information Systems Managers
- Personal Financial Advisors
- Writers and Authors
- Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists
- Software Developers, Applications and Systems Software
- Occupational Therapists
- Dentists
- Physical Therapists
- Designers
- Speech-Language Pathologists
- Compliance Officers
- Medical Scientists and Life Scientists
- Physician Assistants
- Computer Programmers
- Fundraisers
- Librarians
- Operations Research Analysts
- Purchasing Managers
- Training and Development Specialists
- Pharmacists
- Web Developers
- Producers and Directors
- Editors
- Nurse Practitioners, and Nurse Midwives
- Chiropractors
- Veterinarians
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Vocational Biographies
Vocational Biographies describes the career success stories of 1001 real people. Search by career title, keyword, topic, and career cluster. Username: portlandsu and password: 3W9N
- Psychological Examiner
- Job Placement Specialist
- Marriage Counselor
- Social Worker
- Elementary School Counselor
- Substance Abuse Counselor
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Professional Associations
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