highest paying jobs with a bachelor's degree in psychology

10 High-Paying Jobs With a Bachelor’s in Psychology Degree

A bachelor’s degree in Psychology offers graduates a range of diverse and varied career options. In fact, according to the American Psychological Association (APA), a majority of graduates with a bachelor’s in Psychology find roles in other fields.

Surprisingly, there are a large number of career paths and high-paying roles available with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology outside of a traditional psychologist role. Depending on your skills and interests, a BS in Psychology could prepare you for careers in education, law enforcement, or even STEM fields.

Let’s focus on 10 possible jobs available to you after earning a BS in Psychology.

1. School Faculty

$61,000 median salary per year

Individuals holding a Psychology degree can work in a variety of school settings, from infant centers to community colleges. In fact, a bachelor’s in Psychology can equip school faculty members with empathy and improve their ability to connect with students. Preschool teachers, for example, help guide infants and toddlers through the early stages of processing and naming their emotions. Meanwhile, a career counselor at a high school assists teenagers in planning and preparing for life outside school.

Educational career paths involve connecting with students, examining human behaviors, assessing student progress, and helping find positive means of learning – all skills that are fundamental to psychology. As a result, a bachelor’s in Psychology can serve as a great steppingstone into education – providing the skills and knowledge needed to connect with children, and positioning graduates for a master’s in Education down the line.

2. Case Worker

$50,390 median salary per year

A BS in Psychology offers the scientific background and cognitive understanding needed for entry-level positions within the social work system. Case workers, for example, take on cases of individuals who may be facing specific challenges (such as domestic abuse) and become these individuals’ advocate. Case workers aim to provide resources for these individuals, whether that be connecting them with childcare, healthcare, food stamps, or shelter. Case workers may also respond to crisis situations, provide psychotherapy services, and simply offer support to those in need. If you desire to make a difference with your Psychology degree, a career in casework may be for you.

3. Market Research Analyst

$60,000-105,000 per year

A market research analyst studies industry conditions, market position, and consumer sentiment to drive company decisions regarding the placement of goods and services in the marketplace. They conduct interviews and have expertise in analyzing data that allows them to understand what types of goods and services customers want and what prices they may be willing to pay.

Though you may not think a BS in Psychology would be an asset in this career, having special insight into the motivations behind consumer behavior has proven to be very useful as a market research analyst. If you have a burgeoning interest in business alongside your Psychology degree, this may be the perfect job for you.

4. Human Resources Manager

$55,000-$100,000 per year

Human resources (HR) managers are responsible for directing administrative functions within an organization such as a business, school, hospital, nonprofit, or government office. They often screen applicants for open jobs and inform employees of administrative policies and decisions. Plus, they are responsible for choosing and administering benefits like health insurance and retirement plans.

HR managers work directly with employees and job applicants. Thus, a keen understanding of interpersonal communications and human behavior, provided by a bachelor’s in Psychology, is crucial.

5. Training or Development Specialist

$63,000 median salary per year

Training and development professionals administer programs to employees of companies in all sectors of the economy. Companies are always looking for programs and trainings that will help their workforce live happier, more productive, and high-achieving lives. Understanding how people work, skills gained through your BS in Psychology, allows you an advantage when helping employees change behaviors and succeed.

6. Technical Writer

$45,000 – $95,000 per year

Freelance and company-employed technical writers write and edit a myriad of materials such as user manuals, product support information, how-to guides, articles, and more. In fact, depending on the role, they may also be responsible for assisting and advising throughout the creation process. Having a background in Psychology allows writers to understand their audience more closely, relate more strongly, and build connections more easily.

7. Real Estate Agent

$55,000-$100,000 per year

Another high-paying job available with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology is a real estate agent.

Real estate agents are professionals responsible for selling and buying homes. They advise seller clients on idea pricing and buyer clients on which neighborhoods may be the best investment.

Real estate agents must understand what drives people in their decision-making. This understanding of how people work allows agents to provide clients with the best possible advice and even assist clients in writing tailored listings for their properties.

Because psychology is the study of human behavior, real estate agents with a Psychology degree will be uniquely positioned when pitching homes to their clients.

8. Computer Programmer

$56,000-67,000 per year

Perhaps the most technical role on this list, computer programmers are responsible for writing the complicated code that–in layman’s terms–tells computers, internet browsers, and other devices what to do. These individuals write, test, implement, and maintain the code that allows our applications and programs to function properly.

While this career obviously needs professionals with high technical skills, computer programmers can also achieve a high level of fulfillment when developing applications based on their understanding of human nature provided by a bachelor’s degree in Psychology.

9. Fundraiser

$40,000-$75,000 per year

Fundraisers are responsible for securing donations to organizations, such as nonprofits, political campaigns, or hospitals. They do this by organizing events, producing promotional materials, and meeting with individual donors. Since the money they raise comes from a variety of sources, fundraisers must be able to shift their approach depending on the situation.

Understanding the nature behind human decision-making with a degree in Psychology is extremely helpful to a fundraiser and their quest of ensuring the organization’s accounts are always well-funded.

10. Public Relations Manager

$55,650 median salary per year

Public relations managers are responsible for communicating a company’s stance or position to the general public. Duties include distributing press releases on behalf of the organization, answering questions from the media, and advising the organization on how to manage particular situations. All of these circumstances benefit greatly from a degree in Psychology.

As you can see, a wide variety of high-paying jobs await you when you obtain a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. When pursuing your BS in Psychology you can begin to think outside the box when dreaming about what job you may eventually have.

In addition to the ten above, you can also explore careers in industries like:

  • Health care
  • Management and administration
  • Accounting and finance
  • Retail
  • Sales
  • Social Work
  • Advertising
  • Human Resources

Learn more information about how you can pursue these careers with the University of Bridgeport’s BS in Psychology and our BS in Psychology online. We cannot wait to help you earn your degree and dream job!

Note: All statistics are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.