Industrial Psychology Career Information
Career News August 12, 2013Are you interested in psychology? The industrial psychology career will put you in the driver’s seat of business, at least from a psychological standpoint. This career concerns the psychological study of employees, working environments, and organizational structures. Companies will pay a lot of money to ensure their workers are operating to the highest capacity at a sustainable salary, and without an expert in psychology working by their side; they might be out of their league taking a guess.
What Does an Industrial Psychologist Do?
Organizational and industrial psychologists are partly responsible for how well a business performs, in human terms. A successful company not only has high-performing employees, but has happy employees, and a high rate of job satisfaction, which ensures that workers stay and remain performing at their absolute best. This can seem like a mysterious dynamic to a corporate head whose experience is mostly in managing money, not people.
Therefore, industrial psychologists will be the ones investigating employee behaviors and attitudes and implementing systems to ensure they are happier and work more efficiently. This will involve multiple aspects, such as training programs, counseling and feedback, management systems and even new hiring criteria. Another aspect to consider is how businesses change over time. Organizational psychology, like society changes; these changes must be reflected in the system. Remember, much of business is actually intrinsically connected to psychology; particularly in management theory, sales and marketing.
The Career Outlook for Organizational Psychology
The good news is that the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts this job to increase over time. Industrial-organizational psychology is set to grow over the next decade as more companies are looking to hire permanent positions, as well as hire consultants on an as-needed basis. The median salary for doctors in this field was $98,000, while master’s level graduates earned $72,000 annually. However, privately employed doctors who work at pharmaceutical companies are making up to $150,000 per year. Even self-employed consultants can make a salary that high by visiting company to company and implementing new systems.
The lowest earners in the profession still made over $72,000 a year working for the government, which is not at all disappointing, considering how much other entry-level psychology graduates are making. This is an excellent specialization because you’re dealing with corporate money; not government funding or educational resources only.
This is a field that you can excel in with a master’s degree or higher, and in any career path you see advantageous. There are a few obligations you should be aware of, including the need to travel in some cases, as well as the independence you must establish, if you work as a consultant. Still, this is a career path you can be proud of and yet, one that will help you earn the money you deserve. Why not start your education now by learning industrial and organizational psychology at an accredited school? The University of Maryland at College Park, Penn State University, Arizona State University, Stanford University, and other schools throughout the nation all have curriculum in this subject and furthering your education has never been easier!
