Key Takeaways:
- Psychology graduates can pursue varied roles like parapsychologists, market research analysts, or disaster mental health consultants, leveraging their understanding of human behavior.
- Unconventional career paths for psychology majors include roles in digital marketing, legal research, and even circus psychologists, reflecting the degree’s versatility.
- High-paying and unusual psychology jobs include threat assessment consultants and marketing managers, demonstrating the broad applicability of psychological principles in various industries.
A psychology degree is highly versatile and prepares students to enter diverse career fields and excel in them. Not every psychology student aspires to be a clinical psychologist or hold a traditional “desk job” in private practice.
Psychologists are in high demand in most areas, as the science of psychology applies to nearly all businesses. Along with the usual psychology-related careers, there are quite a few unusual psychology major jobs that a graduate can pursue.
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Outside-the-box career choices are especially attractive to graduates who do not want to be psychologists. Instead, they want to use their knowledge to explore other career options. They understand how humans think and behave, as well as how the surrounding environment influences their behavior.
Psychologists develop critical thinking and analytical skills, which, along with the above skills, enable them to analyze and address various issues.
A psychology degree program provides foundational knowledge in psychology theories and human behavior. Additionally, students undertake projects that cover research methods and data analysis, preparing them for various careers. Whether it is a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree, the study of psychology unlocks a wide array of career options.
In this article, we have researched and reviewed the top unusual psychology jobs for graduates to consider, beyond the traditional career choices. These fields may not seem connected to the subject, but rely heavily on the science of psychology. We have ranked them according to the annual average salary, from low to high.
#20 Legal research assistants
Legal research assistants assist lawyers and law firms in preparing for court cases. Using the knowledge they gained while pursuing their psychology degree, students apply their analytical and research skills to conduct relevant research for each case. In conducting research, they use library and Internet resources to prepare for trials, hearings, and corporate meetings.
Legal research assistants maintain and organize case files in relevant order using their computers and organizational skills. Law firms are top employers of legal research assistants, but they can also be hired by organizations that do law-related work.
Average annual salary: $46,007
#19 Legal analyst
Legal analysts work in law firms and law-related businesses. They typically assist attorneys in reviewing and drafting various legal documents.
These may include contracts, discovery material, litigation filings, legal memos related to diverse legal transactions, or court cases. They utilize their research and analytical skills to prepare these documents, creating a strong foundation for their argument.
Psychology graduates can also use their knowledge of human behavior to anticipate counterarguments in cases.
Average annual salary: $55,689
#18 Human resource specialist
Human resource specialists work across almost all industries to manage organizational teams and ensure employees are treated fairly. They help executive teams plan, direct, and coordinate administrative functions. Psychology training is beneficial for their jobs since they employ various psych-based skills in their day-to-day work, including understanding diversity, mediation, and empathy.
They are focused on helping each employee thrive and grow in the work environment, helping create a positive work culture, and helping the organization become a preferred workplace.
Average annual salary: $59,060
#17 Human Performance Investigator
Human performance investigators research and study various situations to explain human error and anticipate human behavior. They work in diverse industries, performing routine tasks in human resource programs and helping to ensure compliance with labor regulations.
Human performance investigators utilize the training they receive from their psychology studies to describe behavior and human performance from various perspectives. They also work as investigators to document and assess the human performance concerns raised during an accident.
Average annual salary: $63,085
#16 Digital marketing analysts
Digital marketing analysts play a crucial role in designing and executing marketing campaigns. First, they monitor online marketing trends, study, and analyze data and statistics to help the team better understand the markets. Then they help develop strategies for digital marketing campaigns and track campaign performance.
Additionally, a significant portion of psychology training involves analyzing and interpreting data to derive results based on human responses. That is why psychology graduates make great marketing analysts.
Average annual salary: $63,275
#15 Associate Pastor
An Associate Pastor is a church employee, often considered the person second in command to the senior pastor. They work part- or full-time and perform various tasks, including counseling church members, supervising church volunteers, and assisting with all church services and ceremonies, like weddings, baptisms, and funerals.
Psychology graduates are passionate about working in a church setting and helping others become effective candidates for this role. Since counseling, empathy, communication, and assessment of mental health are essential for this role, a background in psychology is not only helpful but also absolutely necessary.
Average annual salary: $64,535
#14 Parapsychologist
Perhaps the most unusual major psychology job is that of a parapsychologist, who studies paranormal or “psychic” phenomena, a field that is still considered controversial but is closely related to regular psychology.
It examines the normal behavioral response of people and the existence of experiences and abilities in the paranormal realm. The various mental abilities they study include extrasensory perception (ESP), also known as mind-reading, telepathy, telekinesis, and psychokinesis.
Other areas of study include cognitive functions like mind over matter, precognition, clairvoyance, out-of-body experiences, apparitions, and hauntings. While these involve advanced-level studies, students of psychology programs find their foundational knowledge of human behavior beneficial.
Average annual salary: $69,224
#13 Policy analyst
Policy analysts work to raise awareness of various social issues, including access to healthcare, crime prevention, education and testing standards, and environmental protection. Often referred to as researchers, scholars, and fellows, they require strong analytical, communication, critical thinking, and negotiating skills.
They also require empathy and an understanding of how humans interact with their environments to influence government action. The skills acquired in a psychology program, at both the bachelor’s and master’s degree levels, can be beneficial in this role.
Average annual salary: $70,522
#12 Health Science Administrator
Health science administrators work behind the scenes in healthcare facilities or organizations to make large-scale decisions. Health psychologists’ research and analytical skills help create policies and budgets that enhance patient experiences and ensure the safety of patients, guests, and staff.
With their knowledge of human behavior and analytical skills training, psychology graduates make excellent candidates for this job, although they may need to undergo specific training to advance in their careers. Their research focuses on areas that could guide departmental and national policy-making efforts.
Average annual salary: $72,398
#11 Circus Psychologist
While being a circus psychologist may seem like an unusual and exotic profession, the reality is that it is fast becoming one of the top preferred psychology major jobs for many graduates.
Leading circus companies, such as Cirque du Soleil, hire professionals like sports psychologists who can integrate performance psychology into their training programs.
These professionals help performers overcome fear and stage fright, adjust to their new jobs, and recover from injuries and fatigue. In addition, they counsel artists and help them perform incredible feats at different shows around the world.
Average annual salary: $76,223
#10 Law enforcement officer
Psychology graduates make great law enforcement officers and workers. A bachelor’s degree in psychology can significantly benefit them in their work, as it can be a sensitive field. Most grads work as detectives, analysts, or behavioral specialists in a task force to research, analyze, and anticipate criminal mindsets.
Being able to assess the mental health of those they interact with can help prevent criminal behavior from escalating beyond control. They help their teams in solving specific types of crimes as well as in pursuing and apprehending criminals.
Law enforcement officers are often part of special task forces that investigate grave offenses, such as sex crimes or homicides.
Average annual salary: $76,987
#9 Lawyer
According to the American Psychological Association, a substantial number of psychology graduates pursue careers as lawyers. A bachelor’s degree in psychology is a significant first step in pursuing a career in law. While law and psychology appear to be very different professions, training in the latter comes in handy for those who wish to succeed as lawyers.
Understanding how humans act and react can be highly beneficial, as lawyers often deal with the consequences of criminal activity and human actions in various crime scenarios. Both disciplines share an interest in people’s actions, so studying and analyzing human behavior, as well as related skills like mediation, is helpful.
Average annual salary: $79,779
#8 Market research analyst
Market research analysts help businesses assess market conditions, how products or services will perform, and evaluate risks.
They help companies understand their audience, how to attract them, and how products can perform better. Market research analysts also attempt to understand what products people want, who the target consumers are, and at what price point.
Psychology graduates are trained to gather and analyze data on consumers and competitors. They can cope with fast-paced and pressured work, which is particularly beneficial for high-performing jobs.
Average annual salary: $81,272
#7 Violent crime resource specialist
Psychology graduates make excellent resource specialists for addressing violent crime. They utilize their knowledge of human behavior, combined with forensic psychology, to understand how criminals think and act.
They also research to understand and predict victim behavior. Along with their communication skills, they have an immense capacity for empathy and patience, which makes them very good at what they do.
They also help in grief counseling practices and legal services, and assist the trauma cleanup specialists to help families cope with difficult times.
Average annual salary: $88,000
#6 Senior business analyst
The Senior Business Analyst works as an advisor for cross-functional teams and provides strategic business analysis services to business partners.
They supervise technical, marketing, and business teams in tracking project milestones, managing project scope, maintaining client correspondence, leading process design improvements, undertaking project analysis, and conducting system integration.
They focus on reviewing assigned business processes from end to end. Along with their teams, they help identify and address operational, technological, and financial risks.
Average annual salary: $103,073
#5 Disaster Mental Health Consultants
Disaster Mental Health Consultants assist survivors of traumatic events, helping them cope by providing support and guidance. One of the more challenging psychology major jobs, they also offer psychosocial support to first responders and other multidisciplinary emergency response teams, along with disaster survivors.
They use their research and analytical skills to understand the impact of disasters on survivors, communities, affected individuals, and responders. They foster a positive culture in such situations, look for signs of traumatic stress, and apply supportive interventions.
Average annual salary: $110,000
#4 Business Consultant
Business consultants help other companies optimize, change, and improve their overall business model. They provide management consulting services to help organizations implement practical solutions for improving their performance and efficiency. A significant part of their job involves using research and studying market trends to create their reports.
Business consultants utilize the information available and merge it with new data to offer optimization solutions. They analyze businesses, create solutions, and, over time, help companies meet their business and profit goals.
Average annual salary: $114,000
#3 Research scientist, Educational Testing Service
Educational Testing Service, or ETS, is a field that focuses on educational measurement and standards. Psychology graduates are trained in research and analytical skills, which are highly valuable in this field. They use their research to develop various national standardized tests for K–12 and higher education.
The ETS works with its teams to develop strategies for language learners and accountability testing. They also work with international agencies to administer tests, including the TOEIC, TOEFL, HiSET, GRE, and the Praxis test Series.
Average annual salary: $114,366.
#2 Threat assessment consultant
Threat assessment consultants collaborate with government and security agencies to help maintain community safety. Training in psychology trains students to analyze and evaluate data and communicate results effectively. A knowledge of forensic psychology can enhance their abilities as they focus on preventing vulnerabilities, impending threats, and application security defects.
They keep schools safe and work with school professionals by providing them with helpful information about every student’s risks.
Practical threat assessment enables companies to identify potential risk scenarios and informs their decisions on implementing security controls.
Average annual salary: $117,699
#1 Marketing Manager
Although not the most obvious career path for psychology majors, many graduates find employment in marketing. The knowledge and training they receive provide a solid foundation for working in diverse fields.
Marketing is a good choice because it involves organizational, analytical, communication, and writing skills, all of which they master during their psychology programs.
As marketing managers, they establish and direct marketing policies for their organizations. They run campaigns to create demand for their company’s product or service and maximize profit or market share.
Average annual salary: $169,000
Sources
ZipRecruiter
PayScale
Salary.com
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
American Psychological Association (APA)
Glassdoor
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