School Psychology Degrees

A school psychologist cannot practice without a degree in school psychology. While some choose to obtain degrees in psychology or even social psychology, there is a distinct learning path for those who want to work within the public or private education system. School psychology professionals will work within primary, secondary, and post-secondary educational institutions. They have the choice of working for public or private schools and colleges once they have received their education to practice in the psychology field. Duties for these professionals include things like researching and educating the public and the schools on behavior and psychology-related topics, providing counseling services for students and/or faculty, and working with the administration to ensure that the school is safe and students are not in danger or presenting a danger to others. There are many different roles that a school psychologist can take on, but these are the most common uses of their skills. Professionals who work in this field can expect to earn about $63,500 on average, which is about 40% more than those who choose to go into counseling instead of getting a master’s or PhD in psychology to work in the public and private education systems. The future growth of the school psychology field is projected to be steady into the coming years, with more opportunities opening up as professionals reach retirement age and more schools are created to help with the growing population. The highest paid positions will go to those who have the most education or job experience in the field.