If your career goals involve interacting with or helping others, a psychology degree is a perfect fit! Studying psychology will allow you to develop marketable skills, such as interpersonal communication, leadership, teamwork, and research. Your coursework, research experience, and fieldwork placements will prepare you for a wide variety of careers.

Employment outcomes data from LAS Career Services found that nearly 90% of psychology graduates report positive career outcomes following graduation, which includes launching a professional career or continuing on to attend graduate or professional school.”

Helping others is in your nature. Turning it into a career is in ours.

Having the ability to communicate clearly, think critically, and analyze complex problems – while also understanding the diverse nature of human behavior – will give you a competitive edge in today’s job market. These are all skills our majors develop through coursework in research methods, behavioral studies, and understanding human cognition. Whether it’s applying analytical skills to understand mental health, analyzing social behavior, or helping others solve personal challenges, psychology graduates are highly sought after.

Career support begins your first year at Iowa State

If you are interested in psychology, but unsure what type of career to pursue, we can help you find your fit.

During your first year at Iowa State, you’ll take our unique course, “Career Opportunities in Psychology” (PSYCH 2110). This course explores many career options, giving you resources that you can use to inform the rest of your undergraduate experience. You’ll complete an assessment to learn more about career paths, and we’ll introduce you to your “superpowers” as a psychology major – the skills you’ll develop that top employers are seeking.

This course also helps you examine if graduate school is the best path for your career interests.

As you hone in on your interests, you can also get involved in undergraduate research or do an internship for course credit. These hands-on experiences prepare you for the workplace or can help you apply to graduate school.

As a student in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS), you’ll also have support from LAS Career Services. Their professional team provides career development education, connects you to thousands of employers at on-campus career fairs, and can help you in your job or internship search. As an LAS student, you’ll complete a career prep course led by the career services team, called “Professional Career Preparation” (LAS 2030).

What can I do with a bachelor’s degree in psychology?

Examples of careers include:

Education

  • Adult Learning and K12 Programs
  • Teacher
  • Teacher Assistant

Research

  • Data/Market/Social Research Assistant

Human Resources and Business

  • Broker
  • Customer Services
  • Employee Benefits
  • Human Resources Coordinator
  • Insurance
  • Management
  • Marketing and Public Relations
  • Recruiter
  • Real Estate Agent
  • Sales

Medicine and Law

Social and Human Services

  • Addiction Specialist
  • Caseworker
  • Family Consultant
  • Victim Advocate
  • Youth Counselor/Specialist

• Stop by the advising office (1460 Lagomarcino) to look over books on psychology and social service careers and graduate programs.

I interned as a behavioral technician and provided ABA therapy to children with autism and other developmental disabilities. This experience gave me skills I can apply to my future career and gave me experience working with children in a clinical setting. Many of the skills I learned there I can transfer to my future career as a child therapist.

Kaitlyn, ’’6 psychology

What can I do if I earn an advanced degree?

Psychology majors frequently pursue an advanced degree through graduate/professional programs to enter careers requiring specific training, such as psychiatry, counseling, or research positions in the private or government sectors. College of Liberal Arts and Sciences career services employment data indicate that 38% of graduates from the psychology department at Iowa State University pursue advanced degrees.*

Master’s level paths

  • Clinical Mental Health Counseling
  • Counseling Psychology/Mental Health Counseling
  • Communication Sciences & Disorders
  • Human Development & Family Studies
  • School Counseling
  • Social Work (LMSW or LCSW)
  • Student Affairs & Higher Education

Doctorate level paths

  • Clinical Psychology
  • Cognitive Psychology
  • Counseling Psychology
  • Social Psychology

Professional level paths

  • Law School
  • Occupational Therapy
  • Physician Assistant
  • Physical Therapy
  • Psychotherapy