Quick Highlights:
- A bachelor’s in psychology can lead to varied job opportunities in healthcare, business, education, or further studies.
- You’ll learn important skills like critical thinking and communication, useful in many careers.
- For many psychology-related jobs, you’ll need to continue your education beyond a bachelor’s degree.
- It’s important to think about the costs of the degree and the salary you might earn after graduating.
- Other Options: If the costs outweigh the benefits, consider different fields or additional qualifications to enhance your degree.
Table of contents
Earning a Bachelor’s in Psychology can be a rewarding journey for those intrigued by human behavior and the mind. This degree opens doors to a variety of career paths in fields like counseling, social services, human resources, and research.
Whether you’re interested in understanding mental health, contributing to scientific studies, or helping people manage personal challenges, a psychology degree provides a solid foundation for exploring these areas. However, while the degree offers numerous advantages, it’s essential to consider both the pros and cons to determine if it’s the right path for your academic and career goals.
On one hand, a Bachelor’s in Psychology can equip you with valuable skills such as critical thinking, research methodology, and communication, all of which are highly transferable to many professions. The field also offers diverse job opportunities and a chance to make a meaningful impact on people’s lives.
On the other hand, a psychology degree alone may not be enough to secure some of the more specialized or higher-paying roles in the field, such as clinical psychologist or therapist, which typically require advanced degrees. Understanding both the benefits and limitations of a psychology degree will help you make an informed decision about pursuing this path and the future opportunities it offers.
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Pros of a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology
If you are considering a bachelor’s degree in psychology, you should learn about the pros and cons before you apply for school. There are many benefits of psychology degree programs, but these benefits vary from person to person. You should strongly consider your personal career goals before you invest your time and resources in a psychology degree.
Diverse Career Opportunities
One of the biggest benefits of majoring in psychology is that it opens up many different career opportunities. Someone who has a BA or BS in psychology may end up working in:
- healthcare
- business
- education
- research
A bachelor’s in psychology is also a good starting point if you plan on pursuing a master’s degree in any of these fields.
Development of Broad Skill Sets
What can you do with a bachelor’s in psychology? Thanks to the skills learned during this degree, the possibilities are nearly endless. A bachelor’s in psychology teaches you more than just psychology terminology and vocabulary words. It also teaches you important skills, like critical thinking and communication.
During a BA in psychology, you will get to learn about the intricacies of human behavior. Later on, this knowledge can help you succeed in human resources, business, social work, and other fields. Almost every career field involves working with other people on some level, so your psychology program can help you find success in many industries.
Foundation for Advanced Studies
Before you can pursue a master’s degree in psychology or any other subject, you have to complete a bachelor’s degree first. Then, a master’s degree can open up potential promotions. In addition, you will typically need an advanced degree if you want to work as a counselor or psychologist.
Personal Growth and Understanding
Another one of the psychology degree benefits is that it allows you to learn about yourself. A college education helps you learn new ways of thinking, which allows you to question old habits and beliefs. Psychology, in particular, is useful for encouraging your self-development. It can also provide you with a deeper understanding of other people.
Cons of a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology
While there are many benefits of majoring in psychology, there are also some drawbacks you should be aware of. Before you commit to many years of schooling, you should carefully review some of the disadvantages involved in getting an offline or online bachelor’s degree in psychology.
Requirement for Further Education
Depending on the psychology career opportunities you are looking for, you may need to spend a significant amount of time in school. Many opportunities in the psychology job market require a doctoral degree or master’s degree in psychology. For example, you will need an advanced degree if you want to work in counseling or clinical psychology.
Job Market Competition
In a typical year, the American Psychological Association reports there are more than 134,000 people who graduate with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. While psychologist jobs are expected to grow by 6% based on figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are only 12,800 openings for psychologists each year.
When you look at the psychology job market, you should think about how many entry-level positions are available to someone who just has a BA in psychology. Depending on which job you want to pursue, psychology career opportunities may be incredibly competitive.
Potential Salary Limitations
Another consideration is how much you will earn. The median wage for someone who has a BA in psychology is $50,000. Depending on how much you spend going to school, this wage may not be enough to justify the cost of your education. Instead, you may want to look at other career fields that pay higher entry-level salaries.
Evaluating the Return on Investment
Once you have carefully considered all of the psychology degree benefits and drawbacks, the next step is looking at the return on investment (ROI) you will get. To make this calculation as exact as possible, you need to figure out the entry-level wage for the position you want to get as well as the tuition costs at your college.
When you get a psychology degree, you will typically spend tens of thousands of dollars on school. The average tuition at an in-state, public school is $10,940 per year. For four years of schooling, you will end up spending $43,760.
It is important to remember that this is simply the average cost for in-state residents at a public school. Depending on where you go to school, your tuition costs may be higher. Additionally, you must calculate any student loan interest, school fees, room and board, and lost wages.
To figure out the cost-benefit analysis of your BA in psychology, you must also look at how your earnings will change. You can use estimates from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Indeed, or a similar job site to figure out what your salary will be at your new job. Then, you should subtract your current earnings.
Now, look at these figures. What type of return will you get on your education? Are the costs and benefits worth it?
Beyond looking at the ROI and cost-benefit analysis, you should also carefully consider the long-term career prospects. You must consider how psychology career opportunities change over time and if you will have job stability. Additionally, you should remember to keep in mind your personal level of satisfaction from a career in psychology.
Alternative Paths and Complementary Fields
If you don’t think the benefits of psychology degree programs are worth it to you, there are many other options available. For example, you may want to pursue a degree in business, technology, or healthcare. You can also increase the marketability of a psychology degree by getting a minor or double major in an additional subject.
Depending on the field you want to work in, you may want to investigate an advanced degree or certification. For instance, many states require a master’s degree in counseling before you can become a licensed counselor. Other students pursue a master’s degree in social work so that they can use their psychology degree to help people. Alternatively, you may want a master’s degree in psychology so that you can work as a researcher.
The type of advanced degree you choose really depends on what career you want to do in life. If you are passionate about becoming a counselor, you will need to get a master’s degree in counseling. Because of this, it is important to consider your career goals. Then, see if your degree choice lines up with your plans.
Discover More Information About a BA in Psychology
When considering psychology degree benefits, you should think about psychology career opportunities and what you want to do in your career. Additionally, you should see if the psychology job market for your dream job is expected to grow. With the right planning, you can determine if a bachelor’s degree in psychology is right for you or not.