Types of Psychology Careers (With Duties and Salaries)

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Updated 4 March 2025

A career in psychology may be for you if you're interested in helping others or discovering the reasons behind challenging behavioural or emotional challenges. Career opportunities in this discipline may arise in a variety of workplaces. Although your duties may vary, jobs in this sector require candidates with advanced knowledge of mental health and behavioural issues, strong ethical principles, an empathetic nature and a willingness to learn. In this article, we discuss the various types of psychology careers, their duties and educational requirements and their national salaries.

What are the different types of psychology careers?

The types of psychology careers available can vary according to the industry you're working in, the duties required of you and the clientele you may meet. Knowledge of psychology can be useful in many sectors, such as the healthcare industry, the justice system and educational facilities. You could also opt for a direct path and work as a psychologist or counsellor or apply your knowledge of this discipline to a corporate position in human resources or marketing.Related: 18 Types of Careers in 9 Sectors: A Basic Guide

What are the requirements for a job in psychology?

A position in this discipline typically requires candidates to hold a degree in psychology or a related field. On average, it may take up to six years to qualify as a psychologist. Candidates also register with a national board and may have clinical or internship experience. Certain positions demand higher qualifications, such as psychiatry which requires a degree in medicine and a specialisation in psychiatry.If a psychology-related job interests you but you can't commit to years of studying, several other jobs may suit you. These include positions such as a child protection officer, a career counsellor or a community corrections officer. All require a psychology-based degree, such as in social work, or a Certificate IV in Mental Health or Community Services that you can complete in a shorter period. Some jobs in this area require candidates to have work experience or internships, while for other roles, candidates may be subject to pre-employment screening, such as vetting by the police.Related: Types of Psychology Degree Skills and How to Improve Them

10 types of psychology careers

Here are 10 jobs related to psychology that may interest you:

1. Teacher

National average salary: $93,178 per yearPrimary duties: Teachers interact with young people and children when teaching them new skills and imparting knowledge, managing their behaviour and preparing them for their next year at school or adult life. Understanding habits, behaviours, mental health or learning issues and thought patterns can be beneficial to adapt your teaching style to each individual in your class.Related: How to Become a Teacher (Including FAQ)

2. Community support worker (mental health)

National average salary: $72,576 per yearPrimary duties: Community support workers in mental health help people with mental health issues. They provide support to clients in managing substance abuse and self-harm behaviours, encourage participation in community activities and seek external resources from service providers that can benefit their clients. Their main duty is to improve their clients' lifestyles, which can include financial, educational, nutritional, employment, home management and social aid.Related: How to Become a Support Worker (with Qualifications and Skills)

3. Market researcher

National average salary: $89,656 per yearPrimary duties: Marketing involves advertising and promoting products or services to a target audience. A background in psychology could help you in your role as a market researcher as it may provide insight into why people purchase certain products and the thought processes involved in these purchases. Market researchers use focus groups, in-person interviews and surveys to gather data from their target group, which they analyse to include in a marketing strategy.

4. Child protection practitioner

National average salary: $96,951 per yearPrimary duties: Child protection practitioners work with the justice system to ensure the well-being and physical and mental health of young people. Some of your responsibilities may involve dealing with struggling young people or children, assessing the risk of harm for children and families and managing caseloads of young people who require observation. Knowledge of psychology can help you manage conflicts, empathise with clients from diverse backgrounds and give research-backed welfare advice to the families and children you're working with.

5. Psychologist

National average salary: $95,431 per yearPrimary duties: A psychologist helps people overcome stress and trauma or offers advice to clients faced with major life decisions. Candidates require an undergraduate degree from an accredited university, postgraduate study and registration with a national board. You may choose to work in a variety of specialities. For example, you may work as a counselling psychologist and use techniques to mediate and resolve conflict for individuals or groups.Clinical psychologists assess patients with mild to severe mental health issues and may use psychotherapy or other treatment plans to assist them. They may also specialise in helping clients in challenging circumstances, such as those involved in divorce proceedings.Related: How to Become a Counselling Psychologist (Including Skills)

6. Community corrections officer

National average salary: $75,033 per yearPrimary duties: A community corrections officer (CCO) supervises offenders released on parole or who are currently serving a community correctional order. A CCO monitors their compliance with court orders and programs, helps to organise their participation in education, treatment or community facilities and counsels offenders.A CCO may also visit prisons to assess an individual's suitability for parole and provide this assessment in a report or in court. A background in psychology may be beneficial to provide you with active and non-judgemental listening skills and the ability to see the psychological reasons behind an offender's actions, allowing you to build a constructive working relationship with clients.Related: What Does a Community Corrections Officer Do? (And How to Become One)

7. Career counsellor

National average salary: $85,005 per yearPrimary duties: Career counsellors may work with school children and students to discover their most suitable career path or help counsel professionals who may want to change careers. They may use their experience with psychology to consider a client's interests, working style and personality and match these traits to a suitable job or industry. They may also help those seeking work with job applications and guide them through the interview process.Related: 5 University Counselling Careers: With Duties and Salaries

8. Forensic psychologist

National average salary: $95,431 per yearPrimary duties: Forensic psychologists use psychological and legal knowledge and experience to apply science-backed principles to assess clients. These clinical professionals help with assessing clients within courts, hospitals or prisons to understand their criminal behaviours. Forensic psychologists may have several duties, such as assessing whether an offender is psychologically fit to stand trial, creating a profile of a perpetrator from a crime scene, investigating certain cases and providing therapy to victims of crime.Related: Psychologist vs. Psychiatrist: Similarities and Differences

9. Human resources manager

National average salary: $118,482 per yearPrimary duties: Human resources (HR) managers may hold degrees in business, human resources or psychology. There are various types of HR professionals, such as HR generalists, people and culture advisors and recruitment consultants. All these positions require strong communication and interpersonal skills. HR professionals can help to diffuse conflicts at work, provide advice to employees and source suitable candidates for job openings. They may use their knowledge of psychology when working with behavioural issues and challenges in the workplace.Related: What Is Human Resources? Guide To Roles and Duties

10. Psychiatrist

National average salary: $151,931 per yearPrimary duties: A psychiatrist diagnoses and treats patients with mental health issues. They're medical doctors who specialise in psychiatry. Training to qualify for this discipline may take up to ten years. Psychiatrists may treat patients with severe mental health conditions, including post-traumatic stress disorder, attention hyperactivity disorder, eating disorders, anxiety and bipolar conditions.Related: How to Write a Psychiatrist Resume (With Template)Salary figures reflect data listed on Indeed Salaries at the time of writing. Salaries may vary depending on the hiring organisation and a candidate's experience, academic background and location.

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