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Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary
Teach courses in psychology, such as child, clinical, and developmental psychology, and psychological counseling. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
Other titles employers use
Adjunct Instructor · Assistant Professor · Associate Professor · Clinical Psychology Professor · Faculty Member · Instructor · Lecturer · Professor
Inside the work
What you would actually do.
6 responsibilities that define the role, before job titles and workplaces change the details.
- Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as abnormal psychology, cognitive processes, and work motivation.
- Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
- Evaluate and grade students' class work, laboratory work, assignments, and papers.
- Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
- Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
- Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
Who it suits
Would this work hold your attention?
This career often appeals to people drawn to helping, analytical and creative work.
- Analytical
- Investigating questions, testing ideas, and solving problems
- Creative
- Making, designing, writing, or performing without one set answer
Skills and strengths
What you would get good at.
Compare the skills the work relies on, the subjects behind it, and the abilities that make it easier to learn.
Core skills
- Learning Strategies
- Reading Comprehension
- Speaking
- Instructing
- Active Listening
- Writing
Subjects to know
- Psychology
- English Language
- Education and Training
- Sociology and Anthropology
- Mathematics
Useful strengths
- Oral Expression
- Written Comprehension
- Written Expression
- Oral Comprehension
- Speech Clarity
Working day
Picture yourself doing it.
These measures show how much of the day involves people, movement, conversation, and hands-on work.
| Measure | Out of 5 | What that means here |
|---|---|---|
| Close to other people | 2.6 | Largely your own space |
| On your feet | 2.3 | Mostly seated |
| Talking face to face | 5.0 | Continuous — the job is conversations |
| Working with your hands | 1.9 | Little of the day |
Preparation
How people prepare for this work.
Employers usually ask for a doctorate or a professional degree. Other routes may also lead into the field.
- A doctorate or professional degree 85%
- A master's degree 15%
Tools of the work
Technology you may use.
- Analytical or scientific software
- Word processing software
- Electronic mail software
- Spreadsheet software
- Office suite software
- Presentation software
- Object or component oriented development software
- Computer based training software
Opportunity near you
See where this work is growing.
Choose a state to compare the size of the field, annual openings, and expected hiring change.
- People doing this work
- 7,400
- Job openings each year
- 610
- Expected hiring change, 2022–2032
- 7.2%
Compare every available state
| State | People doing it | Job openings each year | Expected change |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 7,400 | 610 | 7.2% |
| New York | 4,870 | 90 | 21.4% |
| Texas | 3,910 | 330 | 9.8% |
| Florida | 3,320 | 290 | 16.1% |
| Illinois | 2,990 | 240 | 3.5% |
| Pennsylvania | 2,720 | 220 | 3.8% |
| New Jersey | 1,980 | 170 | 10.6% |
| Ohio | 1,240 | 100 | 3.3% |
| Tennessee | 1,170 | 100 | 21.9% |
| North Carolina | 1,150 | 100 | 13.9% |
| Virginia | 1,110 | 90 | 4.7% |
| Washington | 1,080 | 110 | 18.7% |
| Colorado | 1,060 | 90 | 20.5% |
| Michigan | 970 | 80 | 4.3% |
| Georgia | 860 | 70 | 8.9% |
| Wisconsin | 840 | 70 | 9.1% |
| Alabama | 800 | 70 | 8.1% |
| Maryland | 770 | 70 | 16.7% |
| Puerto Rico | 760 | 70 | 15.2% |
| Arizona | 720 | 60 | 9.1% |
| Connecticut | 720 | 60 | 12.5% |
| Missouri | 660 | 50 | 4.8% |
| Massachusetts | 580 | 50 | 16.0% |
| Indiana | 540 | 50 | 5.9% |
| Minnesota | 540 | 40 | 3.8% |
| Oklahoma | 460 | 40 | — |
| Iowa | 400 | 30 | 11.1% |
| South Carolina | 400 | 30 | 14.3% |
| Kentucky | 380 | 30 | 5.6% |
| Utah | 370 | 30 | 32.1% |
| Mississippi | 300 | 30 | 7.1% |
| Oregon | 290 | 20 | 11.5% |
| Nebraska | 270 | 20 | 3.8% |
| Arkansas | 250 | 20 | — |
| Kansas | 220 | 20 | 4.8% |
| Louisiana | 200 | 20 | 5.3% |
| West Virginia | 180 | 20 | 5.9% |
| District of Columbia | 170 | 10 | 6.3% |
| Maine | 170 | 10 | — |
| New Hampshire | 160 | 10 | 6.7% |
| Rhode Island | 150 | 10 | 7.1% |
| Idaho | 140 | 10 | 16.7% |
| New Mexico | 130 | 10 | 8.3% |
| Delaware | 120 | 10 | 20.0% |
| Nevada | 120 | 10 | 9.1% |
| Montana | 80 | 10 | 14.3% |
| North Dakota | 80 | 10 | — |
| South Dakota | 70 | 10 | 16.7% |
| Vermont | 70 | 10 | — |
| Wyoming | 60 | 10 | 20.0% |
| Alaska | 40 | 0 | — |
Career to college
Build a path toward this work.
Start with a related major, then compare colleges where students complete that field.
Where to study
Colleges with strong activity in these fields.
Start with program size, admission, and likely cost. Open a college for the full picture.
CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice
- Degrees each year
- 537
- Admit rate
- 57%
- Annual cost after aid
- $7,000
University of California-Davis
- Degrees each year
- 971
- Admit rate
- 42%
- Annual cost after aid
- $12,000
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
- Degrees each year
- 772
- Admit rate
- 18%
- Annual cost after aid
- $5,000
University of California-Irvine
- Degrees each year
- 1,105
- Admit rate
- 26%
- Annual cost after aid
- $12,000
Ohio State University-Main Campus
- Degrees each year
- 817
- Admit rate
- 51%
- Annual cost after aid
- $10,000
University of California-Santa Barbara
- Degrees each year
- 650
- Admit rate
- 28%
- Annual cost after aid
- $13,000
University of California-Riverside
- Degrees each year
- 597
- Admit rate
- 63%
- Annual cost after aid
- $13,000
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
- Degrees each year
- 619
- Admit rate
- 44%
- Annual cost after aid
- $8,000
Compare every college offering clinical, counseling and applied psychology