Satisfaction meter plunges over psychology degrees
Unless they’re going on to graduate school, earning a bachelor’s degree in psychology may put college students on the road to career unhappiness. That’s the conclusion of a new survey by PayScale.com, which analyzed data collected between April and June of this year.
It’s no secret that a bachelor’s degree in psychology limits your options — unless you’re planning to couple it with a second degree or some other kind of training. But what was surprising was the depth of the dissatisfaction. Just 26% of majors were satisfied or very satisfied with their choice, a full 14 points below the next lowest majors on the satisfaction totem pole: economics and environmental engineering.
PayScale.com conducted the survey for an article in the Wall Street Journal. It looked at 10,800 workers who received their bachelor’s degree between 1999 and 2010. (It was a survey only of people in the workforce and could include some with graduate degrees.)
The problem is that, unless you’re working to become a therapist, or remain in academics, a job hunt can be frustrating. Many companies simply don’t recruit psychology majors.
PayScale.com does list some fields where a bachelor’s degree in psychology has been of some benefit. They include human resources, working in non-profit organizations, and social services case management.
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MFT CONFERENCE GETS ATTENDANCE BOOST: The annual conference of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists in Atlanta September 23-26 announced that attendance was 1,700. That’s a 17% increase over last year’s event.
You have to attribute some of that to a (slightly improved) economy. Observes also credited a livelier and more relevant program.
The American Psychological Association convention in August, by the way, also had a large increase over 2009, attracting 12,900 to its meeting in San Diego. Last year’s convention in Toronto, traditionally a less popular destination, drew 10,070.