Fun fact: psychology is one of the most popular college majors in the United States. It makes sense, too. The classes are full of interesting content that is useful in everyday life. Many students do not interact with psychology content before college, making the topics new and engaging. So, why then does psychology sometimes get a bad rap? And what types of jobs are available to psychology majors? Keep reading to learn more and see how real graduates are using their degrees today.
What the world needs now
In an article for the American Psychology Association (APA), Stephen L. Chew, a professor of psychology, explained how people often misunderstand the major. In a research survey, the general public gave responses such as, “Psychology is common sense and is not a rigorous science” or "It's an easy but dead-end major with poor employment prospects.”
To show why psychology matters, Chew created a list of five "superpowers.” These, he argued, are skills that nearly every industry can benefit from, but not every college graduate learns. Here are the five strengths and some possibly surprising career paths where psychology is highly valued.
1. Apply effective learning strategies
What students learn:
Psychology majors explore how attention, memory and motivation influence learning. They study common pitfalls, like overconfidence or distraction, and develop strategies that help them and others learn more effectively.
Why it matters:
Having a clearer perspective on the science of learning builds a strong foundation for becoming a lifelong learner, an important skill in a world where technology is always changing.
A Berry Journey:
A Berry alum is now in a post-doctoral fellowship at Stone, McElory and Associates, the only psychological consulting firm in Georgia to employ board-certified police and public safety psychologists who are also certified peace officers. In a field demanding ongoing education in legal standards, crisis response and evolving psychological practices, her journey reflects the role of continuous professional development.
Potential career example:
Forensic Psychologist
Median income: $94,560
Learn more about this career path here.
2. Regulate stress and anxiety
What students learn:
For psychology majors, learning about managing emotions and bouncing back from challenges is built into their curriculum. Whether majors are taking health, developmental or social psychology courses, students study and reflect on the power of effective, evidence-based strategies for appraising stressors and coping with stress and anxiety.
Why it matters:
As mental health challenges rise, resilience is not just a personal asset; it is a professional one. Psychology majors enter the workforce better prepared to support others and themselves in high-pressure environments.
A Berry Journey:
A Berry alum says his LifeWorks job helped other students know they are not alone and landed him a job post-graduation.
Potential career example:
Health Education Specialist
Median income: $63,000
Learn more about this career path here.
3. Complete complex tasks and comprehend scientific literature
What students learn:
Psychology majors engage in hands-on research: designing studies, analyzing data and interpreting findings. They develop scientific literacy and problem-solving skills that go far beyond memorization.
Why it matters:
Research suggests psychology majors may have more practice with scientific literacy than traditional science majors. Beyond understanding scientific literacy, conducting research is a complex task that requires identifying a problem, understanding the existing research about that problem, formulating testable hypotheses, designing a controlled study, analyzing data and presenting to peers. It is the pinnacle of higher-level thinking, and it shows that a student can do more than recall facts or apply basic concepts.
A Berry Journey:
A Berry alum says she came to college having never searched for a peer-reviewed source but graduated with an honor thesis on parasocial relationships and conducted research.
Potential career example:
Marketing Research Analyst
Median income: $76,950
Learn more about this career path here.
4. Understand diverse personalities and behaviors
What students learn:
Through courses on personality, motivation and interpersonal behavior, psychology majors gain insight into what drives people. They learn about behavior and how people interact. It does not mean psychology majors are psychoanalyzing everyone they meet. Rather, it means they are reflective about how to collaborate with different personalities, like how introverts and extroverts might approach teamwork differently. In their classes, they gain perspective on how a team can be successful.
Why it matters:
No matter what career path students take, working with people is likely part of the gig. Psychology majors are equipped to lead, collaborate and communicate across differences.
A Berry Journey:
A Berry alum credits her Psychology of Personality course for helping her meet people “where they are” and extending grace in the workplace as an HR professional with Target.
Potential career example:
Human Resources Specialist
Median income: $72,910
Learn more about this career path here.
5. Recognize cognitive and social biases or prejudices
What students learn:
Psychology majors study how unconscious biases affect decision-making and behavior. Studying them can help graduates think strategically from a variety of perspectives and guard against making mistakes at systematic levels.
Why it matters:
Psychology grads learn how to question assumptions and recognize flawed reasoning. This understanding is essential for creating fair professional environments and cultures. People frequently make snap judgements that cause problems. Likewise, a tendency to prefer one thing over another, often without realizing it, can create issues too. Recognizing this offers opportunities for graduates to think more strategically, make fairer decisions and help create more inclusive environments.
A Berry Journey:
A Berry alum uses this skill in occupational therapy.
Potential career example:
Occupational Therapist
Median income: $98,340
Learn more about this career path here.
A degree for the future
Psychology is not just about feelings; it is about recognizing and understanding how people think, learn and behave. From career paths listed above to opportunities with applied behavioral analysis (ABA), speech therapy, social work and more, it is one of the most practical and future-ready degrees a student can choose.
Majors graduate with both deep knowledge of human behavior and with in-demand skills: scientific thinking, communication and decision-making, emotional intelligence and problem-solving. These are exactly the qualities that employers — and communities — need.
Are you curious about people or do you want to learn skills that matter in everyday life? If so, psychology might be the perfect fit for you! Check out Berry’s psychology program or get to know the power of a liberal arts degree.
