What Types of Jobs are Available With a Master’s in Organizational Psychology?

While it may appear to be a somewhat new field, this psychology field has been around for several years, and there is more than one type of job available with a Master's in Organizational Psychology. Several colleges and universities offer this program with many of them being offered both on campus and online. At one time the idea of bringing psychology into the workplace might have been debunked, but today it's highly recognized as an effective method to learn more about employees and improve the quality of the work environment. This is an exciting field in which to study and work.

Resource: 19 Most Affordable Master's in Organizational Psychology Online

What are Organizational Psychologists?

Organizational psychologists, more commonly known as industrial-organizational psychologists or I-O psychologists, are professionals who research worksites and apply psychological principles to improve the quality of the workplace. They study and analyze things like employee work methods, workplace productivity, employee morale, and management of employees to identify improvements. They also implement training programs for managers and top executives. Their main role is to make the workplace a happier and more productive place for everyone.

Jobs Available with a Master's in I-O Psychology

Although there are various jobs for those with I-O psychology degrees, here are some of the top positions in this field.

• Technology Consultant – This position is ideal for someone who enjoys studying the interaction between machines and humans. They determine what type of new technologies would do best in a particular place of employment and do research to determine how the technology would be accepted in that workplace. They may work for an organization or as independent contractors.
• Human Resources Manager – Most I-O psychology graduates are more than qualified to work as HR managers. Their degree would qualify them to determine which employees should be hired, fired or promoted and how they would each most benefit the workplace.
• Employee Counselor – I-O psychology graduates may be hired as employee counselors to help improve efficiency in the corporate world. Employee counselors do more than just counsel employees. They also deal with substance abuse, conflict resolution and assist in diagnosing mental health issues in the workplace.
• Efficiency Expert – Much as its name implies, this individual has the goal of making a company more efficient through the help of statistical analysis, surveys and interviews with managers and employees.
• Employee Relations Manager – This professional helps solve problems that develop in the workplace between management and employees. The employee relations manager is not on one side or another but rather listens to both sides and helps to resolve the issues.

Career Outlook for Organizational Psychologists

Industrial-organizational psychologists are expected to see an employment growth of eight percent between 2016 and 2026, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). This should result in the creation of about 100 new I-O jobs by 2026. The Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology reports that employment of I-O psychologists would grow 26% just by 2018. I-O psychologists earned yearly wages that ranged from $50,730 to $184,520 with the average annual wage at $102,530 and an hourly rate of $49.29. These figures came from a May 2017 report by the bureau.

Because there are not a lot of I-O psychologists employed today (only 1,700 as of 2016), there is a lot of competition for the positions that are around. Those with extensive training in quantitative research and a Master's in Organizational Psychology should see the best type of job relating to I-O psychology.