Health & Medicine

Psychologist

Study how people think, feel, and act, and use tests and therapy to help them cope and grow

Open interactive guide

What does a Psychologist do?

Psychologists work in private practices, hospitals, schools, universities, and research centers. Some give therapy, some give tests of memory and learning, and some study behavior. A doctoral degree and a state license are needed to practice. It suits curious people who listen well and stay fair.

A day in the life

8:30 AMReview notes before the first client arrives
9:00 AMTalk with a client about worries and sleep problems
11:00 AMGive a child an attention and learning test
1:00 PMScore tests and write a report for a school
2:30 PMConsult with a doctor or teacher about a client's needs
4:00 PMUpdate records and plan next week's sessions

What's great

  • Many paths: therapy, testing, research, or teaching
  • Can open a private practice
  • Help people understand themselves better
  • Settings vary, including schools and hospitals

The hard parts

  • Five to seven years of graduate school
  • Competitive programs and a required internship
  • Licensing exam and supervised hours
  • Emotional weight of clients' problems

What is a Psychologist's salary and outlook?

$51k – $128k
Salary Range
Doctorate / Professional degree
Typical Education
Growing

Typical pay in this guide runs from about $51,000 to $127,500 a year, with a midpoint around $85,000. These are planning figures for students, not a job offer or an official wage.

CareerLens rates the outlook as Growing.

For the official national outlook, see BLS Occupational Data.

How do you become a Psychologist?

A common path is Doctorate (PhD or PsyD) in psychology, a year-long internship, and a state license. The ladder often runs from Psychology Intern or Postdoctoral Fellow to Licensed Psychologist, then Clinical Director or Senior Psychologist, and Director of Psychological Services. Other routes: PhD track focused on research and teaching; PsyD track focused on clinical practice; Master's degree for some testing and counseling jobs.

  • PhD track focused on research and teaching
  • PsyD track focused on clinical practice
  • Master's degree for some testing and counseling jobs

Career path

Entry level
Psychology Intern or Postdoctoral Fellow
Mid career
Licensed Psychologist
Senior
Clinical Director or Senior Psychologist
Executive
Director of Psychological Services

Will AI replace a Psychologist?

How much will AI change this job?

Quite a bit

AI will help with some tasks in this job, while the most important parts stay human.

AI helps with paperwork, but people connection stays human.

AI can help psychologists organize notes, research, and track patient progress over time. But understanding feelings, building trust, and giving real support still take a caring human. This job will keep changing tools, not its heart.

AI can help with

  • Summarizing session notes and paperwork faster
  • Suggesting research articles on mental health topics
  • Tracking patient progress and mood patterns over time

What stays human

  • Listening closely and understanding someone's true feelings
  • Building trust through real human connection
  • Making careful judgment calls about a patient's care

Skills to build now

  • Practice active listening in daily conversations
  • Join clubs or activities that build empathy and teamwork
  • Read about psychology and how the brain works

Based on public research from Anthropic and OpenAI, drafted with AI, checked automatically, and read by a person. How we know

This describes how the work may change. It is not a prediction that the job will disappear.