Moving from a Psychology degree to a Master's degree Working with Children

With your Psychology degree you can move forward to a Master's Degree. If you want to work with children, you might decide to pursue a Master's degree in Clinical or Counseling Psychology. Going the Clinical route (PhD-Doctor of Philosophy or PsyD-Doctor of Psychology) is best suited for those with an interest in psychopathological populations and behavioral health--typically involves doing therapy. If you decide on Counseling, you can still do therapy, but the focus of your training will be on vocational and career processes, human diversity, and professional training. Your Master's Degree can lead to a job at a school, at a private clinic, with a non-profit organization, or with the state or local government. You might even decide to go into private practice. Those who want to conduct research with children can earn a Master's degree (typically in Developmental Psychology) and then move forward to earn a PhD degree in Developmental Psychology. If you plan on conducting research in a university setting, you really need to earn a PhD. Finally, you can earn a Master's degree in Developmental Psychology and be in a better position for certain types of careers that involve children. For example, you might want to work as a Director of a daycare center.

A Master's Degree typically requires 2 years of graduate school to complete a master's thesis (research project). As a Master's Degree student you typically must pay tuition, and it is unlikely that you will receive a stipend as a Research Assistant or Teaching Assistant. Keep in mind that a Master's degree tends to offer greater job opportunities and greater salary than a Bachelor’s degree, and that it can lead (for Clinical and Counseling Psychology or a Master of Social Work) to being licensed to do certain tasks (e.g., testing, therapy). Click here to read more about what a Master's degree in psychology offers.

Salary Information

A Master's degree in the following areas will pay less than  the amounts listed for a Doctoral degree:

apa.org lists the median yearly income for a PhD in Clinical Psychology at $80,000.

apa.org lists the median yearly income for a PhD in Counseling Psychology at $85,000.

zipcruiter.com lists the average yearly income for a PhD in Developmental Psychology at $71,000.

payscale.com lists the average yearly income for a PsyD at $77,000.

lick here to see career salary information for ALL careers listed in explorecareersinpsychology.org.

Click here to read more about what a Master's Degree in Psychology offers.

Click here to read about important steps for Mental Health Careers with a Graduate Degree.

Other links on explorecareersinpsychology.org

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Click here to return to the Working with Children page.

Click on the links below to read about other Child care and Research careers that only require a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology degree:

Working with Children--Child care

Working with Children--Child Protection

Working with Children--Teaching Children

Click on the links below to read about other Child care and Research careers that require a graduate degree:

Working with Children--Master in Social Work

Working with Children--Careers that Require a Doctoral Degree in Psychology

Working with Children--Psychiatrist