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Alamo Colleges DistrictCareer Explorer

Industrial-Organizational Psychologists

Part of Human Services, in the Counseling & Mental Health Services pathway.

Bright outlookJob zone 5: extensive preparationO*NET 19-3032.00

What the work is

Apply principles of psychology to human resources, administration, management, sales, and marketing problems. Activities may include policy planning; employee testing and selection, training, and development; and organizational development and analysis. May work with management to organize the work setting to improve worker productivity.

On a typical day

  • Develop and implement employee selection or placement programs.
  • Analyze job requirements and content to establish criteria for classification, selection, training, and other related personnel functions.
  • Observe and interview workers to obtain information about the physical, mental, and educational requirements of jobs, as well as information about aspects such as job satisfaction.
  • Write reports on research findings and implications to contribute to general knowledge or to suggest potential changes in organizational functioning.
  • Advise management concerning personnel, managerial, and marketing policies and practices and their potential effects on organizational effectiveness and efficiency.
  • Identify training and development needs.

What it pays

$139,520
Median pay per year, Texas (no San Antonio figure published)
New workers start near $80,820
Experienced workers reach $154,540
  1. $81k10th
  2. $88k25th
  3. $140kMedian
  4. $152k75th
  5. $155k90th
Wage percentiles: 10th $80,820, 25th $88,240, Median $139,520, 75th $152,330, 90th $154,540

Job outlook

U.S. projection, 2024 to 2034.

+6%

U.S. employment change

400

openings a year nationwide, from growth and people leaving

5,600

employed nationwide in 2024

Typical entry education: Master's degree · Training: Internship/residency

Skills this career uses

The skills O*NET rates most important for the job, with how much of each the work needs on a 1 to 7 scale.

  1. Reading Comprehension4.8
  2. Active Listening4.6
  3. Writing4.9
  4. Speaking4.6
  5. Critical Thinking4.5
  6. Judgment and Decision Making4.0
  7. Systems Evaluation4.5
  8. Complex Problem Solving4.1

Education people in this job have

Share of workers by highest education, from O*NET surveys. It shows what others did, not what you must do.

  1. Some college4%
  2. Associate degree4%
  3. Bachelor's degree4%
  4. Master's degree58%
  5. Doctoral or professional31%

Job zone 5, extensive preparation: A graduate or professional degree, usually after a bachelor's.

Alamo programs that lead here

  • Northeast Lakeview
  • Northwest Vista
  • Palo Alto
  • St. Philip's
  • San Antonio
  1. Psychology

    Transfer pre-major · Science & Technology

  2. Psychology

    Degree · Certificate · Transfer pre-major · Online option · Science & Technology

  3. Psychology

    Degree · Transfer pre-major · Public Service

  4. Psychology

    Transfer pre-major · Science & Technology

  5. Psychology

    Transfer pre-major · Science & Technology

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