What is the pay scale for someone with a masters in ___ Psych / Sociology

[M.M.]

Yes, I realize my question is incredibly vague, as I'm not sure what specialization I might desire, which school, etc.. I'm quite fickle about it at this point, my apologies.If it is entirely necessary, social psych, clinical psych, psychiatry, or general sociology are my interests. I'd like to know, preferably, first year earnings all the way up to maxed pay, if applicable ... I've checked a few different pay scale websites but it seems there's too many variables for me to get anything accurate out of them.

Thanks

Edited September 12, 2010 by M.M.

[neuropsych76]

Yes, I realize my question is incredibly vague, as I'm not sure what specialization I might desire, which school, etc.. I'm quite fickle about it at this point, my apologies.If it is entirely necessary, social psych, clinical psych, psychiatry, or general sociology are my interests. I'd like to know, preferably, first year earnings all the way up to maxed pay, if applicable ... I've checked a few different pay scale websites but it seems there's too many variables for me to get anything accurate out of them.

Thanks

I'm glad you realize your question is incredibly vague and I hope you are prepared for my equally vague answer. For the fields you listed the minimum starting pay could be as little as 40k a year and up to 250k a year. Try to focus your interests a bit more and be prepared to know that generally only becoming a psychiatrist will have a high income of the fields you listed.So if money is important for you, try looking somewhere else

Edited September 12, 2010 by neuropsych76

[M.M.]

I'm glad you realize your question is incredibly vague and I hope you are prepared for my equally vague answer. For the fields you listed the minimum starting pay could be as little as 40k a year and up to 250k a year. Try to focus your interests a bit more and be prepared to know that generally only becoming a psychiatrist will have a high income of the fields you listed.So if money is important for you, try looking somewhere else

It seems hard to believe that a masters from a top school might yield only slightly more than the average for psych bachelors nationwide... Are you sure?

I'm not too worried about money; I'd like to have a balance though.

[CSJ]

Keep in mind that even a b.a. from a average school could give someone a million dollar a year job. While the average pay scales are the same, ultimately it will come down to your own personal job. Do you want to work in private practice or academia. Do you want to work at a Fortune 500 company or for the government?. Averages are a tough way to go because it is so vague so think about what you want to do post graduation and you can narrow down on a better answer.

[adaptations]

As was pointed out, the degree does not determine salary. With a bachelors or a masters you could end up making 35k in a non-profit gig or 80k in a consulting role (these are not specific to what your degree is in). Where you choose to work, how you negotiate, prior experience, job market, etc. all play a huge role in determining salary.

[M.M.]

Gah, well thanks guys and gals.

[NewEmpiric]

Depending on how many quant classes you take, a person with a masters (or ideally, a PhD) can go into industry and do quite well.

I knew several PhDs in consulting and corporate marketing/analytics that probably pulled down at least 150K per year. More if they went the management route in the analytics world.

[M.M.]

Depending on how many quant classes you take, a person with a masters (or ideally, a PhD) can go into industry and do quite well.

I knew several PhDs in consulting and corporate marketing/analytics that probably pulled down at least 150K per year. More if they went the management route in the analytics world.

As odd as this may sound on a psychology forum -- any ballpark figured for a masters?

Preferably I'd like to obtain a masters, live for a little then get a Ph.D ... though it is almost certainly the case that that is nothing more than the world I'd have planned for myself and not so much what reality is.

[NewEmpiric]

As odd as this may sound on a psychology forum -- any ballpark figured for a masters?

Preferably I'd like to obtain a masters, live for a little then get a Ph.D ... though it is almost certainly the case that that is nothing more than the world I'd have planned for myself and not so much what reality is.

Well, it sort of depends. I've known people in the analytics world that probably made 100K to 120K with a masters from a top 50 econ program and several years experience. Naturally this is a little different from a masters in psych, but it gives you some idea; the marketing analytics world takes lots of social science MA/PhDs generally, whether econ or psych.

Right out of an MA program, 80-90 wouldn't be unheard of, if you had a good understanding of quant (regression, ANOVA) and an ability to work with large volumes of data. This later point involves some learning of database tools (SQL), statistics packages (SAS), and having a true mastery of excel. Some of that can be learned on the job.

Location also helps. Analytics jobs in places like Chicago, NYC, and Charlotte North Carolina (2 big banks in Charlotte) pay quite well. Less so in Des Moines, Iowa.

[Social Psyc Researcher]

Hey,

I just thought I would put my 2 cents in since I have a Psyc MA. I feel like everyone on here is giving fairly high estimates for pay and is generally overly optimistic about the job opportunities that are out there. I graduated in 2009 and applied to over 50 research positions and the closest I ever got to a job was a single phone interview (and ultimately I was not offered the position). I have been working as an adjunct instructor for the last couple semesters (at a couple different universities) but the pay is incredibly low...think more like 20,000 rather than 120,000. Granted I am working in the Midwest where adjuncts probably are paid significantly less than on the East or West coast, however nobody in my graduating class has been able to find adjunct work in California (that is where I am from)...in fact they are all impressed that I was able to find such a "good" job.

I should also mention that my degree was not from a prestigious school, just a state university. So perhaps you might have better luck finding a job with Harvard or Yale on your diploma...although many universities are not in the position that they can really offer more money to their adjuncts regardless of where their degree is from.

Hope this is helpful...

[M.M.]

Seems like it's true you have to have a Ph.D to have any money in Psych :/

[lewin]

Seems like it's true you have to have a Ph.D to have any money in Psych :/

There are so many people with PhD's looking for jobs right now that with "only" a masters one isn't competitive.

[spunky]

Seems like it's true you have to have a Ph.D to have any money in Psych :/

i think it kinda depends a lot on which area you specialise...i have to *TOTALLY* agree with NewEmpiric. my M.A. is in quantitative psychology/psychometrics (there're only 2 other people in my psych dept doing that, so only 3 of us) and the ammount of job offerings i've been getting this semester (even though i haven't even formally finished my MA thesis) has by far exceeded my expectations. i haven't contacted anyone yet but i do have quite a few emails of people offering positions (mostly, just as (s)he said, in the marketing industry looking for someone who can analyse data or people from other uni's looking for "statistical consultants"). now, with that being said, my best friend is about to finish his PhD in Social Psych and he's so terrified of it he's considering doing a post-doc somewhere else just to delay the whole "entering into the labour force" situation... to put it bluntly, i guess there's just a lot of people who get their PhDs in the *soft* areas of psych and the job market just cant absorb them all...

my general assessment of the situation from experience/comments here and on other sites is:

a)people getting their PhDs in the *soft* areas of psych have a hard time finding meaningful job positions (especially in this economy)

b)The M.A. alone *just* won't do....

c)...unless, just as NewEmpiric said, you're a pretty hardcore data analyst and you've taken lots of stats/research methods courses to show it.

Edited September 29, 2010 by spunky