Jobs for a Masters in Experimental Psychology

[rottenapple]

Hello all, first time poster.  I'm a junior in my undergrad studying psychology and am starting to look at graduate schools.

Long story short, I thought I wanted to go into psychotherapy/counseling when I started, realized I wouldn't like that, but I still like the clinical side of psychology.  Specifically I like studying drugs, drug addicts, personality of drug users, treating people with drugs (especially the new wave of hallucinogenic research), all that good stuff.  So I realize I could go for a Ph. D in clinical psych, under a program that researches psychopharmacology and addictions, finish that and become a teacher or a researcher.  But I wanted to explore other options.

There is a Masters of Experimental psychology program at a college nearby and some of the teachers do research in things that I'm interested in.  As that would be a shorter period of time for completion, I have started giving this some thought.  But what is the job market like for someone with this degree?  I realize most use this degree as a stepping stone for Ph D programs, but I want to know if I could get a decent job with just a masters in experimental.  Would there be many doors open for teaching?  What would the pay be like after 5 or 10 years?  Has anyone been down this path?

I did email the director of the local program and he said most of the graduates who don't go further with their education become research analysts and research coordinators for the local government agencies, universities and military bases.  Doesn't sound terrible to me, but I wanted to ask further.

[rottenapple]

Anyone?  Beuller, beuller?

[dancedementia]

Research jobs (like being a clinical research coordinator, etc.) are definitely very available to you and are pretty stable gigs so long as you're working for a large institution (i.e. teaching hospitals, federal, etc.) And you can definitely teach at the community college / junior college level with a master's degree. A psychology prof at the junior college in my hometown taught there for 15-20 years and eventually became department chair.

Edited October 9, 2015 by dancedementia