First, some facts. Of the Psychology graduates from St. Olaf College we've analyzed , here's how many have used (or NOT used) their degree in their career:
These are estimates based on AI analysis of 10 LinkedIn profiles (see below).
The verdict? Below average. Overall, with an average relevance score of 61%, Psychology graduates from St. Olaf College have a lower likelihood (-6%) of finding work in this field compared to the average graduate across all fields:
And for comparison, here's the chart for all profiles we've looked at across all degrees.
Also, after graduating, 40% of these graduates have pursued further education other than another Bachelor's degree (such as a Masters degree or other), compared to the average across all profiles of 35%. This suggests you may need more than just a Bachelors degree to be competitive as a Psychology graduate.
See the details:
Relevance score: 100%We think this person has gone into a career highly relevant to their degree.DEGREE INFOGraduated in 2019 from St. Olaf College with a Bachelor of Arts - BA in Psychology. Also pursued further education since (see below). JOB HISTORY SINCE GRADUATIONResearch TechnicianUniversity of Minnesota Jun 2019 - Aug 2021 FURTHER DEGREES DONE SINCE GRADUATINGDoctor of Philosophy - PhDThe University of Texas at Austin 2022 - 2026 ABOUT[NAME REMOVED] is a current graduate student at The University of Texas at Austin. They are in the Institute for Neuroscience PhD program. [NAME REMOVED] works with Dr. Lauren Dobbs studying drug addiction, specifically the combined use of stimulant and opioid drugs. [NAME REMOVED] is highly skilled at conducting addiction behavior experiments using transgenic mice. [NAME REMOVED] graduated cum laude from St Olaf College in 2019 with a BA in psychology and a concentration in Neuroscience. They became interested in neuroscience research while working as an undergraduate research assistant, and joined a full-time research tech position at The University of Minnesota after graduating. [NAME REMOVED] worked with Dr. Patrick Rothwell studying opioid signaling in the brain before deciding to pursue graduate school. [NAME REMOVED]'s long term career goal is to become an academic professor at a liberal arts institution. |
The top 10 most common jobs done by the graduates we've analyzed (ranked most common to least) are:
Looking at the job titles for people who graduated with a psychology degree from St. Olaf College, there’s a pretty mixed bag when it comes to how relevant those jobs are to the field of psychology. A lot of folks ended up in roles like project management, administrative positions, or tech-related jobs, where they honestly didn’t get to use their psychology knowledge all that much. For instance, many started off in roles like Relocation Coordinator or Talent Acquisition Coordinator, which, while they might brush against understanding human behavior, mostly lean towards logistical and operational tasks rather than diving deep into psychology itself. So if we’re being real, many graduates are in jobs where they aren’t applying the full depth of what they learned in their psychology classes.
But on the flip side, there are some graduates who landed jobs that directly tapped into their psychology training. For example, positions like a residential advisor, special education teacher, or research assistant really make use of psychological principles. These roles show that some grads found their way into careers where they could actively implement what they learned about human behavior and mental processes. There’s a clear divide between those who are working in more technical or administrative roles versus those who are involved in education, counseling, or research, which makes the landscape quite diverse. Overall, while some jobs align directly with psychology, many don’t fully utilize the rich knowledge base that comes with a psychology degree from St. Olaf.
Here is a visual representation of the most common words in job titles for Psychology graduates (this is across all Psychology graduates we've analyzed, not just those who went to St. Olaf College):
So, if we're looking at what people with a Psychology degree from St. Olaf College have been up to, we can see some pretty diverse career paths. Right off the bat, many graduates tend to start with roles that are somewhat related to psychology, like coordination or educational positions, or even in research settings. A lot of them land jobs in nonprofit organizations or educational institutions, which makes sense given the degree focus on human behavior and development. For instance, early career moves include things like volunteer coordination or teaching roles, which often allow these graduates to apply their understanding of psychology in impactful ways right after graduation.
Now, if we zoom out to about five or ten years later, we notice that many continue to ascend in fields like education and human resources, suggesting they're building on their degree's foundation effectively. Some even pivot into more technical roles, like software engineering, which isn't typical but shows adaptability and the ability to upskill. Others delve deeper into research positions, reflecting the strong academic preparation part of their St. Olaf experience. While there are definitely some who seem to have taken jobs that wander a bit from direct psychology applications, a good chunk are still making meaningful contributions in fields that leverage their understanding of human interaction, which is pretty awesome. Overall, it seems like these graduates are finding a mix of success, weaving their psychology background into varied and sometimes unexpected careers.
Honestly, a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology at St. Olaf College is pretty challenging, but it can also be really rewarding! You’ll dive into a lot of theories and research that can get pretty complex, especially if you're delving into things like statistics or research methods. St. Olaf has a solid reputation for rigorous academics, so don’t expect to coast through with just attendance; you'll need to stay engaged and manage your time well. That said, if you’re genuinely interested in understanding human behavior and are willing to put in the effort, you'll likely find it manageable and super intriguing. Just keep in mind that everyone’s experience is a bit different, so if you love the subject, it might not feel as hard as it sounds!
Most commonly, in the LinkedIn profiles we've looked at, it takes people 4 years to finish a Bachelor degree in Psychology.
Looking at the job paths of these St. Olaf Psychology grads, it seems like they've had a pretty mixed bag when it comes to making decent money. Some, especially those who landed roles at big tech companies like Meta and Best Buy, likely pulled in good salaries, especially in later positions like People Operations Lead and Software Engineer—those jobs often come with nice paychecks and benefits. On the flip side, others who worked in education or non-profit roles, like the research assistants and teachers, probably didn’t see as high of earnings, particularly in the early years. Overall, it looks like a few are doing really well financially, while others are in fields that tend to pay less, so it really depends on the specific career path they chose!
Here is a visual representation of the most common words seen in the "about" section of LinkedIn profiles who have a Bachelor degree in Psychology (this is across all Psychology graduates we've analyzed, not just those who went to St. Olaf College). This may or may not be useful:
Here are all colleges offering a Bachelor degree in Psychology (ordered by the average relevance score of their Psychology graduates, best to worst) where we have analyzed at least 10 of their graduates: