What can you do with a Social Psychology degree?

First, some facts. Of the Social Psychology graduates 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 93 LinkedIn profiles (see below).

The verdict? Slightly below average. Overall, with an average relevance score of 63%, Social Psychology graduates have a slightly lower likelihood (-4%) 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, 46% 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 Social Psychology graduate.

See the details:

• What jobs can you get with a Social Psychology degree?
• What do Social Psychology graduates do 1, 5 or 10 years out?
• How hard is a Social Psychology degree? How long does it take?
• How much money can you make with a Social Psychology degree?
• What are the best colleges for Social Psychology?

View a random Social Psychology graduate and our analysis:

Relevance score: 75% We think this person has gone into a career highly relevant to their degree. DEGREE INFO Graduated in 2016 from Park University with a Bachelor's degree in Social Psychology. Also pursued further education since (see below). JOB HISTORY SINCE GRADUATION Licensed Realtor Exit East/West Realty 2018 - Present As a Licensed Realtor, while the role may benefit from an understanding of social psychology in client interactions, it primarily focuses on real estate sales rather than utilizing specific knowledge from a psychology degree. Director of Agent Development EXiT East Realty Nov 2017 - Present The Director of Agent Development role likely leverages skills related to social psychology to train and develop agents, directly applying knowledge from the Bachelor's degree in social psychology on a daily basis. FURTHER DEGREES DONE SINCE GRADUATING Master of Education - MEd Park University 2017 - 2019 ABOUT Experienced Licensed Realtor with a demonstrated history of working in the real estate industry. Skilled in Negotiation, Customer Service, Management, Sales, and Contract Negotiation. Strong real estate professional graduated from Park University.

What jobs can you get with a Social Psychology degree?

The top 10 most common jobs done by the graduates we've analyzed (ranked most common to least) are:

• Bartender
• Teacher
• Manager
• Intern
• Legal Intern
• Store Manager
• Account Executive
• Law Clerk
• Paralegal
• Social Worker

When analyzing the career paths of individuals who have degrees in Social Psychology, a clear pattern emerges regarding the types of jobs they commonly take. Many graduates find themselves in roles related to education, mental health, social services, and human resources. These sectors often require a solid understanding of human behavior and interpersonal dynamics, which are core to the study of social psychology. For instance, positions such as counselors, social workers, and program coordinators leverage their knowledge of psychological principles to help individuals and communities. Additionally, roles in human resources also appear frequently, where graduates apply psychological theories to improve workplace dynamics and employee satisfaction.

However, despite these promising alignments, a significant number of graduates occupy positions that are not strictly relevant to their field of study. Many roles such as restaurant management, retail positions, and customer service jobs often fall short of applying the specialized knowledge gained from a Social Psychology degree. For example, while a restaurant manager might benefit from understanding team dynamics or customer behavior, their primary responsibilities revolve around operations and management rather than psychology. Additionally, jobs in marketing and sales frequently rely more on technical knowledge or strategic thinking than on psychological principles directly, indicating a mismatch for some graduates.

In summary, while there are many relevant career options available for Social Psychology graduates—especially in fields that actively require psychological insights—there are also numerous positions that do not fully utilize their specialized training. Graduates often find themselves in a mixed landscape where their educational background could be beneficial, but not necessarily critical. The result is an eclectic array of job experiences that vary in their relevance to the principles and theories learned throughout their academic journey.

Here is a visual representation of the most common words in job titles for Social Psychology graduates:

What kind of career trajectories do Social Psychology graduates have? What do they do 1, 5 or 10 years out?

When we look at the career trajectories of graduates with degrees in Social Psychology, we see a mixed bag. For some, particularly the ones with a focus on mental health and community services, the path seems pretty aligned with their studies. A number of graduates quickly found themselves in roles related to mental health, counseling, or social work right after graduation, suggesting a strong, relevant entry into the workforce. For instance, we've got the graduate from Florida Atlantic University who became a Clinical Supervisor, and another from UCLA who is working at SAY San Diego as a teacher. This is promising, as it indicates that certain individuals are finding their niche in fields that utilize their educational background.

However, the landscape isn’t universally rosy. Some graduates have veered off into more general roles that don’t directly relate to social psychology. For example, many have taken jobs in sales, customer service, and management—as seen in various positions related to retail and hospitality—and while these can be good experiences, they don't necessarily leverage the nuances of a social psychology education. The job of a Sales Lead or a Bartender may pay the bills, yet they don't tap into the workforce's deeper understanding of human behavior and social interaction, which are core tenets of their degree.

In terms of long-term trajectories, those initially starting in relevant fields like social work or mental health tend to keep climbing in their careers and assume more senior positions over the years, like the graduate from the University of Florida who went from a Case Manager to Director of Housing Services. Others who began in unrelated roles have taken a longer route to find their way back into fields that resonate more with their education. For example, some graduates have gradually transitioned through various corporate roles to land positions that may benefit from their psychological insights, like management in diverse environments or positions related to human resources. Yet, there’s a notable section of this demographic that seems stuck, lingering in customer service or entry-level roles that don’t reflect their skill set.

So, the takeaway? While some social psychology graduates manage to align their careers closely with their degree right out of college, many end up in positions that don’t fully utilize their education. This split reveals significant variability in career trajectories, indicating both success stories and cautionary tales. It serves as a reminder for anyone considering a degree in social psychology to think critically about both their immediate career paths and their long-term aspirations. The social psychology field can indeed lead to impactful careers, but the journey can be winding.

How hard is a Social Psychology degree?

A Bachelor’s degree in Social Psychology can be about average in terms of difficulty, but it really depends on your interests and strengths. If you enjoy learning about people, their behavior, and the social influences that shape us, you might find the coursework pretty engaging. Some classes can be challenging, especially when it comes to statistics and research methods, but if you put in the effort and stay organized, it's definitely manageable. Just like any degree, there will be some tough spots, but if you're into understanding why we do what we do as a society, it can be a lot of fun!

How long does it take?

Most commonly, in the LinkedIn profiles we've looked at, it takes people 4 years to finish a Bachelor degree in Social Psychology.

Do Social Psychology graduates tend to make good money?

Looking at these LinkedIn profiles, it seems like some folks are doing pretty well while others might be struggling a bit financially. For instance, the person from Alabama State University has climbed the ranks to Managing Partner at Carrabba's, which usually comes with a decent salary. On the other hand, some graduates, like those from Palo Alto University and UC Irvine, seem to be stuck in lower-paying teaching or entry-level positions, which probably isn’t going to help them pay off student loans anytime soon.

In the job market, a lot depends on the type of job and the field. For example, graduates from fields like software development or finance (like the ones from UC San Diego and Michigan State) tend to earn higher salaries compared to those in social work or education roles. So while some recent graduates are landing solid positions that pay well, others may not be as lucky, leading to a mixed bag in terms of how well they’re making ends meet post-graduation.

What buzzwords do Social Psychology graduates use to describe themselves?

Here is a visual representation of the most common words seen in the "about" section of LinkedIn profiles who have a Bachelor degree in Social Psychology. This may or may not be useful:

What are the best colleges for Social Psychology?

Here are all colleges offering a Bachelor degree in Social Psychology (ordered by the average relevance score of their Social Psychology graduates, best to worst) where we have analyzed at least 10 of their graduates:

College	Score	Count
Park University	70	34