Industrial-Organizational (I/O) Psychology is a rising field that combines psychology and corporate to solve workplace challenges. If you're passionate about psychology and industrial development, becoming an I/O psychologist can be a worthwhile path. But what does it really take?
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Education
Requirements
To become an
I/O psychologist, first you need a graduate degree in I/O psychology. In the U.S.,
most professionals hold a Ph.D., even though a master’s degree can also lead
to a fruitful career. However, Ph.D. holders often enjoy higher wages and
broader job opportunities (Khanna & Medsker, 2010).
In other areas
like Europe, a master’s degree is often seen as a professional qualification, whereas
the Ph.D. is more research-focused. In Canada and the United States, the Ph.D.
is more commonly pursued by both experts and researchers.
Getting
Into Graduate Programs
Admission to
uppermost graduate programs is highly competitive. Academies generally consider
your undergraduate GPA, GRE scores, recommendation letters, and prior research
or work experience. A solid basis in psychology, math, and statistics is highly
recommended. Strong writing and verbal communication skills are also important
(Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 1985).
Master's
vs. Ph.D. Path
To become an
I/O psychologist, students can pursue a master’s or Ph.D. degree.
A master’s
degree typically takes 2 years, and it focuses on practical applications, which offer
training for people aiming to work directly in organizational settings. These
programs stress applied knowledge over research due to time constraints and are
designed primarily for practitioners.
In contrast,
a Ph.D. program normally needs four to six years and includes advanced
coursework, wide-ranging exams, research methodology, and the completion of a doctoral
dissertation. Students also gain practicum experience under supervision and are
trained as scientist-practitioners and they are capable of conducting rigorous
research and applying results in the workplace (Society for Industrial and
Organizational Psychology, 1985).
Although
both degrees open career doors, the Ph.D. offers better flexibility, higher wages,
and better access to academic roles (Khanna & Medsker, 2010).
Career
Outlook & Salary
The job
market for I/O psychologists in the U.S. remains strong. APA surveys show
unemployment rates under 1% for those seeking work. In 2009, average salaries
were $74,500 for master’s degree holders and $105,000 for Ph.D. holders.
Salary
levels vary based on numerous aspects, including job location, industry type,
and professional role. For example:
- I/O psychologists who running
their own consulting firms had the highest median income at $184,000.
- College professors earned relatively
less, especially those in psychology departments without Ph.D. programs.
- Professors in business schools
typically earned more than psychology departments professors.
Additionally,
initial salaries for recent graduates were described as:
- $75,000 per year for a new Ph.D.
- $55,000 per year for a new M.A.
Interestingly,
gender differences in earnings were seen. Women earned typically 16.4% less
than men, but this gap was largely accredited to differences in experience
levels, as the field was historically male-dominated. Till recent decades,
female contribution in I/O psychology was restricted, but it has grown
significantly over time.
Universities in the United StatesWith Graduate Programs in I/O Psychology
| State | M.A. Program | Ph.D. Program |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | — | Auburn University |
| California | California State Univ. (Long Beach, Sacramento, San Bernardino) Golden Gate Univ. San Diego State Univ. San Francisco State Univ. San Jose State Univ. Sonoma State Univ. |
Alliant University Claremont Graduate University |
| Colorado | — | Colorado State University |
| Connecticut | Fairfield University University of Hartford University of New Haven |
University of Connecticut |
| Florida | Carlos Albizu University University of West Florida |
Florida Institute of Technology Florida International University Univ. of Central Florida Univ. of South Florida |
| Georgia | Valdosta State College | Georgia Institute of Technology University of Georgia |
| Illinois | Adler School of Prof. Psychology Elmhurst College Illinois State University Roosevelt Univ. Southern Illinois Univ. at Edwardsville |
Chicago School of Prof. Psychology DePaul University Illinois Institute of Technology Northern Illinois Univ. Univ. of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Southern Illinois Univ. Carbondale |
| Indiana | Indiana Univ.–Purdue Univ. at Indianapolis | Purdue University |
| Iowa | University of Northern Iowa | — |
| Kansas | Emporia State University | Kansas State University |
| Kentucky | Eastern Kentucky University Northern Kentucky Univ. Western Kentucky Univ. |
— |
| Louisiana | Louisiana Technological University | Louisiana State University |
| Maryland | University of Baltimore | University of Maryland |
| Massachusetts | Springfield College | — |
| Michigan | Univ. of Detroit–Mercy | Central Michigan Univ. Michigan State Univ. Univ. of Michigan Wayne State Univ. Western Michigan Univ. |
| Minnesota | Minnesota State University St. Cloud State University |
University of Minnesota |
| Mississippi | William Carey College on the Coast | Univ. of Southern Mississippi |
| Missouri | Missouri State University | St. Louis Univ. Univ. of Missouri–St. Louis |
| Nebraska | — | Univ. of Nebraska at Omaha |
| New Jersey | Fairleigh Dickinson Univ. Kean University Montclair State Univ. |
— |
| New York | Iona College New York University |
Baruch College, CUNY Columbia University, Teachers College Hofstra Univ. SUNY at Albany |
| North Carolina | Appalachian State Univ. East Carolina Univ. |
North Carolina State Univ. Univ. of North Carolina–Charlotte |
| Ohio | Cleveland State Univ. Xavier University |
Bowling Green State Univ. Ohio Univ. Union Institute Univ. of Akron Wright State Univ. |
| Oklahoma | — | Univ. of Oklahoma Univ. of Tulsa |
| Oregon | — | Portland State University |
| Pennsylvania | West Chester University | Penn State University Temple University |
| South Carolina | — | Clemson University |
| Tennessee | Austin Peay State Univ. Middle Tennessee State Univ. Univ. of Tennessee–Chattanooga |
University of Memphis |
| Texas | Angelo State Univ. Lamar University Univ. of Houston–Clear Lake City |
Rice University Texas A & M Univ. Univ. of Houston Univ. of Texas Arlington |
| Virginia | Radford University | George Mason Univ. Old Dominion Univ. Virginia Tech |
| Washington | Central Washington University | Seattle Pacific Univ. Washington State Univ. |
| Washington, DC | — | George Washington University |
| West Virginia | Marshall University | — |
| Wisconsin | Univ. of Wisconsin–Oshkosh Univ. of Wisconsin–Stout |
— |
| Distance Programs | Kansas State University | Capella University Saybrook Graduate School |
Source: Retrieved May 15, 2010, from Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology: www.siop.org/GTP
A Sample of Universities Outside the United States That Offer Graduate Degrees in I/O Psychology
| Country | University |
|---|---|
| Australia | Curtin University Griffith University Macquarie University Monash University Murdoch University University of New South Wales University of Queensland |
| Belgium | Free University of Brussels University of Ghent University of Leuven University of Liege University of Louvain |
| Canada | Queen’s University St. Mary’s University University of Calgary University of Guelph University of Moncton University of Montreal University of Quebec in Montreal University of Waterloo University of Western Ontario |
| China | Beijing Normal University Beijing University China Eastern Normal University Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Science Zhejiang University |
| Costa Rica | Latin University of Costa Rica University Autonoma Monterrey |
| England | Exeter University University of Hull University of London University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology University of Nottingham University of Sheffield University of Surrey |
| France | University of Bordeaux University of Metz University of Paul Valéry Montpellier University of Provence Aix-Marseille |
| Germany | Technical University of Dresden University of Frankfurt University of Giessen University of Konstanz University of Mainz University of Munich University of Potsdam |
| Hong Kong | Chinese University of Hong Kong Lingnan University |
| Ireland | University College Dublin |
| Israel | Bar-Ilan University Technion—Israel Institute of Technology |
| Italy | University of Verona |
| Korea | Kwang-Woon University Sungkyunkwan University |
| Latvia | University of Latvia |
| Netherlands | Free University of Amsterdam University of Amsterdam University of Groningen University of Nijmegen University of Tilburg |
| New Zealand | University of Canterbury University of Massey at Auckland University of Waikato Victoria University of Wellington |
| Portugal | ISCTE Institute of Management and Social Sciences—Lisbon |
| Puerto Rico | Carlos Albizu University Interamerican University of Puerto Rico Pontifical Catholic University |
| Romania | Babes-Bolyai University University of Bucharest West University of Timisoara |
| Russia | Moscow State University |
| Scotland | Heriot-Watt University University of Strathclyde University of Aberdeen |
| Singapore | National University of Singapore |
| South Africa | University of Stellenbosch University of Witwatersrand |
| Spain | Complutense University University of Barcelona University of Santiago University of Valencia |
References
- Khanna, M. M., & Medsker, G. J. (2010). Income and employment survey of SIOP members. Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology.
- Koppes, L. L. (1997). Historical perspectives in industrial and organizational psychology. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
- Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology. (1985). Guidelines for education and training at the doctoral level in industrial-organizational psychology.
- Spector, P. E. (2006). Industrial and organizational psychology: Research and practice (4th ed.). John Wiley & Sons, Inc..
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