Some combination of independent work (e.g., reading research literature, contributing to a research report) and work with project teams to address a problem (e.g., solutions for students who are at risk of dropping out of school). The day would likely include a variety of meetings and switching from one topic/project to another.
CAREER
Industrial-Organizational Psychologists
Overview
Salary Median (2020)
$96,270
Projected Job Growth (2019-2029)
+2.5% (slower than the average)
Most Common Level of Education
Master's degree
Career
Roadtrip Nation Leaders in This Career
What Industrial-Organizational Psychologists Do
Apply principles of psychology to human resources, administration, management, sales, and marketing problems. Activities may include policy planning; employee testing and selection, training, and development; and organizational development and analysis. May work with management to organize the work setting to improve worker productivity.
Other Job Titles Industrial-Organizational Psychologists May Have
Consulting Psychologist, Industrial Psychologist, Industrial/Organizational Psychologist (I/O Psychologist), Management Consultant, Organizational Consultant, Organizational Development Consultant (OD Consultant), Organizational Psychologist, Research Scientist
How Leaders Describe a Typical Day at Work
Tasks & Responsibilities May Include
- Formulate and implement training programs, applying principles of learning and individual differences.
- Conduct research studies of physical work environments, organizational structures, communication systems, group interactions, morale, or motivation to assess organizational functioning.
- Conduct presentations on research findings for clients or at research meetings.
- Provide expert testimony in employment lawsuits.
- Study consumers' reactions to new products and package designs, and to advertising efforts, using surveys and tests.
Education
Level of Education Attained by Industrial-Organizational Psychologists
Most common level of education among people in
this career: Doctoral or professional degree (53%)
Bachelor's degree
Master's degree
Doctoral or professional degree
Majors Related to Career
Educational Paths Suggested by Leaders
Suggested Path
Bachelor
Psychology, General
Graduate
Clinical Psychology
Doctorate
Clinical Psychology
Additional Skills & Experiences That Can Help You Excel
I spend a lot of time talking to different audiences both internal (people in other departments who are not in research) and external (educators, administrators, policymakers). It is important to have good interpersonal skills and good presentation skills. Also, due to the range and complexity of problems that we are trying to address, it is important to be flexible and creative.
This page includes information from theO*NET 26.1 Databaseby the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under theCC BY 4.0license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
