Psychology is among the most versatile academic disciplines. Careers for graduates with degrees in psychology span a wide range of industries, settings and specializations. Whether you are drawn to supporting individuals through mental health challenges, improving organizational effectiveness in business environments or contributing to human services at a systemic level, a psychology degree opens professional doors that few other fields can match. Graduates work as licensed counselors, HR executives, behavioral health directors, organizational consultants, school psychologists, across the public sector, private and nonprofit organizations.
Prospective students may not realize that career opportunities significantly expand at the graduate level. A bachelor’s degree in psychology builds the conceptual foundation, but the master’s degree qualifies graduates for higher-level clinical roles, increased earning potential, leadership opportunities and the credentialing pathways that many psychology careers require. For those ready to advance, Avila University’s online Master of Science (M.S.) in Psychology program offers two specialized concentrations designed to accelerate career outcomes in as few as 12 months: Mental Health and Organizational Development.
This guide provides a comprehensive overview of psychology careers across degree levels, how a specific concentration shapes career outcomes, the key distinction between clinical and workplace psychology tracks and the admission requirements for the program. Whether you are exploring your options for the first time or returning to education to advance your position, this resource is designed to help you move forward with clarity and confidence.
What Are the Top Careers for Degrees in Psychology?
At the bachelor’s level, psychology graduates typically enter roles such as behavioral health technician, human services coordinator, case manager and community outreach worker. These positions provide meaningful experience and direct exposure to the populations and systems that psychology serves. However, they offer limited clinical autonomy and slower salary growth without additional credentials. For many professionals in these roles, the day-to-day work itself clarifies the direction they want to go, whether that means deepening their clinical work with individuals, stepping into organizational consulting or pursuing supervisory and administrative roles that require graduate-level preparation.
Career trajectory changes most dramatically at the master’s degree level. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Outlook Handbook, the median annual wage for substance abuse, behavioral disorder and mental health counselors in May 2024 was $59,190, with employment projected to grow 17% through 2034, more than four times the average growth rate for all occupations. On the organizational side, 2026 data from PayScale shows industrial-organizational psychologists earn an average of $111,025 annually, with a salary range extending from $60,000 at the entry level to over $165,000 for experienced practitioners. In 2024, human resources (HR) managers — a field that draws heavily on organizational psychology — earned a median annual wage of $140,030, with 5% job growth projected through 2034, per BLS.
Master’s-prepared psychology graduates pursue careers as licensed mental health counselors, marriage and family therapists, school counselors, behavioral health program directors, organizational development consultants, change management specialists, workforce strategy professionals and human resources managers. The concentration you choose at the graduate level determines which of these paths most directly informs positions you are seeking in your chosen field. Making the right choice requires a clear understanding of what each concentration prepares you to do, and where it leads. The availability of fully online, asynchronous programs like Avila’s online M.S. in Psychology program has made this transition more practical for working professionals who no longer have to choose between pausing their careers and advancing their education.
Why Is a Degree Concentration Important for a Career in Psychology?
A graduate degree in psychology is not a single credential. It is a framework that can point your career in markedly different directions depending on the concentration you select. The concentration shapes your curriculum, your capstone experience, the professional networks you build during your program and ultimately the career you can credibly pursue upon graduation. Treating this decision as merely an academic preference, rather than a deliberate career strategy, is one of the most consequential mistakes prospective graduate students make.
The M.S. in Psychology – Mental Health concentration at Avila prepares students for behavioral health careers through coursework in personality theory, trauma and the stress response, pharmacology and drug effects on behavior and the treatment of psychological disorders. The program also includes a two-sequence Community Project in which students design and implement a real initiative with a local nonprofit organization, building applied experience and professional connections alongside academic rigor.
As BLS reported in 2024, employment in mental health-related occupations is projected to grow substantially faster than average across counseling, therapy, clinical psychology and behavioral health settings through 2032. Graduates who enter the field with both the academic credentials and the applied capstone experience that Avila’s program provides are positioned not only to meet immediate hiring demand, but to progress quickly into clinical supervision and program leadership as the field continues to expand.
The M.S. in Psychology – Organizational Development (OD) concentration equips students to apply psychological science to the complex dynamics of organizations, developing the relational, strategic and analytical skills needed for careers in HR management, OD consulting, workforce analysis and leadership development. Coursework covers organizational behavior, leadership psychology, strategic management and consulting skills, with concentration-specific capstone work that builds real-world competency in each area.
What Is the Difference Between Clinical Psychology and Workplace Psychology?
Clinical and mental health psychology centers on the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of psychological conditions in individuals, couples and family systems. Practitioners who specialize in this area work in a range of settings, including community mental health centers, outpatient therapy practices, hospitals, schools and residential treatment programs. They typically practice under a state-issued license, such as Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) or Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC), which requires a qualifying master’s degree, supervised post-degree clinical hours and passage of a national licensing exam. This is the path for professionals whose primary motivation is direct therapeutic work with people experiencing psychological challenges.
Workplace psychology — also called industrial-organizational (I-O) psychology or organizational development — applies the same behavioral science foundation to business and organizational contexts. Practitioners in this field analyze human dynamics within organizations, design culture and performance interventions, advise on talent acquisition and retention strategy, coach leaders and manage organizational change — all without the clinical licensing requirements that govern mental health practice. According to Glassdoor, organizational development managers earned an average of $131,744 per year as of April 2025, with top earners exceeding $210,000 depending on industry and experience.
Choosing between these two tracks ultimately comes down to where you want to direct your expertise and what kind of impact you want to have. If you are drawn to walking alongside individuals through personal challenges, behavioral health crises or relational difficulties, the clinical mental health track is the right fit. If you are motivated to drive systemic change, improving organizational performance, culture, leadership effectiveness or workforce strategy, the organizational psychology track offers an equally demanding and deeply rewarding professional path.
How Can a Master’s Degree Help You Advance Your Career in Psychology?
The master’s degree is the single most impactful credential available to working psychology professionals, unlocking the academic depth and the practical certifications required for higher-level roles in clinical practice, organizational leadership and specialized consulting. For mental health practitioners, a qualifying master’s degree is the prerequisite for state licensure — the gateway to independent practice and the supervisory roles that carry the greatest professional autonomy and earning potential. For organizational professionals, the graduate degree signals a level of analytical rigor and behavioral science expertise that commands respect in boardrooms, HR departments and consulting firms alike.
Beyond the degree itself, career advancement in psychology is shaped by deliberate credential building. Mental health practitioners pursue specialized certifications in trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy, EMDR, addiction counseling (CADC) or integrated behavioral health care. Organizational professionals build recognized credentials in change management, executive coaching and strategic HR.
Both tracks also benefit from the professional networks developed during graduate study. Avila’s faculty-guided Community Project capstone, completed in partnership with a local nonprofit, gives students a direct bridge from academic preparation to professional standing before they graduate. Faculty at Avila engage with students individually throughout the program, providing guidance not only on coursework but on licensing timelines, certification sequencing and career positioning — practical mentorship that accelerates the path from graduation to meaningful advancement.
For students seeking the highest levels of clinical or research-focused careers, the online M.S. in Psychology – Mental Health program at Avila serves as a pathway to doctoral study, providing a strong academic foundation for those who wish to pursue licensure as a psychologist or advance into academic and research roles. Whether your immediate goal is a promotion in your current field, a transition into a new specialty or the launch of independent practice, a graduate credential in psychology is the most reliable catalyst available.
What Are the Admission Requirements for Avila’s Online Master of Psychology Program?
Avila University has designed its online M.S. in Psychology program admission process to be straightforward and accessible for working professionals from diverse academic backgrounds. There is no GRE requirement — a significant advantage for career changers and experienced professionals who may not have taken standardized graduate entrance exams — and an undergraduate major in psychology is not required for admission.
Unconditional admission requires a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 2.75 or higher, while conditional admission is available to applicants with a GPA of 2.5 or higher; conditionally admitted students must achieve a 3.0 GPA in their first nine credit hours to continue in the program. Students who have not completed prior coursework in core psychology areas, including developmental, cognitive, abnormal and social psychology, may be required to take a leveling course, which is worth up to three credit hours.
Both concentrations are delivered 100% online in an asynchronous format with 8-week course terms, multiple start dates throughout the year and the option to complete the program in as few as 12 months. Tuition is pay-by-the-course at a competitive per-credit-hour rate for all U.S. residents, with total program cost varying by concentration.
Note: Both programs are not visa-eligible; international applicants residing outside the United States are not eligible to enroll.
Prepare for a Purpose-Driven Career With an Online M.S. in Psychology From Avila
Earning a graduate degree in psychology is one of the most valuable investments a professional can make. Avila University’s online Master of Science in Psychology program is designed to make that investment accessible, practical and career-defining. With two specialized concentrations, fully online delivery, affordable pay-by-the-course tuition and a faculty-guided capstone that builds real-world experience before graduation, the program removes the barriers that have historically kept talented professionals from advancing their careers.
Avila’s commitment to individualized instruction means students develop the clinical depth, organizational insight and professional confidence necessary to lead in their chosen field. Whether you are ready to pursue licensure, step into organizational leadership or build toward doctoral study, the program offers a direct, achievable path to a career with purpose.
Learn more about Avila University’s online Master of Science in Psychology program.
About Avila University’s online Master of Science in Psychology Program
Avila University’s online Master of Science in Psychology program offers two career-focused concentrations — Mental Health and Organizational Development — delivered 100% online with multiple start dates and the flexibility to complete in as few as 12 months. Pay-by-the-course tuition, Prior Learning Assessment credit and a faculty-guided nonprofit capstone make the program a practical and affordable path for working professionals ready to advance without pausing their careers.
A Catholic university founded and inspired by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, Avila University is located in Kansas City, Missouri, and accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. The university’s commitment to individualized, values-driven education is reflected in every course, with faculty who engage closely with students and provide the same quality of instruction online as in person.
