Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary

Career Overview

Teach courses in psychology, such as child, clinical, and developmental psychology, and psychological counseling. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

Also Known As

• Instructor
• Professor
• Psychology Instructor
• Psychology Professor

Alternate Job Titles

• Abnormal Psychology Teacher
• Adjunct Instructor
• Adjunct Professor
• Adjunct Psychology Faculty Member
• Adjunct Psychology Instructor
• Adjunct Psychology Professor
• Applied Psychology Professor
• Applied Psychology Teacher
• Assistant Professor
• Associate Professor
• Child Development Instructor
• Child Development Professor
• Child Development Teacher
• Child Psychology Teacher
• Clinical Psychology Professor

What You'll Do

In this role, your typical responsibilities include:

• Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as abnormal psychology, cognitive processes, and work motivation.
• Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
• Evaluate and grade students' class work, laboratory work, assignments, and papers.
• Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
• Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
• Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
• Supervise undergraduate or graduate teaching, internship, and research work.

Emerging Responsibilities

As this field evolves, you may also:

• Mentor other faculty members.

Knowledge You'll Use

You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:

• Psychology
• English Language
• Education and Training
• Sociology and Anthropology
• Mathematics
• Therapy and Counseling

Essential Skills

Success in this career requires strong skills in:

1. Learning Strategies
2. Reading Comprehension
3. Speaking
4. Instructing
5. Active Listening
6. Writing
7. Critical Thinking
8. Active Learning
9. Social Perceptiveness
10. Complex Problem Solving

Key Abilities

This career requires key abilities in:

• Oral Expression
• Written Comprehension
• Written Expression
• Oral Comprehension
• Speech Clarity
• Deductive Reasoning
• Inductive Reasoning
• Speech Recognition
• Near Vision
• Problem Sensitivity

Work Style

People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:

• Intellectual Curiosity
• Dependability
• Integrity
• Social Orientation
• Empathy

What Matters in This Career

This career tends to satisfy these work values:

• Achievement
• Working Conditions
• Recognition
• Relationships
• Independence

Education & Preparation

Typical Education: Doctoral Degree

Related Work Experience Needed: Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years

On-the-Job Training: Anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month

Education Details: Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).

Experience Required: Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.

Technology You'll Use

Popular Technologies & Software

• Google Docs
• IBM SPSS Statistics
• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Office software
• Microsoft Outlook
• Microsoft PowerPoint
• Microsoft Word
• R
• SAS
• The MathWorks MATLAB

Tools & Equipment

• Carousel slide projectors
• Compact digital cameras
• Compact disk CD players
• Computer data input scanners
• Computer laser printers
• Computer projectors
• Conference telephones
• Desktop computers
• Digital audio recorders
• Digital calculators
• Digital video cameras
• Digital video disk DVD players
• Eye tracking systems
• Handheld microphones
• Interactive whiteboard controllers

Work Environment

• Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
• Freedom to Make Decisions
• E-Mail
• Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
• Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals

Salary & Job Market

Salary Percentile	Annual Wage
Entry-Level (10th percentile)	$47,870
Median	$80,330
Top Earners (90th percentile)	$158,900

Workers Employed Nationally: 41,610

Related Careers

If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:

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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.