Educational Psychology Jobs & Career Guide 2024

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By psychologyjobs.com Staff Writer

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What Is an Educational Psychologist?

An educational psychologist applies principles of psychology to understanding and addressing learning and developmental issues in students of all ages.

Educational psychologists may work in schools, universities, or other educational settings, and their work may involve conducting assessments, providing counseling or intervention services, developing educational programs or curricula, or conducting research to advance the field of educational psychology.

They may also work with teachers, parents, and other educational professionals to promote positive learning outcomes and support the overall well-being of students.

What Is an Educational Psychologist Responsible For?

Educational psychologists are responsible for promoting positive learning outcomes and supporting the overall well-being of students through the application of psychological principles and practices.

Here are some of the specific responsibilities:

  • Conducting assessments: conduct assessments to evaluate students’ cognitive, academic, and socio-emotional functioning. These assessments can help to identify areas of strength and weakness and inform educational programming and intervention strategies.
  • Providing counseling or intervention services: provide individual or group counseling or intervention services to students who are struggling with academic or personal issues. These services can help to address behavioral, emotional, or social difficulties that may be impacting students’ ability to learn and succeed.
  • Developing educational programs or curricula: work with teachers, curriculum developers, or educational administrators to develop educational programs or curricula that are effective and evidence-based. They may also evaluate existing programs or curricula to ensure that they are meeting the needs of students.
  • Conducting research: conduct research to advance the field of educational psychology and improve educational outcomes for students. This research may focus on topics such as learning and cognition, motivation, or social and emotional development.
  • Consulting with teachers, parents, and other educational professionals: consult with teachers, parents, and other educational professionals to provide guidance and support on issues related to learning, behavior, or development.
“As an educational psychologist, I am constantly learning and growing in my understanding of how children learn and develop. Whether I’m conducting research, consulting with teachers, or working directly with students, my goal is always to support positive learning outcomes and promote the overall well-being of students. It can be challenging at times, but it’s also incredibly rewarding to see the progress that students can make when they have the right supports and interventions in place.”
Dr. Tony Cellucci, a licensed psychologist and professor of psychology at the University of Alabama

Here is what a typical day might look like:

8:00 AM – Arrive at work and check emails, voice messages, and other correspondence.

8:30 AM – Meet with a school administrator to discuss the implementation of a new educational program or intervention.

9:30 AM – Conduct an assessment of a student’s academic and behavioral functioning.

11:00 AM – Meet with a parent to discuss their child’s progress and provide guidance on how to support their child’s learning and development.

12:00 PM – Take a lunch break.

1:00 PM – Attend a meeting with teachers to discuss strategies for supporting students with learning disabilities.

2:00 PM – Develop a new intervention program for students with behavior issues.

3:30 PM – Meet with a school counselor to discuss a student’s progress in therapy.

4:30 PM – Wrap up the day by completing administrative tasks, such as documenting assessment results or updating student records.

Where Does an Educational Psychologist Work?

Educational Psychologists are most commonly employed by a school system. This isn’t the only sector where they can find work though:

  • Colleges and universities
  • Government agencies
  • Private practice
  • Non-profit organizations

How to become an educational psychologist

It will take at least 6 years to become an educational psychologist once you factor in degrees and the licensing process.

Education

The first step is getting a bachelor’s degree in psychology or a closely related field, like sociology. Depending on your college, you may be able to major in a specific psychological branch, but these programs are still relatively rare.

After graduating with your bachelor’s, it’s time to get a higher education degree. You’ll need at least a master’s degree, but if you want the ability to diagnose learning disorders, you’ll have to earn a doctorate. See also; our guide to a PhD in Educational Psychology.

Internship

An internship or supervised practicum is a requirement for many educational psychology programs, as it provides students with hands-on experience working in educational or clinical settings. The internship may involve working in a school, university, or other educational setting, and may be supervised by a licensed educational psychologist or other qualified professional.

Licensure

For students that complete a master’s degree in educational psychology but don’t intend to pursue a doctorate program and instead plan to seek employment as an educational consultant or similar will not need to pursue a license.

However licensure is a requirement for practicing as an educational psychologist in most states. Licensure requirements vary by state, but typically include the following steps:

  1. Complete a doctoral degree: Educational psychologists must typically complete a doctoral degree in psychology or a related field from an accredited program.
  2. Accumulate supervised experience: Most states require educational psychologists to complete a certain number of supervised hours of experience, typically ranging from 1,500 to 2,000 hours.
  3. Pass a licensing exam: Educational psychologists must typically pass a licensing exam, which may be the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP) or a state-specific exam.

How Much Money Does an Educational Psychologist Earn?

Their place of employment and years of experience heavily influence an Educational Psychologist’s salary. The average salary of an educational psychologist is $82,180 with a starting salary of around $59,000. Please consult our educational psychologist salary guide for more insights.

Latest Educational Psychologist Job Listings

PositionCompanyLocationPosted
Assistant Professor in Educational PsychologyUniversity of Kansas Lawrence, Kansas US07/23/2024
Position OverviewThe Department of Educational Psychology at the University of Kansas seeks a tenure-track Professor at the Assistant level to join the School Psychology program. This position is a nine-month appointment beginning August 18th, 2025, with a competitive salary commensurate with experience and education.The University of Kansas School Psychology program has a doctoral (Ph.D.) and an educational specialist (Ed.S.) program. The Ph.D. and Ed.S. programs are … More
Clinical Assistant Professor & Training Clinic Director in Counseling and Counseling PsychologyIndiana University Indiana US07/20/2024
Position SummaryIndiana University Bloomington invites applications for a Clinical Assistant Professor position. This will be a full-time, non-tenure track, 12-month appointment (beginning 08/1/2025) to serve as training clinic director in the Counseling and Counseling Psychology Programs within the Department of Counseling and Educational Psychology in the School of Education.Position Description:We are seeking a candidate who can direct the … More
Teaching Assistant Professor, Educational PsychologyOklahoma State University Stillwater, Oklahoma US07/19/2024
Teaching Assistant Professor, Educational PsychologySchool of Educational Foundations, Leadership and AviationAugust 2025POSITION: The School of Educational Foundations, Leadership and Aviation (SEFLA) in the College of Education and Human Sciences at Oklahoma State University is seeking a 9-month Teaching Assistant Professor in Educational Psychology (EPSY) to begin in August 2025. The Teaching Assistant Professor position is a three-year, renewable, … More
Assistant or Associate Professor in Counseling and Counseling PsychologyIndiana University Indiana US07/19/2024
Position SummaryIndiana University Bloomington, the flagship campus of Indiana University and a leading research-intensive institution, is accepting applications for an Assistant or Associate Professor position in the Counseling and Counseling Psychology programs within the Department of Counseling and Educational Psychology, housed in the School of Education. This will be a full-time, tenure track, 10-month appointment (beginning 08/1/2025). The successful candidate will join … More
Assistant Professor – Counseling – Department of Ed Psychology and Counseling 24-42California State University, Northridge Northridge, California US07/18/2024
Assistant Professor – Counseling – Department of Ed Psychology and Counseling 24-42 Tenure-Track Faculty Position Announcement Department: Educational … More
Assistant Professor – Marriage and Family Therapy – Department of Ed Psychology and Counseling 24-34California State University, Northridge Northridge, California US07/18/2024
Assistant Professor – Marriage and Family Therapy – Department of Ed Psychology and Counseling 24-34 Tenure-Track Faculty Position Announcement Department: Educational Psychology & Counseling Faculty … More
Assistant Professor of PsychologyPitzer College Claremont, California US07/15/2024
The Psychology Field Group at Pitzer College is recruiting a tenure-track, Assistant Professor of Psychology: Cognitive Development and Education. A Ph.D. or Ed.D. in a relevant discipline is required. The preferred area of expertise is cognitive development with a focus on education. Training in cognitive development is essential whereas a focus on education is desirable. Candidates must be well prepared to offer courses in quantitative and/or qualitative research methods. We expect a capability … More
Registered PsychologistUniversity of Calgary Calgary, Alberta CA07/14/2024
Registered Psychologist, Werklund School of Education … More
Position
Assistant Professor in Educational Psychology
Position OverviewThe Department of Educational Psychology at the University of Kansas seeks a tenure-track Professor at the Assistant level to join the School Psychology program. This position is a nine-month appointment beginning August 18th, 2025, with a competitive salary commensurate with experience and education.The University of Kansas School Psychology program has a doctoral (Ph.D.) and an educational specialist (Ed.S.) program. The Ph.D. and Ed.S. programs are … More
Company
University of Kansas
Location
Lawrence, Kansas US
Posted
07/23/2024
Position
Clinical Assistant Professor & Training Clinic Director in Counseling and Counseling Psychology
Position SummaryIndiana University Bloomington invites applications for a Clinical Assistant Professor position. This will be a full-time, non-tenure track, 12-month appointment (beginning 08/1/2025) to serve as training clinic director in the Counseling and Counseling Psychology Programs within the Department of Counseling and Educational Psychology in the School of Education.Position Description:We are seeking a candidate who can direct the … More
Company
Indiana University
Location
Indiana US
Posted
07/20/2024
Position
Teaching Assistant Professor, Educational Psychology
Teaching Assistant Professor, Educational PsychologySchool of Educational Foundations, Leadership and AviationAugust 2025POSITION: The School of Educational Foundations, Leadership and Aviation (SEFLA) in the College of Education and Human Sciences at Oklahoma State University is seeking a 9-month Teaching Assistant Professor in Educational Psychology (EPSY) to begin in August 2025. The Teaching Assistant Professor position is a three-year, renewable, … More
Company
Oklahoma State University
Location
Stillwater, Oklahoma US
Posted
07/19/2024
Position
Assistant or Associate Professor in Counseling and Counseling Psychology
Position SummaryIndiana University Bloomington, the flagship campus of Indiana University and a leading research-intensive institution, is accepting applications for an Assistant or Associate Professor position in the Counseling and Counseling Psychology programs within the Department of Counseling and Educational Psychology, housed in the School of Education. This will be a full-time, tenure track, 10-month appointment (beginning 08/1/2025). The successful candidate will join … More
Company
Indiana University
Location
Indiana US
Posted
07/19/2024
Position
Assistant Professor – Counseling – Department of Ed Psychology and Counseling 24-42
Assistant Professor – Counseling – Department of Ed Psychology and Counseling 24-42 Tenure-Track Faculty Position Announcement Department: Educational … More
Company
California State University, Northridge
Location
Northridge, California US
Posted
07/18/2024
Position
Assistant Professor – Marriage and Family Therapy – Department of Ed Psychology and Counseling 24-34
Assistant Professor – Marriage and Family Therapy – Department of Ed Psychology and Counseling 24-34 Tenure-Track Faculty Position Announcement Department: Educational Psychology & Counseling Faculty … More
Company
California State University, Northridge
Location
Northridge, California US
Posted
07/18/2024
Position
Assistant Professor of Psychology
The Psychology Field Group at Pitzer College is recruiting a tenure-track, Assistant Professor of Psychology: Cognitive Development and Education. A Ph.D. or Ed.D. in a relevant discipline is required. The preferred area of expertise is cognitive development with a focus on education. Training in cognitive development is essential whereas a focus on education is desirable. Candidates must be well prepared to offer courses in quantitative and/or qualitative research methods. We expect a capability … More
Company
Pitzer College
Location
Claremont, California US
Posted
07/15/2024
Position
Registered Psychologist
Registered Psychologist, Werklund School of Education … More
Company
University of Calgary
Location
Calgary, Alberta CA
Posted
07/14/2024