Our career guides are produced by staff writers in conjunction with our expert career coaches. We may earn a referral fee from some links to higher education providers but we remain committed to providing impartial guidance to further your career.
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.
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:
Complete a doctoral degree: Educational psychologists must typically complete a doctoral degree in psychology or a related field from an accredited program.
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.
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 Psychology Jobs & Career Guide 2023 Listings
Commitment to MissionThis job carries with it the obligation to uphold the Mission of Lone Star College (LSC) in carrying out the duties of the position. A commitment to positive interpersonal behaviors, professional communication, diversity, integrity, leadership, stewardship, respect and accountability to LSC students and employees is essential. Cultural Beliefs One LSC Student Focused Own It Advance Equity ... More
Assistant Clinical Professor - Clinical Mental Health Counseling Location: COE: Educational Psychology Regular/Temporary: Regular Job ID: 606773 Full/Part Time: Full-Time Workplace Culture NAU aims to be the nation's preeminent engine of opportunity, vehicle of economic mobility, and driver of social impact ... More
Commitment to MissionThis job carries with it the obligation to uphold the Mission of Lone Star College (LSC) in carrying out the duties of the position. A commitment to positive interpersonal behaviors, professional communication, diversity, integrity, leadership, stewardship, respect and accountability to LSC students and employees is essential. Cultural Beliefs One LSC Student Focused Own It Advance Equity ... More
Description Are you interested in becoming a STARS Scholar? TheU.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Environmental Management (EM)Success Through Academic and Research Scholarship (STARS) program provides opportunities for undergraduate students from Minority Serving Institutionspursuing degrees in ... More
The University at Albany, State University of New York
Albany, New York
12/01/2023
Location: Albany, NY Category: Faculty Posted On: Fri Sep 22 2023 Job Description: The School of Education at the University at Albany, State University of New York, invites applications for a tenure track, assistant rank faculty member in Educational Psychology/Human Development in the Department of Educational and Counseling Psychology, Division of Educational Psychology and Methodology. The successful applicant will have an active and rigorous research ... More
The University at Albany, State University of New York
Albany, New York
12/01/2023
Location: Albany, NY Category: Faculty Posted On: Mon Jul 10 2023 Job Description: The University at Albany, State University of New York, seeks an Assistant or Associate Professor in Counseling Psychology with a focus on minority health disparities across areas of mental health and related domains. This position will be housed in our Department of Educational and Counseling Psychology, Division of Counseling Psychology, with teaching responsibilities ... More
Singapore American School Job Description MIDDLE SCHOOL SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST Our vision at SAS explains why we exist. We aspire to be a world leader in education, cultivating exceptional thinkers prepared for the future. We are committed to our mission that has been at the heart of our 65-year history: to provide each student an exemplary American ... More
Position Function: The Educational Psychology Program at Mississippi State University seeks applicants to join our full-time faculty for two vacant non-tenure-track assistant teaching professor positions, beginning fall 2024. The assistant teaching professors will play a vital role in delivering high-quality teaching services to both our face-to-face (f2f) and online students. Salary Grade : UC For salary grade UC, these positions ... More