Educational Psychology Jobs & Career Guide 2024

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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 Psychology Jobs & Career Guide 2024 Listings

PositionCompanyLocationPosted
School PsychologistPinellas County Schools Largo, Florida US03/27/2024
Pinellas County Schools is currently hiring school psychologists for the 2024-2025 school year. Open positions are full-time 10-month (198 days) and 7.5 hours per day. Salary supplements are available for the highest degree earned and for the level of certification including a supplement specifically for your NCSP. A half-hour daily additional duty pay option (8-hour work day) is available to all psychologists. Extended contracts (11.5 month 235 days) … More
Assistant Teaching ProfessorMississippi State University Starkville, Mississippi US03/26/2024
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
PsychometricianARELLO | Assoc of Real Estate License Law Officials Remote US03/25/2024
Introduction The Association of Real Estate License Law Officials (ARELLO) is inviting proposals for the role of Measurement Consultant/Psychometrician. This critical role involves serving as a voting member of ARELLOs Examination Accreditation Committee, with responsibilities centered on maintaining accreditation standards, evaluating examination programs, and providing psychometric expertise. We seek a highly qualified individual who … More
Dental Assisting Instructor Part-time Temporary PoolCollege of Marin Kentfield, California US03/25/2024
Dental Assisting Instructor Part-time Temporary PoolSalary: See Position DescriptionClosing Date: Job Type: Part-time Temporary PoolLocation: Indian Valley Campus (Novato) – In Person, CADescription The College of Marin’s Dental Assisting Program prepares students for work as a Certified and Registered Dental Assistant. Completion of the courses and the clinical training qualifies … More
School PsychologistSouthern Oregon Education Service District Medford, Oregon US03/25/2024
Southern Oregon Education Service Districts psychological services department is looking to expand and find additional colleagues who want to work with a supportive team in the Rogue Valley, voted one of the best places to live in America. Our team is supervised by a school psychologist administrator who supports NASPs Model for Comprehensive and Integrated School Psychological services. Great Advocacy, Great People, Great Place to live. 190-day (academic year) contract. Full benefit … More
Clinical Assistant/Associate Professor (Behavioral Scientist)University of Illinois Chicago College of Dentistry Chicago, Illinois US03/24/2024
Clinical Assistant/Associate Professor (Behavioral Scientist) Department of Oral Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences College of Dentistry University … More
Adjunct Faculty, Associate of Arts in TeachingLone Star College Texas US03/23/2024
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, integrity, leadership, stewardship, respect and accountability to LSC students and employees is essential. Cultural Beliefs One LSC Student Focused Own It Advance Equity … More
Postdoctoral Research FellowIndiana University Indiana US03/23/2024
Position SummaryPostdoctoral Research Fellow – Sexual Violence ResearchThe Kinsey Institute at Indiana University, Bloomington, is seeking to hire a Postdoctoral Research Fellow. Founded in 1947, the Kinsey Institute is the world’s premier sexological research institute, dedicated to promoting and fostering greater understanding of human sexuality and relationships through groundbreaking research, outreach, education, … More
Position
School Psychologist
Pinellas County Schools is currently hiring school psychologists for the 2024-2025 school year. Open positions are full-time 10-month (198 days) and 7.5 hours per day. Salary supplements are available for the highest degree earned and for the level of certification including a supplement specifically for your NCSP. A half-hour daily additional duty pay option (8-hour work day) is available to all psychologists. Extended contracts (11.5 month 235 days) … More
Company
Pinellas County Schools
Location
Largo, Florida US
Posted
03/27/2024
Position
Assistant Teaching Professor
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
Company
Mississippi State University
Location
Starkville, Mississippi US
Posted
03/26/2024
Position
Psychometrician
Introduction The Association of Real Estate License Law Officials (ARELLO) is inviting proposals for the role of Measurement Consultant/Psychometrician. This critical role involves serving as a voting member of ARELLOs Examination Accreditation Committee, with responsibilities centered on maintaining accreditation standards, evaluating examination programs, and providing psychometric expertise. We seek a highly qualified individual who … More
Company
ARELLO | Assoc of Real Estate License Law Officials
Location
Remote US
Posted
03/25/2024
Position
Dental Assisting Instructor Part-time Temporary Pool
Dental Assisting Instructor Part-time Temporary PoolSalary: See Position DescriptionClosing Date: Job Type: Part-time Temporary PoolLocation: Indian Valley Campus (Novato) – In Person, CADescription The College of Marin’s Dental Assisting Program prepares students for work as a Certified and Registered Dental Assistant. Completion of the courses and the clinical training qualifies … More
Company
College of Marin
Location
Kentfield, California US
Posted
03/25/2024
Position
School Psychologist
Southern Oregon Education Service Districts psychological services department is looking to expand and find additional colleagues who want to work with a supportive team in the Rogue Valley, voted one of the best places to live in America. Our team is supervised by a school psychologist administrator who supports NASPs Model for Comprehensive and Integrated School Psychological services. Great Advocacy, Great People, Great Place to live. 190-day (academic year) contract. Full benefit … More
Company
Southern Oregon Education Service District
Location
Medford, Oregon US
Posted
03/25/2024
Position
Clinical Assistant/Associate Professor (Behavioral Scientist)
Clinical Assistant/Associate Professor (Behavioral Scientist) Department of Oral Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences College of Dentistry University … More
Company
University of Illinois Chicago College of Dentistry
Location
Chicago, Illinois US
Posted
03/24/2024
Position
Adjunct Faculty, Associate of Arts in Teaching
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, integrity, leadership, stewardship, respect and accountability to LSC students and employees is essential. Cultural Beliefs One LSC Student Focused Own It Advance Equity … More
Company
Lone Star College
Location
Texas US
Posted
03/23/2024
Position
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Position SummaryPostdoctoral Research Fellow – Sexual Violence ResearchThe Kinsey Institute at Indiana University, Bloomington, is seeking to hire a Postdoctoral Research Fellow. Founded in 1947, the Kinsey Institute is the world’s premier sexological research institute, dedicated to promoting and fostering greater understanding of human sexuality and relationships through groundbreaking research, outreach, education, … More
Company
Indiana University
Location
Indiana US
Posted
03/23/2024