possible career change

[beachbum2000]

Hi everyone! Great forum here and thanks for any advice in advance. My situation is that I have been working in the finance/accounting field for 5 years (I'm still relatively young mid twenties). I make a decent living at around 70-80k and have much room for growth down the road with certifications, promotions etc.

My job now is in a cube with limited interaction with people and could get VERY boring working with numbers and sometimes I feel like I am not fully in love with my work. I feel like It would be a very rewarding career to help people and work in a field that really fascinates me.

I have a great interest in psychology and think I would really enjoy working as a school psychologist. How are the salaries for this type of job and would I be able to apply to a school with an undergad degree in business? And in the future would earning a Phd (more research based if I am correct?) or Psy d add to earning potential? I love to learn but not sure if I want a career in research. So would a masters be sufficient if I wanted to be a school psychologist? Maybe a side practice also but obviously this is way ahead of myself...

Also what is the earning potential for school psych. and do they usually get pensions as well ?

Thanks again!

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[LivingOffLoans]

My job now is in a cube with limited interaction with people and could get VERY boring working with numbers and sometimes I feel like I am not fully in love with my work. I feel like It would be a very rewarding career to help people and work in a field that really fascinates me.

I have a great interest in psychology and think I would really enjoy working as a school psychologist. How are the salaries for this type of job and would I be able to apply to a school with an undergad degree in business? And in the future would earning a Phd (more research based if I am correct?) or Psy d add to earning potential? I love to learn but not sure if I want a career in research. So would a masters be sufficient if I wanted to be a school psychologist? Maybe a side practice also but obviously this is way ahead of myself...

Also what is the earning potential for school psych. and do they usually get pensions as well ?

Thanks again!

Welcome to the forum. I'll try to answer your questions.

First, let me say that I am impressed with how well you are doing for yourself for your age. It sounds like the isolation of your career is part of what's getting to you. Although I've never held your position, I want to warn you that being a therapist can be incredibly isolating. Compared to what you are earning now, I estimate you would not earn beyond that (at least not for a number of years, and depending what agency or institution you work for). I do think that if the field fascinates you, it may be worth pursuing though. Think about it...even if the pay was not greater and you were still isolated, would you be happier in this line of work?

You could apply to doc programs with an undergrad degree in business, though you will want to check on which psychology courses are required by the doc program for admission. You may have to take some courses for a couple of semesters to meet the requirements before going into grad school, though sometimes if you apply to a free-standing institution (a 'professional' school) you can take these courses online through them. I would absolutely consider a PhD or PsyD if you want to be a school psychologist.

Really, it comes down to your happiness. If you are willing to have more or less similar working conditions and pay to your current job (e.g. isolation), willing to take a pay cut for a number of years while in grad school, all while putting yourself into debt, all in order to fulfill the vision you have of sitting with people and working to help them, then I would absolutely consider it.

 

[paramour]

Keeping in mind that most "school psychologist" positions are held by MAs and a PhD in school psych is usually pursued by individuals interested in the research aspect rather than practical application.

Take a look at school psych positions available in your area for an idea of potential earnings. On the clinical side of things, there are typically lots of positions that lump everyone together (i.e., MA and PhD/PsyD) and there isn't a difference in income if you have the higher-level degree. I've heard the same from some of my school psych friends but this may or may not hold true for all areas/sites.

I can tell you that working in various clinical positions over the years, I also sit in cubicle and stare at my desk most of the day when I'm not in with clients. There's been very little interaction with staff other than infrequent meetings/staffings.

I can certainly empathize with your quandary, as I left a very well-paying, soul-sucking health insurance gig many moons ago to return to school. The position was very much what you are describing and part of the reason why I changed paths. My PhD program and I are parting ways this semester, and I'm still up in the air whether or not it was worth it... It was oooh, soul-sucking in completely other ways.

Unless you know that you're dedicated to it and this is what you want, I personally would analyze your reasons long & hard before making such a commitment. Determine whether there's anything else you can do in your current position or within your current field that will increase your job satisfaction. If you don't believe so and you are intent on pursuing psych, you should focus on whether you *need* the PhD or whether you can do what you want with a MA (which is often the case). There's also the possibility, with some programs, to enroll in the MA and then if you decide later to continue with the PhD (if the program also offers it) to transition into it once you've figured it out for certain. You really don't want to spend a good chunk of your latter years for "extra" education, only to regret it and then ponder WTF you've been doing for the last decade+. But I may just be having another existential crisis!

 

[mcvcm92]

1. How are the salaries for this type of job? The salaries vary depending on where you work. Some school psychologists are on their own pay grade within the school system while others are paid basically the same as advanced-degree teachers. In terms of numbers, I would estimate that an entry level school psychologist with a specialist degree would make about 60K with a couple thousand dollar pay raise each year. But, again that depends on area.

2. Would I be able to apply to these programs with a business undergrad? Yes, but some have prerequisite courses that need to be taken before enrollment like developmental psychology or education. It depends on the program, but you don't need to be a psych major to be eligible.

3. Would earning potential be substantially higher for doctorate vs. masters? If you plan on solely working in the schools, it's financially smarter to get a masters / specialist degree. But if you want the flexibility of potentially doing private practice or some other side work, you should get a doctorate. Doctoral school psychologists that work solely in the schools make a bit more than specialist level school psychologists, but it's not that much different... maybe 5K difference or so?

4. Do school psychs get pensions? Yes, they get the same benefits as teachers, administrators, aides etc.

Hope this helps! You can PM me if you have more questions about school psychology.