Which degree is the most practical for me?

[supaspiffy]

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Hi everybody, I'm looking to get a Masters in Psychology and I've been mulling over this forum for information. I still have some questions though. First, here's my profile.

It took me 5 years to get my Psych BA from UCI with a 2.55 gpa. Horrible I know, but I had different priorities and I never planned on going to grad school. I've jumped from one job to the next in the past two years since graduation and with a little soul searching, I decided I want a career in psychology. I'm planning to take Extension courses for the next couple of years to boost my last 60 sem units to meet those grad prereqs. Add the 2-3 years of Masters work, and I'm looking at 5 more years of schooling. I'll be 25 this year. I want to choose a degree that would give me a fair return in my investment. The most bang for the buck.

So I'm looking for two things. A degree that's reasonably in demand in CA that I can get a job right after school, and with decent pay (maybe 50+k). At this point, I know enough about the different occupations in psychology that I think I'd be happy with any of them. If I have to choose, I'm really interested in cognitive development, conducting trials and researching, so being a research lab manager or lab assistant would be great but I have the impression they don't make enough and I'm not sure about their job prospect. I'm also very interested in being a college counselor or advisor. I'm not too confident that these positions are readily available because I know schools tend to hire in-house plus school funding in CA is shot to hell. Counseling and therapy work at any level is fine with me as long as there's a stable job and I can live comfortably. The only thing I probably won't do is MSW because they tend to be the lowest paid and get the most burnout.

Thanks for the help guys.

 

[jdawgg]

First off, you aren't going to find a master's level position immediately after graduation making 50k. You will not be licensed for two years AFTER graduation, so expect to be paid less if you pursue this path.

It sounds like you're pretty unsure about what you actually want to do (pure research, academic advising, counseling). College advising (which you can do with a bachelor's) is much different than being a college counselor. Most (though not all) college therapists have PhDs. Have you considered going to a career counselor to get this sorted out?

Also... I don't understand where people get the idea that clinical MSWs are paid less or suffer more burnout than other master's level therapists. All master's level therapists (LPC, MFT, LCSW) are reimbursed at the same rate and often have the same types of clients.

 

[supaspiffy]

It sounds like you're pretty unsure about what you actually want to do (pure research, academic advising, counseling). College advising (which you can do with a bachelor's) is much different than being a college counselor. Most (though not all) college therapists have PhDs. Have you considered going to a career counselor to get this sorted out?

Your right college advising has nothing to do with what I can do with a MA in Psych. But I need help in choosing the most practical, versatile and lucrative degree with which I have the option of going to many possible careers afterward, considering I'm equally interested in any number of those venues. Reason I ask, I just don't want to be in a situation where I get an MFT degree, only to find out there's not that many opportunities for an LMFT whereas there's better opportunities for an LMHC instead. Just one example.

If you want me to break down my interest in psychology further... I'm fascinated by the human mind. I want to study and understand how it works. I want to explore how certain skills develops, how behavior is learned, and how emotions formed. I also want to understand what happens when something goes wrong and how to fix that.

 

[supaspiffy]

First off, you aren't going to find a master's level position immediately after graduation making 50k. You will not be licensed for two years AFTER graduation, so expect to be paid less if you pursue this path.

Will I not be making any money in the 2 years before being licensed?

 

[jnine]

I'll reiterate what was said before- you need to figure out exactly what you want to do. The interests you've mentioned encompass different career paths. Students who want options to become both a scientist and therapist typically go for doctoral training. But as I'm sure you know, your UG GPA would be an obstacle. I think you need to spend time studying the various options and reflecting on what you think about each.

Your focus on earning a decent living is understandable and wise, but if a good living is primary and psychology is secondary, you might want to really consider if this field is for you. I'm not saying that to discourage rather than let you know that word on the street is that the job outlook for psychologists (of all levels) in CA isn't so hot.

If you would be happy conducting child assessments and consulting with teachers you might consider a career in school psychology. The starting pay is good (50-70k+, I think), but CA schools are hurting so the availability of jobs is a question mark.

Your right college advising has nothing to do with what I can do with a MA in Psych. But I need help in choosing the most practical, versatile and lucrative degree with which I have the option of going to many possible careers afterward, considering I'm equally interested in any number of those venues. Reason I ask, I just don't want to be in a situation where I get an MFT degree, only to find out there's not that many opportunities for an LMFT whereas there's better opportunities for an LMHC instead. Just one example.

If you want me to break down my interest in psychology further... I'm fascinated by the human mind. I want to study and understand how it works. I want to explore how certain skills develops, how behavior is learned, and how emotions formed. I also want to understand what happens when something goes wrong and how to fix that.