by our College Data Analytics TeamIndustrial & Organizational Psychology was the 265th most popular major in the 2020-2021 school year. Colleges in the United States reported awarding 2,386 degrees in this year alone. This is a difference of 187 over the prior year, a growth of 7.8%.
Our 2023 Best Industrial & Organizational Psychology Schools ranking analyzes 90 of these schools to determine the best overall colleges for industrial and organizational psychology students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of industrial and organizational psychology programs later in this article.
One of the most important skills you will need for a career in industrial and organizational psychology is understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents. Required skills include talking to others to convey information effectively and giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
New students will need to have completed high school or a GED program and each school will have their own minimum GPA and SAT/ACT test requirements. Once you obtain your degree, additional industrial and organizational psychology certifications required to pursue a career in this field.
There are various different levels of industrial and organizational psychology degrees. You can spend many years getting as high as a in industrial and organizational psychology to something that takes less time like a . How long it takes to complete some common industrial and organizational psychology degree levels is shown below.
| Degree | Credit Requirements | Typical Program Length |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 60-70 credits | 2 years |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 120 credits | 4 years |
| Master’s Degree | 50-70 credits | 1-3 years |
| Doctorate | Program required coursework including thesis or dissertation | At least 4 years |
A bachelor's degree is the most common level of education achieved by those in careers related to industrial and organizational psychology, with approximately 42.5% of workers getting one. See the the most common levels of education for industrial and organizational psychology workers below.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 41.3% |
| Master’s Degree | 26.2% |
| Doctoral Degree | 15.8% |
| Post-Doctoral Training | 6.2% |
| Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) | 3.7% |
Most workers in industrial and organizational psychology have at least a bachelor's degree. The chart below shows what degree level those who work in industrial and organizational psychology have obtained.
The education level required is different depending on the industrial and organizational psychology career you are seeking.
Want a job when you graduate with your industrial and organizational psychology degree? Industrial & Organizational Psychology careers are expected to grow 8.3% between 2016 and 2026.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to industrial and organizational psychology.
| Occupation Name | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Managers | 1,071,700 | 8.0% |
| Psychology Professors | 54,000 | 15.1% |
| Industrial-Organizational Psychologists | 1,800 | 5.9% |
As you might expect, salaries for industrial and organizational psychology graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.
Salaries for industrial and organizational psychology graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top highest paying careers industrial and organizational psychology grads often go into.
| Occupation Name | Median Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Managers | $115,590 |
| Industrial-Organizational Psychologists | $109,030 |
| Psychology Professors | $88,490 |
With over 192 different industrial and organizational psychology degree programs to choose from, finding the best fit for you can be a challenge. Fortunately you have come to the right place. We have analyzed all of these schools to come up with hundreds of unbiased industrial and organizational psychology school rankings to help you with this.
Industrial & Organizational Psychology is one of 16 different types of Clinical, Counseling & Applied Psychology programs to choose from.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Counseling Psychology | 9,463 |
| Applied Behavior Analysis | 5,497 |
| Clinical Psychology | 5,125 |
| School Psychology | 3,230 |
| Forensic Psychology | 2,290 |
View All Industrial and Organizational Psychology Related Majors >
