Important Facts
College Vidya Team Dec 11, 2023 1.6K Reads
Psychology is a field that has emerged as one of the frontrunning disciplines that have emerged in India in the recent years. This marked growth is a result of normalisation and mainstreaming the importance of the human psychological processes in all avenues of life and has consequently bred grounds for a number of new jobs and professional domains. Reality | MA In Psychology Online?
If you are a student pursuing an educational course in the field of psychology or an aspirant looking for a successful career option in this field, then continue reading this blog to start exploring the most well-paid and valued careers in psychology in India.
Psychology is a discipline that pertains to the scientific study of the mind, behaviour and social processes. Psychology as a field has prospered in recent years in India although its development can be traced back to the 1920s in India.
Psychology has become quite a popular choice of education and career among students in India. Students from a variety of past educational backgrounds are now seeking to develop successful careers in India in various domains including those like child psychology, marketing research, academia and research, psychotherapy, organisational behaviour, defence psychology and so on.
There are diverse job domains available in the field of psychology and hence it can be quite a lucrative domain to develop a career in, especially considering the long-term development and imminent boom expected in the field. Here we have delved on a few of the top benefits of pursuing a career in psychology in India.
While it is a very common misconception that disciplines in the social sciences and humanities have limited and specific career options, this is far from the truth about the modern career landscape in India. In the field of psychology, there are a number of diverse career options and practices, ranging from research and development, product research, therapy practice, academia to corporate jobs related to organisational development, HR and training and so on. Hence, an aspirant of psychology can benefit a lot from the diversity of career choices they have at their disposal if they venture into this field.
One of the striking aspects of psychology is its demand and importance in virtually all industries in the professional realm. While many disciplinary studies entail jobs in specific industries, education in psychology entails not only a diversity of jobs, but the practice of those jobs cutting across industries. This means that a psychologist, whether a therapist, a counselor or an organisational psychologist, can gain experience in various industries as these job roles are required across professional sectors. Even government measures and rising importance being given to mental health services and psychological well-being of employees has opened up career options and job roles for psychology professionals in various organisations.
The field of psychology, although starting off with a moderate potential for compensation, is ripe with opportunities to explore that can provide highly lucrative packages and salaries. With a few years of experience, professionals can escalate on their career ladder and secure jobs with appealing pay. The earning potential in psychology in India and abroad is one of the main reasons that students are widely attracted to the field.
Psychology has flourished as an academic discipline as well as a professional domain over the past few decades in India and promises a bright future ahead as well. The cognizance of the impact of mental health on human performance, well-being and growth has majorly impacted its mainstreaming into the highly valued professional fields in India. Studying psychology and developing a career in it can be highly rewarding, more so in the future than in the present, as psychology’s growth potential opens up the door for newer and innovative psychologist job roles to open up in the industrial domains.
Establishing a career in psychology can be fruitful and most meaningful to individuals who desire social interaction with others. Most careers in psychology require professionals to actively reach out to and interact with others, and thus, can be highly fulfilling and meaningful to individuals with a knack and ambition to develop a social network, both in professional and personal domains. Moreover, this field is very beneficial for networking, especially to those who can comfortably interact with others to grow their circle.
Our professional space is the environment wherein we spend more than 3/4th of our waking hours in. In such a case, working in a domain that is personally meaningful to us is of utmost importance. Many students and aspirants are drawn to a career in psychology since it provides an opportunity to them to have meaningful experiences of reaching out to those in need and helping them navigate through their crises. In addition to the services offered by psychologists in case of crises, there is also a scope of active build up upon existing skills and potentials of humans, both of which mean psychologists make meaningful contributions to the life of others. Thus, a career in psychology can surely be appealing to those individuals who strive to make a difference in society by helping others.
Another major aspect that a career in psychology helps a person out with is honing their interpersonal skills. As already discussed, working in this field requires substantial interaction and reaching out to others, and this can provide an opportunity to a professional to develop their interpersonal skills manifold. Interpersonal skills are one of the most valued competencies in the current professional landscape and can be advantageous in career development in subsequent years.
Lastly, one of the many benefits of a career in psychology is the impact it can create in the personal transformation of a professional. One of the biggest of these advantages is the ability to develop a holistic worldview and outlook. A number of careers in psychology require observing, understanding and addressing critical issues, problems, interpersonal differences etc., all of which can mould the worldview a professional has towards life in a much more holistic fashion.
Thus, as can be seen, there are a number of advantages of venturing into a career of psychology, some of which are appealing to all while some, to individuals with specific needs and ambitions. Further on, we have discussed the current top 10 careers in the field of psychology that are highly regarded within the discipline and can be rewarding for a professional in this field to take up.
When considering a career in psychology, there are a number of pertinent domains like counselling, psychotherapy and other mental health services, teaching and professorship, industrial and organisational services, forensic psychology etc. that one can consider. Even within this broad field, there are a number of careers and job roles which are highly demanded by professionals and freshers alike.
Here we have elaborated upon the top 10 most demanded and appealing career options to go for if you have an educational background in psychology.
Psychiatry is a field in psychology that brings together medicinal knowledge with psychological knowledge. Psychiatrists are doctors who specialise in the medical treatment of psychopathologies through a number of medicinal techniques and treatments. The field of psychiatry requires a minimum qualification of MBBS followed by specialised education in psychiatry, after which psychiatrists can practise in hospitals, healthcare centres, mental healthcare institutions, NGOs or even start their own clinic of psychiatry.
Via Payscale
Find key details related to the profession of psychiatry have been provided below.
Clinical psychologists are primary mental healthcare professionals who work with individuals going through psychopathologies or mental disorders by providing treatment through psychotherapies. As of current guidelines, to become a clinical psychologist in India, an individual needs to have a PG degree in psychology followed by an M.Phil degree and training from an RCI-licensed institution of India. Clinical psychologists also need to obtain a licence from the Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI) to practise professionally. Clinical psychology is one of the most prominent career fields in psychology as clinical psychologists can practise in public and private sector organisations, work for social organisations as well as practise in their own private chambers and clinics.
Via Payscale
Further details about the job domain of clinical psychology have been provided below.
Counselors are mental health professionals who work in diverse arenas ranging from school and educational settings, clinics, child therapy centres, social and non-profit organisations, hospitals to organisational settings. Counselors work with clients to help them navigate problems and issues faced in day-to-day life as well as provide counseling for specific areas of problems like interpersonal relationships, marriages, social adjustment, speech therapy etc. The career scope of counseling is vast, making it one of the most popular options of a career in psychology.
Via Payscale
Find more key details about the field of counselling given below.
Industrial-organisational psychologists can explore jobs in the organisational and industrial sectors as the name suggests. Hence, this field is suitable for those working professionals seeking a career in the corporate or organisational sector. I/O psychologists can choose to develop a career in various subfields in this domain such as training and development, research, consultancy firms, leadership development, strategic guidance etc. Since this field permits jobs in the corporate sector as well, it is a fairly compensated domain that allows for significant career growth opportunities. Professionals who complete a PG degree or diploma course with a specialisation in I/O psychology can take this course up.
Further details about I/O psychology as a career option have been given below for reference.
Academia and professorship is another popular career option in psychology. After completing further education in psychology, preferably at least till the doctoral level, professionals can seek jobs in the academic and research sector. To apply to professorship jobs in psychology in India, one needs to be UGC-NET qualified in addition to having at least a PG degree in psychology. Professorship and academia are a lucrative job sector in this field–they allow the professional to receive fair compensation as well as research and stay connected to the field itself.
Key details about the job domain of being a psychology professor are enlisted below.
Forensic psychology as a field is concerned with the application and use of psychological concepts and principles to understand and facilitate criminal investigations whether at the civil, criminal or family levels. Forensic psychology is a field with rising prominence in India and offers quite a bright and appealing career scope to students and professionals alike. The field is already decently compensated in current job sectors, but with the integration of technological advances and expected transformation of the field of forensics, forensic psychologists can expect a significant boost to their career in the imminent future. Forensic psychologists get to interact with suspects, study cases and convicts, conduct psychological tests and detailed examinations as well as provide guidance and support to crime departments about the way of progression with particular cases (as needed).
Via Payscale
More details about the job role of a forensic psychologist have been provided below.
Defence or military psychologists are professionals who serve in the armed forces at the level of support in practices like recruitment, training, orientation, job effectiveness analysis, performance analysis, stress management as well as peacemaking activities in some cases. Defence psychologists can thus perform various roles related to army personnel selection, their selection, psychological testing, strategic support, counseling and others. This field is decently compensated for freshers and professionals in the initial phases of career development. However, the scope of job escalation in this field is lucrative.
Find further key details about practising as a defence/military psychologist in India below.
Educational psychology is an up and coming field in the disciplines of both educational studies and psychology, and can be a meaningful career option for working professionals seeking to contribute to the field of education.Educational psychologists can work with schools, higher educational institutions, educational policy makers as well as educational centres for research and development to provide their valuable insights and consultancy in policy-framing, curriculum planning, student and parental counseling and more. The field is well-compensated for beginners and offers scope for career escalation in India and beyond.
Via Payscale
Further key details about the job role of an educational psychologist have been provided below.
Neuropsychologists are professionals who work specifically in areas concerning neurology, psychology and human cognition to explore and understand the relation of the human brain and behaviour. Neuropsychologist need a sound knowledge and understanding of medicine although the field is primarily related to the practice of psychology and is non-medical in nature. Neuropsychology is a well-paid job domain for professionals as they gain work experience, and can provide job opportunities in both private and public research centres, healthcare institutions or hospitals.
Via Payscale
More details about the job domain of neuropsychology have been provided below.
Child psychologists are mental health professionals like clinical psychologists or counselors who work with infants, toddlers and children to understand their experiences, behaviours, cognitive processes at the basic level and address and resolve the concerns faced by them at the applied level. Child psychology is a key field of psychology and can be taken up by professionals who have at least completed their education at the postgraduate level in psychology, with preferably a specialisation in child psychology, developmental psychology or counseling/clinical psychology. Child psychology majorly opens up job roles in the social work sector and public sectors, although professional opportunities in private and public educational centres can also be explored.
Find further important details about child psychology as a job domain listed below.
When considering a career in psychology, there are a number of domains that can allow you to explore diverse options. The career opportunities that you can venture into depend to a great extent on the subdomain of psychology that you have focused upon through your higher education. Considering the importance and stake of handling jobs in psychology that cater to direct human experiences, having a robust education and training before venturing into a career in this field is very essential.
Find the major domains of psychology that are not only well-regarded professionally but provide thorough foundations of education and training to you before you venture into the field for professional practice.
This is the branch of psychology that concerns itself with the study of psychopathologies and mental disorders as well as their treatment through psychotherapeutic interventions. In this branch of psychology, students learn about the various psychopathologies, their classification, their epidemiology, aetiology, incidence etc. so as to be able to observe cases and diagnose them. Further, students learn about the treatment and therapeutic practices to treat these various mental disorders as psychologists. Students specialising in this domain can work as clinical psychologists in organisations, public and private hospitals, private clinics etc.
Organisational psychology, or organisational-industrial psychology (I/O Psychology) is the subdomain in this discipline that opens up the career opportunities in the corporate world for you. Students of organisational psychology learn about the psychological aspects of various functions and social processes in the organisational context such as employee interactions, management of employees, leadership, personnel management, HRM, organisational development and management as well. OB students can explore careers in the corporate sector in various areas like marketing research, leadership development, training and quality assurance, HR roles, consultancy roles etc.
Social psychology is one of the most vast, appealing and fascinating sections in the study of psychology that studies the processes of social phenomenon at the individual, group or community-levels among humans. It is an arena of psychology with a humongous scope both academically and professionally. Professionals or aspirants seeking a career in social psychology can venture across industries as well as academic settings. Research and development is a pertinent area that social psychologists can consider exploring.
Are you someone who is interested in developing a career that can explore human processes across age groups? Then developmental psychology is the perfect specialisation area in this field for you. Developmental psychologists learn about the human psyche and development of humans as they progress through various age groups and developmental stages. Further, this discipline provides the opportunity to explore developmental processes across industries and institutions like schools, colleges, organisations, hospitals, old-age homes etc. Career scope in this field is not only vast but also quite diverse and lucrative.
Counseling psychology is a domain of psychology closely related to clinical psychology wherein the student learns to use various therapeutic techniques to enable individuals to navigate problems and concerns encountered in their daily lives. Unlike clinical psychology, counseling practice does not involve the diagnosis of psychopathologies and in most cases, counselors deal with clients facing problems and stressors in their everyday life rather than critical mental illnesses. As a result, counseling as a professional domain allows practice in a variety of settings beyond clinics, like schools, universities, organisations and MNCs, hospitals, NGOs and so on. The career options offered in this field are quite popular among psychologists.
Educational psychology is the specialisation domain in the field that is concerned with the psychological processes involved in education and educational settings. It can be quite an interesting and rewarding field to develop a career in for those interested in educational studies or academia, professorship or research in educational sectors. Educational psychologists can conduct research in educational settings, contribute to policy formation for the sector, provide consultancy and strategic guidance to educational institutions or work with social organisations to support the educational needs of the needy. Educational psychology is currently in its budding phases in India and shall completely flourish as a distinct professional field in the upcoming years, making it a lucrative domain to start a career in.
An off-stream and unconventional specialisation area, Indian Psychology (IP) is a domain that is concerned with psychological thought of Indian and eastern origin. This domain can be of interest to those psychologists and professionals interested in integrating the Indian psychological principles in their practice, whether in their clinical or counseling practice, organisational practices, their educational setting etc.
The field of psychology is ripe with a number of subdomains that offer a wide and diverse exposure to students and professionals in addition to offering an appealing scope of career development. A number of public sector jobs are also opening up for qualified professionals in the field of psychology with the field getting rising recognition.
Essentially concerned with the study of humans at individual, dyadic and group levels and facilitating the resolution of their problems and concerns, practising as a professional psychologist requires certain critical skills that the professionals must master to thrive in the career as well as protect the well-being of the client/personnel they are working with.
While certain key technical skills and hard skills are needed to efficiently develop a career in psychology, the majority of critical skills needed to prosper in this field are related to the effective practice of soft skills.
A few of the most essential skills and competencies needed to thrive in a career in psychology include:
With the skills mentioned above, one can quite successfully navigate their career journey in psychology and flourish a successful career for themselves.
In this table below, we have summarised the key features of some of the most prominent degrees and courses in psychology that one can consider pursuing for developing a career in psychology.
Course |
Duration |
Average Fee |
Course Level and Type |
Entrance Mandatory or Not |
Whether Available Online/ODL or Not |
B.A Hons Psychology |
3 Years |
INR 5000-INR 2,00,000 |
UG Degree |
Mandatory |
Yes |
B.Sc Hons Psychology |
3 Years |
INR 5000-INR 4,00,000 |
UG Degree |
Mandatory |
Yes |
M.A Psychology |
2 Years |
INR 10,000-INR 3,00,000 |
PG Degree |
Not Mandatory |
Yes |
M.Sc Psychology |
2 Years |
INR 2000-INR 4,00,000 |
PG Degree |
Not Mandatory |
– |
Ph.D in Psychology |
3 Years (Minimum) |
INR 1,00,000-INR 5,00,000 |
Doctoral Degree |
Mandatory |
No |
M.Phil in Psychology |
2 Years |
INR 1,00,000-INR 2,00,000 |
PG Research Degree |
Mandatory |
No |
As can be seen, there are a number of career pathways that one can explore if they are interested in going for jobs related to the domain of psychology. These fields are well-compensated and allow the candidate to escalate their career with experience.
A few of the best careers in psychology include those like becoming a psychiatrist, clinical psychologist, defence psychologist, I/O psychologist etc.
Careers which can be established quite quickly, i.e. after education at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels include I/O psychology, HRM related jobs, counseling job positions etc.
As of 2023, the minimum qualifications required to become a clinical psychologist in India are a PG degree course in psychology and an M.Phil in Clinical Psychology from an RCI-recognised institution.
Yes, industrial-organisational psychology and corporate psychology are prominent job sectors in India that can promise a number of lucrative psychology jobs to students and professionals. Jobs in sectors like HRM are also available to take up after completing education in psychology. Counselors can also seek jobs in organisations and corporate sectors.
A career in psychology can be worth it and quite rewarding to a professional interested in social sciences, academia and research, psychotherapy or counseling. The scope of corporate jobs is also sufficiently vast in psychology. The job roles are initially in a moderate salary range and can escalate manifolds with experience.
Available job options in the public sector for qualified psychologists and professionals include those in the defence sector, armed forces, professorship and academia, in government hospitals and healthcare centres, rehabilitation centres and so on. Clinical psychologists, counselors, trained mental health professionals, defence psychologists, child therapists, psychiatrists, researchers etc. can seek jobs in the government sector after completing formal education in psychology.
A few of the best colleges and universities for psychology in India include those like University of Delhi, Christ University, Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Dr. B. R. Ambedkar University Delhi, St. Xavier’s College, Fergusson College, Chandigarh University, Amity University etc.
Idea Alchemist / Concept Creator / Insight Generator
We are an online education platform where users can compare 100+ online universities on 30+ X-factors in just 2 minutes. With an active CV community, we have transformed online learning to quite an extent. With the CV Subsidy scheme, we contributing to GER in India while helping our learners with their finances in their “Chuno Apna Sahi” journey!
Our team of experts, or experienced individuals, will answer it within 24 hours.
Tired of dealing with call centers!
Get a professional advisor for Career!
LIFETIME FREE
Rs.1499(Exclusive offer for today)
Pooja
MBA 7 yrs exp
Sarthak
M.Com 4 yrs exp
Kapil Gupta
MCA 5 yrs exp
or