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New York Health Careers

Psychologists

What Do Psychologists Do?

Psychologists study behavior, mental processes and emotions by observing, interpreting, and recording how people relate to one another and the environment. Psychologists concentrate on people’s behavior and, specifically, in the beliefs and feelings that influence a person’s actions.

Psychologists involved with research tend to look for broad patterns to help them understand and predict behavior using scientific methods, principles, or procedures that test their ideas. The results of research can be used to assess, diagnose, and treat mental illnesses in patients of all ages, using a variety of treatment methods. For example, therapy may be directed at individuals, couples, families or other groups. To help treat patients, psychologists may also collaborate with physicians and/or psychiatrists, who are able to prescribe medications. In some therapy and consulting contexts, psychologists may work with couples and families to help them improve their relationships, or with business people to help them improve communication skills and increase productivity. They may also work with athletes and performers to help them reduce stress and improve performance. Psychologists also work as teachers, trainers and mentors of college students and future psychologists.

Psychologists may specialize in a variety of areas:

Clinical psychologists assess, treat, and prevent mental illnesses. Some specialize in treating chronic or severe psychological disorders, such as schizophrenia and depression, while others help people deal with short-term personal issues, such as a divorce or the death of a loved one. Clinical psychologists often provide psychotherapy to create an opportunity for patients to talk and think about things that are confusing or worrying and offer patients different ways of interpreting and understanding problems and situations.

Neuropsychologists study the relationship between the brain and behavior, and typically work with patients who have sustained a brain injury or patients in stroke and head injury programs. Others may work as researchers and teachers.

Industrial-organizational psychologists study human behavior in the workplace and within organizations in the interest of improving the quality of work life and of the company itself. These psychologists are also involved in research about management and marketing.

Developmental psychologists study the physiological, cognitive, and social development that takes place throughout a person’s life. Some developmental psychologists specialize in behavior during infancy, childhood, and adolescence, or in changes that occur during maturity or old age.

Forensic psychologists apply psychological principles in the legal and criminal justice systems to help judges, attorneys, and other legal professionals understand the psychological findings of a particular case. Forensic psychologists are often designated as an expert witness and typically specialize in either family court, civil court, or criminal court. They may have earned a law degree in their training.

Social psychologists study how people relate to and influence the beliefs and behaviors of others. They explore how people’s mindsets and behavior are shaped by social interactions, and may investigate ways to improve negative interactions between individuals and groups. They less often work in consulting and therapy contexts.

Experimental psychologists study the behavior of human beings and animals, such as rats, monkeys, and pigeons, often at university and private research centers and in business, nonprofit, and governmental organizations. Experimental psychologists work to better understand thought functions such as motivation, attention, learning and memory, sensory and perceptual processes, effects of substance abuse, and genetic and neurological factors affecting behavior. Many of the topics they study are focused on mental processes, in an area of psychology known as cognitive psychology.

School and educational psychologists apply psychological principles and techniques to education-related issues. They may examine students’ learning and behavioral problems, evaluate students’ performance, and counsel students and families. They also may consult with other school-based professionals to suggest improvements to teaching, learning, and administrative strategies.

For more information about psychologists, go to:http://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/psychologists.htm. Emphasis here is placed on psychologists practicing in health care contexts, namely clinical, school, and counseling psychologists.

Where Do Psychologists Work?

Psychologists’ work environments vary greatly by specialty and place of employment. Many clinical and counseling psychologists have a private practices, where they have their own office and set their own hours. Others work in hospitals, nursing homes or other health care settings, which could include evening and weekend shifts. Some school psychologists have private practices too, although many work in educational settings such as schools and include regular daytime hours.

Most psychologists in government and industry have structured schedules. Psychologists employed as faculty by colleges and universities typically divide their time between teaching and research and may also have administrative responsibilities. Success in these contexts often requires many work hours. Some also have part-time consulting practices. Others may exclusively teach college courses.

How Much Do Psychologists Earn?

In 2022, the average annual income reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) for clinical and counseling psychologists in the United States was $102,470. The New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL) reports that, in 2023, clinical and counseling in New York earned a median annual salary of $108,183 (clinical and counseling psychologists in the 25th percentile made approximately $68,069 while those in the 75th percentile made approximately $166,156).

Supply and Demand

The New York State Department of Labor projects that the number of jobs for clinical, counseling, and school psychologists in the state will increase by 14% between 2020 and 2030.

Employment for psychologists is projected to grow because of increased demand for their services in schools, hospitals, social service agencies, VA hospitals, mental health centers, substance abuse treatment clinics, consulting firms, and private companies.

Also spurring demand for psychologists will be the rising health care costs associated with unhealthy lifestyles, such as smoking, alcoholism, and obesity, which have made prevention and treatment more critical. The growing number of elderly in the U.S. will also increase the demand for psychologists who can help people deal with the mental and physical changes that occur as individuals grow older. There also will be increased need for psychologists to work with veterans.

Job opportunities will be the best for psychologists with a doctoral degree in an applied specialty, such as neuropsychology, school psychology, or clinical psychology. Those psychologists with master’s degrees will also have good prospects as industrial-organizational psychologists.

For more information on employment projections of clinical, school, and counseling psychologists by New York labor regions, 2018-2028, click here.

Educational Requirements

A master’s or doctorate degree, and a license, are required for most psychologists. In New York, psychologists earn a doctorate degree in psychology from a program registered or accepted as equivalent by the New York State Education Department. Psychologists with doctorate degrees with the letters Ph.D., Psy.D. and Ed.D. have all met the same educational requirements. In addition, New York psychologists complete two years of supervised experience, including one year after the doctorate degree. They must also pass a national licensing exam.

Acceptance to graduate psychology programs is highly competitive. A doctorate degree (Ph.D.) generally requires about five years of full-time graduate study, culminating in a dissertation based on original research. A Doctor of Psychology degree (Psy.D.) is often based on practical work and examinations in lieu of a dissertation.

New York Licensure Requirements

In most states, practicing psychology or using the title of “psychologist” requires licensure or certification. This is also the case in New York, where licensure is necessary unless one works in an “exempt setting”. Exempt settings include chartered schools, settings operated by the government, and most colleges and universities; these tend to include those psychologists who focus on research and do not provide health care services to patients or clients. Psychotherapists are not necessarily licensed as psychologists in New York.

To be licensed as a psychologist in New York, an individual must have earn a doctorate degree in psychology from a program approved by the New York State Education Department, complete two years of supervised experience, including one year after the doctorate degree, and pass a national licensing test. This nationally recognized test is the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP), developed by the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB).

For more information on New York State licensure requirements, go to: https://www.op.nysed.gov/professions/psychology/license-requirements.

For more information on the national licensing test for psychologists, go to: http://www.asppb.net/

Financial Support

Psychology students should check first with their college or university financial aid office to learn what scholarships, loans, and funding opportunities might be available.

Psi Chi, the international honor society in psychology, offers updates on awards, grants, and scholarships available for psychology students. Check the Psi Chi Web site for information: http://www.psichi.org/Awards/

The American Psychological Association (APA) also has information about various types of awards and funding opportunities for psychology students on their Web site: http://www.apa.org/education/grad/funding.aspx.

Education Programs in New York (subject to change)

 

Adelphi University
One South Ave
Garden City, NY 11530
(800) 233-5744
Alfred University
1 Saxon Drive
Alfred, NY 14802
(607) 871-2111
College at Brockport
350 New Campus Dr
Brockport, NY 14420
(585) 395-2211
SUNY Cortland
21 Graham Ave
Cortland, NY 13045
(607) 753-2011
Barnard College
3009 Broadway
New York, NY 10027
(212) 854-2069
Canisius College
2001 Main Street
Buffalo, NY 14208
(716) 883-7000
Cazenovia College
22 Sullivan St
Cazenovia, NY 13035
(800) 654-3210 
Clarkson University 
8 Clarkson Ave
Potsdam, NY 13699
(315) 268-6400
Mercy College
Dobbs Ferry Campus
555 Broadway
Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522also, Manhattan, Bronx, and Yorktown Heights campuses
(877) 637-2947
Fordham University
Rose Hill Campus
226 Dealy Hall
Bronx, NY  10458
(718) 817-3775Lincoln Center Campus
33 W 60th St
New York, NY 10023
College of Saint Rose
432 Western Ave
Albany, NY 12203
(800) 637-8556
University of Rochester
252 Elmwood Ave
Rochester, NY 14627
(585) 275-2121
Cornell University
144 East Ave
Ithaca, NY 14853
(607) 255-4833
Baruch College- CUNY
Weissman School of Arts & Science
One Bernard Baruch Way
(55 Lexington at 24th St)
New York, NY 10010
(646) 312-1000
City College of New York-CUNY
160 Convent Ave
New York, NY 10031
(212) 650-7000
 
Columbia University
Teachers College
525 West 120th Street
New York, NY 10027
(212) 678-3000
The Graduate Center-CUNY
365 Fifth Ave
New York, NY 10016
(212) 817-7000
Brooklyn College-CUNY
2900 Bedford Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11210
(718) 951-5000
Utica College
1600 Burrstone Road
Utica, NY 13502
(315) 792-3006
Daeman College
4380 Main St
Amherst, NY 14226
(800) 462-7652
Dominican College
470 Western Highway
Orangeburg, NY 10962
(845) 359-7800
University at Albany -SUNY
1400 Washington Avenue
Albany, NY 12222
(518) 442-3300
Excelsior College
(online)
7 Columbia Circle
Albany, NY 12203
(888) 647-2388
Stony Brook University SUNY
100 Nicolls Road
Stony Brook, NY 11794
(631) 632-6000
Colgate University
13 Oak Drive
Hamilton, NY 13346
(315) 228-7000
College of Mount Saint Vincent
6301 Riverdale Ave
Riverdale, NY 10471
(718) 405-3200
Fredonia College – SUNY
280 Central Ave
Fredonia, NY 14063
(716) 673-3111
Geneseo – SUNY
1 College Circle
Geneseo, NY 14454
(585) 245-5000
Hamilton College
198 College Hill Rd
Clinton, NY  13323
(315) 859-4011
Hartwick College
Hartwick Dr
Oneonta, NY  13820
(607) 431-4150
Hilbert College
5200 South Park Ave
Hamburg, NY 14075
(716) 649-7900
Binghamton University SUNY
4400 Vestal Parkway East
Binghamton, NY 13902
(607) 777-2370
Houghton College
1 Willard Ave
Houghton, NY 14744
(585) 567-9200
Hofstra University
200 Hauser Hall
Hempstead, NY 11550
(516) 463-5624 or (516) 463-5662
Hunter College-CUNY
695 Park Ave
New York, NY 10065
(212) 772-4000
Iona College
715 North Ave
New Rochelle, NY 10801
(800) 231-4662
Ithaca College  
953 Danby Road
Ithaca, NY  14850
(607) 274-3011
Keuka College
141 Central Ave
Keuka Park, NY 14478
(315) 279-5000
Le Moyne College 
1419 Salt Springs Road
Syracuse, NY 13214
(315) 445-4100
Long Island University
Brooklyn Campus

1 University Plaza
Brooklyn, New York 11201
(718) 488-1068
Lehman College – CUNY
250 Bedford Park Blvd W
Bronx, NY 10468
(718) 960-8000
CUNY School of Professional Studies
(online)
119 W 31st St
New York, NY 10001
(212) 652-2869
Long Island University
C.W. Post Campus

720 Northern Boulevard
Brookville, NY 11548
(516) 299-2377
The New School for Social Research
80 Fifth Ave.,7th Floor
New York, NY 10011
(212) 229-5727
Manhattan College
4513 Manhattan College Pkwy
Riverdale, NY  10471
(718) 862-8000
University at Buffalo SUNY
12 Capen Hall
Buffalo, NY 14260
(716) 645-2000
Maria College
700 New Scotland Ave
Albany, NY 12208
(518) 438-3111
Marist College
3399 North Road
Poughkeepsie, NY  12601
(845) 573-3000
Marymount Manhattan College
221 E 71st St
New York, NY 10021
(212) 517-0400
Medaille College
18 Agassiz Circle
Buffalo, NY 14214
(716) 880-2000
Vassar College
124 Raymond Ave
Poughkeepsie, NY 12604
(845) 437-7000
Villa Maria College
240 Pine Ridge Road
Buffalo, NY 14225
(716) 961-1805
Mount Saint Mary College
330 Powell Ave
Newburgh, NY 12550
(845) 561-0800
Nazareth College
4245 East Avenue
Rochester, NY 14618
(585) 389-2525
Niagara University
5795 Lewiston Rd
Niagara University, NY 14109
(800) 778-3450
NY Institute of Technology
1855 Broadway (at 61st St)
New York, NY 10023
(212) 261-1500
and
Northern Blvd
Old Westbury, NY 11568
(516) 686-1000
SUNY New Paltz
1 Hawk Dr
New Paltz, NY 12561
(845) 257-7869
Nyack College
1 South Blvd
Nyack, NY 10960
(845) 358-1710
SUNY Old Westbury
223 Store Hill Rd
Old Westbury, NY 11568
(516) 876-3000
SUNY Oneonta
108 Ravine Parkway
Oneonta, NY 13820
(607) 436-3500
SUNY Oswego
7060 State Route 104
Oswego, NY 13126
(315) 312-2500
Paul Smith’s College
7833 New York 30
Paul Smiths, NY 12970
(888) 873-6570
New York University
6 Washington Place
New York, NY 10003
(212) 998-7900
Pace University
New York City Campus
41 Park Row, 13th Floor
New York, NY 10038
(212) 346-1506
and
861 Bedford Rd
Pleasantville, NY 10570
(866) 722-3338
SUNY Plattsburgh
101 Broad St
Plattsburgh, NY 12901
(518) 564-2000
SUNY Potsdam
44 Pierrepoint Ave
Potsdam, NY 13676
(315) 267-2000
Purchase College SUNY
735 Anderson Hill Rd
Purchase, NY 10577
(914) 251-6000 
SUNY Polytechnic Institute
100 Seymour Rd
Utica, NY 13502
(315) 792-7500
Queens College-CUNY
6530 Kissena Boulevard
Flushing, NY 11367
(718) 997-5000
Queensborough Comm College
222-05 56th Ave
Bayside, NY 11364
(718) 631-6262
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute(RPI)
110 Eighth Street
Troy, NY 12180
(518) 276-6000
Rochester Institute of Technology
One Lomb Memorial Drive
Rochester, NY  14623
(585) 475-2411
Roberts Wesleyan College
2301 Westside Drive
Rochester, NY 14624
(800) 777-4792
Sarah Lawrence College
1 Mead Way
Bronxville, NY 10708
(914) 337-0700
Siena College
515 Loudon Road
Loudonville, NY 12211
(518) 783-2300
Skidmore College
815 North Broadway
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866
(518) 580-5000
College of Staten Island – CUNY
2800 Victory Blvd
Staten Island, NY 10314
(718) 982-2000
St. Francis College
180 Remsen Street
Brooklyn Heights, NY 11201
(718) 522-2300
Syracuse University
430 Huntington Hall
Syracuse, NY 13244
(315) 443-2354
St. John’s University
8000 Utopia Parkway
Jamaica, NY 11439
(718) 990-5541
St John Fisher College
3690 East Avenue
Rochester, NY 14618
(585) 385-8000
St. Joseph’s College
Brooklyn Campus
245 Clinton Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11205
(718) 940-5300
and Long Island Campus
155 W Roe Blvd
Patchogue, NY 11772
(631) 687-5100
St Lawrence University
23 Romoda Dr
Canton, NY 13617
(800) 285-1856
Wagner College
One Campus Road
Staten Island, NY 10301
(718) 390-3100
Russell Sage College
65 1st Street
Troy, NY 12180
(518) 244-2000
SUNY Empire State College
2 Union Ave
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866
(800) 847-3000
Yeshiva University
500 W 185th St
New York, NY  10033
(212) 960-5400
Union College
807 Union Street
Schenectady, NY 12308
(518) 388-6000

Additional Web Links

For more information on psychologists, go to:

American Psychological Association: http://www.apa.org/; or

New York State Psychological Association at: http://www.nyspa.org/.

For more information about psychology education programs and degrees or a career in psychology, go to the Psychology Career Center Web site: http://www.psychologycareercenter.org/
[whohit]Psychologists[/whohit]

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