It doesn’t seem like that long ago that I graduated from my School Psychology graduate program, but it’s actually been going on for 16 years. Time flies and a lot has changed in the field of School Psychology. However, it seems that my reasons for becoming a school psychologist have remained relatively intact. Are here:

1) The pay is not that bad. Although we are required to complete 3 years of graduate school which includes a one-year internship that is typically unpaid, school psychologists are relatively well compensated. The average salary seems to be in the $60-80K range after about 5-10 years of experience.

2) Vacation time is not bad either. School psychologists usually have a contract of 210 days or thereabouts and don’t work during the summer unless they want to earn some extra money. This allows time to spend with family or to go on long vacations in the summer.

3) School psychologists are relatively respected in the school environment. Despite the fact that most people think of us as guidance counselors and very few school officials know exactly what we do, school psychologists seem to be held in high regard and are commonly sought after when it comes to finding solutions to a wide range of from problems.

4) School psychologists have a lot of autonomy in the workplace. Very often you will be assigned to more than one school. This can be stressful in terms of workload, but it can also be a blessing in disguise as you will be able to move from one school to another depending on the needs of each school. You are not usually stuck in an office under the surveillance of your boss. If so, you probably need to reconsider where you’re working.

5) Number 4 brings up another good point. Job prospects for school psychologists are quite good. I don’t have the stats, but it seems there are plenty of jobs available for those willing to move around the country. With the economy taking a turn for the worse lately, I have definitely seen a decline, but even in tough economic times, it seems there are still opportunities for school psychologists. I have found Schoolspring.com to be a great place to get an idea of ​​how many schools are looking for new school psychologists.

6) You feel that you are helping those who need help. Sure, weeks and months go by where you work through paperwork and complete assessments. However, from time to time you are faced with a situation where you can provide real help to someone in need. That always feels good. In fact, I recommend finding a position in those areas that are most economically depressed and full of problems. After all, this is where we are most needed and also where our efforts are most appreciated by parents, children and administrators. I work on the Mexican border and I wouldn’t trade that for anything. Despite the news, the people and community here are very appreciative and highly value their children’s education. Very rarely do I see the overly aggressive soccer mom yelling at me because her son is not in the gifted program.

7) Opportunity to expand into other fields. With a Master’s in Psychology, one can teach at the community college level, work weekends for the local counseling agency, conduct external assessments for other local area school districts, and/or branch out into educational consulting. There are not too many fields where you are qualified to do so many different things.

8) If you do not want to supplement your income with the various methods in n. #7, the field of school psychology offers many areas that you can choose from to be an “expert” and apply in your daily professional life while being a School Psychologist. There are postgraduate programs in school neuropsychology, as well as behavioral specialists and/or life coaching, all of which can be applied with your students in the school setting.

9) We call ourselves “Psychologists” but we are not licensed. This was actually pending APA review, but luckily we can still call ourselves school “Psychologists.” It’s funny how many clinical “psychologists” tried to become school “psychologists” due to poor job prospects for clinical psychology degrees, but that’s another story and a problem.

10) Helping is something that drives you to do. If you enjoy helping children who basically just need a little support to lead them into successful lives, then the field of school psychology might be for you. I wish I could read the ups and downs of being a school psychologist in the early 90’s before I ventured into this profession. However, this article is there for those who want to consider this profession. No profession is perfect, and jobs vary greatly based on location, bosses, school boards, etc. In my experience, it seems that School Psychology positions are more similar than different and the job is what you make of it. You have the freedom to start programs or specialize in the area of ​​your choice. There aren’t many professions where you can do that.