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Industrial-Organizational Psychologists in California

Want to work as an Industrial-Organizational Psychologists in California? Here’s what you need to know. Apply principles of psychology to human resources, administration, management, sales, and marketing problems. Activities may include policy planning; employee testing and selection, training, and development; and organizational development and analysis. May work with management to organize the work setting to improve worker productivity.

What do Industrial-Organizational Psychologists Make in California?

The industrial-organizational psychologists working in California, wages run about $140,540 per year (or roughly $67.57/hour).Pay can range from $87,670 at the 10th percentile to $183,460 at the 90th percentile.

Wage Statistic	Annual	Hourly
10th percentile	$87,670	$42.15
25th percentile	$106,330	$51.12
Median (50th)	$140,540	$67.57
75th percentile	$168,510	$81.01
90th percentile	$183,460	$88.20

The location quotient — a measure of how concentrated this occupation is in California relative to the national average — is 0.77, meaning fewer industrial-organizational psychologists per worker than the national average.

National Wage Comparison

Nationally, industrial-organizational psychologists earn a median of $70,430 per year ($33.86/hour), above the California median.

Employment Outlook

National employment for 48,627 industrial-organizational psychologists across the United States. In California alone, around 100 people work in this role. That’s in line with the typical state median of 100.

Top States for Industrial-Organizational Psychologists Employment

The table below shows the states where the most industrial-organizational psychologists work.

State	Number Employed
California	100
Oregon	80

Highest-Paying States for Industrial-Organizational Psychologists

Where industrial-organizational psychologists earn the most: industrial-organizational psychologists.

State	Annual Median Salary
California	$140,540
Texas	$130,630
Oregon	$94,180

Skills

Top industrial-organizational psychologists skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Knowledge Areas

Core knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Abilities

The abilities that matter most for industrial-organizational psychologists, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Daily Tasks

Industrial-Organizational Psychologists typically:

• Provide advice on best practices and implementation for selection.
• Develop and implement employee selection or placement programs.
• Analyze data, using statistical methods and applications, to evaluate the outcomes and effectiveness of workplace programs.
• Develop interview techniques, rating scales, and psychological tests used to assess skills, abilities, and interests for the purpose of employee selection, placement, or promotion.
• Observe and interview workers to obtain information about the physical, mental, and educational requirements of jobs, as well as information about aspects such as job satisfaction.
• Facilitate organizational development and change.
• Analyze job requirements and content to establish criteria for classification, selection, training, and other related personnel functions.
• Advise management concerning personnel, managerial, and marketing policies and practices and their potential effects on organizational effectiveness and efficiency.
• Conduct presentations on research findings for clients or at research meetings.
• Coach senior executives and managers on leadership and performance.
• Conduct individual assessments, including interpreting measures and providing feedback for selection, placement, or promotion.
• Train clients to administer human resources functions, including testing, selection, and performance management.

Work Activities

• Providing Consultation and Advice to Others
• Getting Information
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
• Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others
• Analyzing Data or Information
• Working with Computers
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
• Processing Information
• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
• Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
• Coaching and Developing Others

Tools & Technology

Technologies frequently used: Hot technologies: Adobe Acrobat, Google Sheets In-demand technologies: Microsoft Office software

What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?

Programs that train for this career include:

• General Psychology
• Clinical & Counseling Psychology

Related Careers

Careers similar to industrial-organizational psychologists include:

• Human Resources Managers
• Training and Development Managers
• Education Administrators, Postsecondary
• Medical and Health Services Managers
• Social and Community Service Managers
• Human Resources Specialists

Also Known As

Consulting Psychologist, Engineering Psychologist, HR Consultant (Human Resources Consultant), HR OD Consultant (Human Resources Organizational Development Consultant), HR Psychologist (Human Resources Psychologist), I-O Practitioner (Industrial-Organizational Practitioner), I-O Psychologist (Industrial-Organizational Psychologist), Industrial Psychologist, Learning and Organizational Development Specialist (Learning and OD Specialist), Management Consultant, Management Psychologist, Occupational Psychologist, Organizational Consultant, Organizational Development Analyst (OD Analyst), Organizational Development Consultant (OD Consultant).

References

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
• O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
• BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
• O*NET-SOC code: 19-3032.00