What Do Psychology Professor Do?
Position Description Teach courses in psychology, such as child, clinical, and developmental psychology, and psychological counseling. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
Psychology Professor Responsibilities
- Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
- Select and obtain materials and supplies, such as textbooks.
- Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
- Develop and use multimedia course materials and other current technology, such as online courses.
- Supervise undergraduate or graduate teaching, internship, and research work.
- Participate in student recruitment, registration, and placement activities.
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Qualities of a Psychology Professor
Below is a list of the skills most Psychology Professors say are important on the job.
Learning Strategies: Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Instructing: Teaching others how to do something.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Active Listening: 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.
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Types of Psychology Professor
- Educational Psychology Professor
- Psychological Science Professor
- Lecturer
- College or University Faculty Member
- Applied Psychology Chair
Psychology Professor Job Outlook
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 46,900 jobs in the United States for Psychology Professor. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 15.1% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 7,100 new jobs for Psychology Professor by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 4,500 job openings in this field each year.

The states with the most job growth for Psychology Professor are Utah, Colorado, and Missouri. Watch out if you plan on working in Wyoming, North Dakota, or Maine. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Psychology Professor Average Salary
The typical yearly salary for Psychology Professors is somewhere between $39,350 and $155,710.

Psychology Professors who work in California, District of Columbia, or Connecticut, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Psychology Professors in different U.S. states.
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $68,660 |
Alaska | $59,200 |
Arkansas | $64,360 |
California | $117,990 |
Colorado | $68,010 |
Connecticut | $88,070 |
District of Columbia | $109,060 |
Florida | $77,810 |
Georgia | $75,850 |
Hawaii | $65,850 |
Idaho | $88,970 |
Illinois | $87,880 |
Indiana | $85,580 |
Iowa | $92,430 |
Kansas | $81,530 |
Kentucky | $67,960 |
Maine | $73,000 |
Maryland | $87,850 |
Massachusetts | $97,690 |
Michigan | $92,000 |
Minnesota | $86,380 |
Mississippi | $71,880 |
Missouri | $83,520 |
Nebraska | $81,300 |
Nevada | $60,880 |
New Hampshire | $89,780 |
New Jersey | $99,670 |
New Mexico | $87,010 |
New York | $99,690 |
North Carolina | $77,700 |
North Dakota | $82,580 |
Ohio | $83,230 |
Oklahoma | $60,140 |
Oregon | $76,580 |
Pennsylvania | $89,300 |
Rhode Island | $93,080 |
South Carolina | $82,630 |
South Dakota | $75,910 |
Tennessee | $74,260 |
Texas | $78,270 |
Utah | $76,470 |
Virginia | $75,770 |
Washington | $68,420 |
West Virginia | $68,470 |
Wisconsin | $77,150 |
Wyoming | $68,110 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Psychology Professors
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Psychology Professors may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Outlook
- Web browser software
- Data entry software
- Email software
- Word processing software
- The MathWorks MATLAB
- SAS
- Google Docs
- IBM SPSS Statistics
- R
- Minitab
- Blackboard
- Calendar and scheduling software
- Blackboard Learn
- Learning management system LMS
- Sakai CLE
How to Become a Psychology Professor
Are there Psychology Professors education requirements?

How Long Does it Take to Become a Psychology Professor?

Who Employs Psychology Professors?

The table below shows the approximate number of Psychology Professors employed by various industries.

Related Careers
Are you already one of the many Psychology Professor in the United States? If you’re thinking about changing careers, these fields are worth exploring:
References:
Image Credit: BruceBlaus via Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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