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School Psychologist

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What Do School Psychologist Do?

Job Description & Duties Investigate processes of learning and teaching and develop psychological principles and techniques applicable to educational problems.

Life As a School Psychologist: What Do They Do?

  • Develop individualized educational plans in collaboration with teachers and other staff members.
  • Counsel children and families to help solve conflicts and problems in learning and adjustment.
  • Conduct research to generate new knowledge that can be used to address learning and behavior issues.
  • Provide consultation to parents, teachers, administrators, and others on topics such as learning styles and behavior modification techniques.
  • Maintain student records, including special education reports, confidential records, records of services provided, and behavioral data.
  • Assess an individual child’s needs, limitations, and potential, using observation, review of school records, and consultation with parents and school personnel.

What a School Psychologist Should Know

These are the skills School Psychologists say are the most useful in their careers:

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.

Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Other School Psychologist Job Titles

  • Child Study Team Director
  • Behavioral Analyst
  • School Psychologist Assistant
  • Associate School Psychologist
  • Guidance Counselor

School Psychologist Job Outlook

There were about 147,500 jobs for School Psychologist in 2016 (in the United States). New jobs are being produced at a rate of 14.2% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 21,000 new jobs for School Psychologist by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 12,100 job openings in this field each year.

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The states with the most job growth for School Psychologist are Colorado, Utah, and Arizona. Watch out if you plan on working in Rhode Island, Maine, or Illinois. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

Salary for a School Psychologist

School Psychologists make between $44,040 and $129,310 a year.

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School Psychologists who work in California, Oregon, or Connecticut, make the highest salaries.

Below is a list of the median annual salaries for School Psychologists in different U.S. states.

State Annual Mean Salary
Alabama $69,070
Alaska $91,450
Arizona $66,040
Arkansas $69,000
California $108,350
Colorado $85,470
Connecticut $90,870
Delaware $78,850
District of Columbia $95,500
Florida $76,190
Georgia $89,190
Hawaii $94,550
Idaho $64,270
Illinois $75,180
Indiana $73,350
Iowa $85,260
Kansas $65,320
Kentucky $64,330
Louisiana $86,630
Maine $75,620
Maryland $79,820
Massachusetts $86,490
Michigan $83,210
Minnesota $85,860
Mississippi $67,570
Missouri $76,480
Montana $63,720
Nebraska $66,510
Nevada $83,760
New Hampshire $84,270
New Jersey $98,470
New Mexico $73,600
New York $94,140
North Carolina $77,470
North Dakota $87,090
Ohio $75,710
Oklahoma $60,760
Oregon $103,870
Pennsylvania $83,610
Rhode Island $83,030
South Carolina $63,050
South Dakota $73,900
Tennessee $69,510
Texas $73,650
Utah $80,920
Vermont $77,670
Virginia $80,380
Washington $73,840
West Virginia $59,200
Wisconsin $83,420
Wyoming $78,360

What Tools & Technology do School Psychologists Use?

Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many School Psychologists:

  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Word
  • Microsoft Office
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Web browser software
  • Email software
  • Word processing software
  • Spreadsheet software
  • Presentation software
  • Testing software
  • Instructional software

How to Become a School Psychologist

What education is needed to be a School Psychologist?

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What work experience do I need to become a School Psychologist?

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Where School Psychologists Are Employed

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The table below shows the approximate number of School Psychologists employed by various industries.

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Those interested in being a School Psychologist may also be interested in:

References:

Image Credit: BruceBlaus via Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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