Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsOrigins of Engineering PsychologyTasks and DutiesTraining and EducationSalaryJob Outlook for Engineering PsychologistsIs It Right for You?
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Origins of Engineering Psychology
Tasks and Duties
Training and Education
Salary
Job Outlook for Engineering Psychologists
Is It Right for You?
Close
Engineering psychologists are interested in understanding the capabilities and limitations of human behavior and developing and adjusting systems to maximize these abilities and prevent errors. They often help design products, workspaces, and human-machine interactions to make them more user-friendly.
Engineering psychology is an applied subfield of psychology that focuses on improving and adaptingtechnology, equipment, and work environments to enhance human behavior and capabilities. It is closely related to the field of ergonomics, which is the science of arranging and designing objects and environments so people can use them safely and efficiently.
At a GlanceEngineering psychologists bridge the topics of engineering and psychology to help solve problems and improve people’s lives. This includes creating products and human-computer interfaces that are safe and effective. They may work in areas such as aviation, ergonomics, human-computer interaction, and workplace safety and research how people interact with products.
At a Glance
Engineering psychologists bridge the topics of engineering and psychology to help solve problems and improve people’s lives. This includes creating products and human-computer interfaces that are safe and effective. They may work in areas such as aviation, ergonomics, human-computer interaction, and workplace safety and research how people interact with products.
The field originated as an area withinexperimental psychologythat grew increasingly important during World Wars I and II. Early military applications in this field focused on building weapons designed to minimize human errors and increase accuracy.
Today, the field is growing significantly as people spend more and more time interacting with and using technology and equipment in their daily and work lives.
How to Become an Experimental Psychologist
What Does an Engineering Psychologist Do?
Engineering psychologists use psychological principles to solve real-world problems. People who work in this profession help improve, and sometimes even save, human lives.
By minimizing the risks of accidents and errors, engineering psychologists can make products, systems, and workplaces safer.
These professionals can specialize in a number of different areas, such as:
Engineering psychologists make the technology we use every day more reliable, useful, and safe.
Some examples of products that they might work to design or improve include GPS systems, mobile phones, medical equipment, military equipment, aviation technology, traffic systems, and motor vehicles.
Other applications for engineering psychology include road traffic planning, security and privacy, social aspects of digitally-mediated communication, interaction with technology, industrial human-interface design, and human factors in aviation research.
Tasks of Engineering Psychologists
Some tasks that an engineering psychologist might perform in this line of work include:
Where Does an Engineering Psychologist Work?Engineering psychologists are employed in a range of different areas. The private sector, such as businesses and corporations, is the largest area of employment. Other employers might include colleges, universities and government agencies.
Where Does an Engineering Psychologist Work?
Engineering psychologists are employed in a range of different areas. The private sector, such as businesses and corporations, is the largest area of employment. Other employers might include colleges, universities and government agencies.
How to Become an Engineering Psychologist
The training and education needed to become an engineering psychologist can vary depending upon the specialty area in which you choose to work. Just a few of the mainspecialty areasincludehuman factors, ergonomics, usability engineering, and human-computer interaction.
A master’s degree in a related field is generally considered the minimum needed for entry into the field, although opportunities and pay are often much higher for those with doctorate degrees.
A number of universities offergraduate programsspecifically in engineering psychology. Such programs include coursework in areas such ascognition, engineering, perception,statistics,research methods, andlearning.
Those who work in the field typically earn adoctorate (PhD) in psychologywith an emphasis in engineering psychology, a PhD in engineering psychology, or a PhD in human factors psychology.
Engineering Psychologist Salaries
Like most careers, salaries vary considerably depending upon factors such as degree held, years of experience, geographic location, and area of employment. Starting salaries range from $48,000 to $75,367. At the doctorate level, salaries range from about $92,000 to $111,000.
The Highest Paying Psychology Careers
Since the majority of engineering psychologists are employed in the private sector, the performance and growth rate of companies has a strong influence on job growth and demand in this field.
As corporations become increasingly aware of the valuable role that engineering psychologists can play in the design and development process, the demand for qualified professionals continues to grow.
TheAmerican Psychological Association(APA) identifies engineering psychology as a post-grad growth area.APA suggests that this is a rapidly growing area with a lot of potential opportunities to study and work with the interaction between humans and tasks, machines, and environments.
Should You Become an Engineering Psychologist?
When deciding if you want to pursue a career in engineering psychology, try asking yourself the following questions:
If the answer to most of the questions above is yes, you may be on the right track with studying engineering psychology.
Another way to know if you want to dedicate yourself to becoming an engineering psychologist is to research educational programs. Make sure you understand the coursework involved and that you feel ready to commit to a program.
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7 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Psychological Association.Human factors psychology studies humans and machines.Krueger GP.Military engineering psychology. Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/oxfordhb/9780195399325.013.0077Schultz DP, Schultz SE.Psychology and Work Today. Prentice-Hall.Roscoe RD, Becker DV, Branaghan RJ, et al.Bridging psychology and engineering to make technology work for people.Am Psychol. 2019;74(3):394-406. doi:10.1037/amp0000444American Psychological Association.Postgrad growth area: Engineering psychology.Dressler A, Gerber N, Menig A, Pasnicu O, Stöver A, Vogt J.Current topics of interdisciplinary cooperation between engineering and human sciences.Z Arbeitswiss. 2023;77(1):7-22. doi:10.1007/s41449-023-00352-yU.S. Department of Labor.Psychologists: Pay.Occupational Outlook Handbook.
7 Sources
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Psychological Association.Human factors psychology studies humans and machines.Krueger GP.Military engineering psychology. Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/oxfordhb/9780195399325.013.0077Schultz DP, Schultz SE.Psychology and Work Today. Prentice-Hall.Roscoe RD, Becker DV, Branaghan RJ, et al.Bridging psychology and engineering to make technology work for people.Am Psychol. 2019;74(3):394-406. doi:10.1037/amp0000444American Psychological Association.Postgrad growth area: Engineering psychology.Dressler A, Gerber N, Menig A, Pasnicu O, Stöver A, Vogt J.Current topics of interdisciplinary cooperation between engineering and human sciences.Z Arbeitswiss. 2023;77(1):7-22. doi:10.1007/s41449-023-00352-yU.S. Department of Labor.Psychologists: Pay.Occupational Outlook Handbook.
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American Psychological Association.Human factors psychology studies humans and machines.Krueger GP.Military engineering psychology. Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/oxfordhb/9780195399325.013.0077Schultz DP, Schultz SE.Psychology and Work Today. Prentice-Hall.Roscoe RD, Becker DV, Branaghan RJ, et al.Bridging psychology and engineering to make technology work for people.Am Psychol. 2019;74(3):394-406. doi:10.1037/amp0000444American Psychological Association.Postgrad growth area: Engineering psychology.Dressler A, Gerber N, Menig A, Pasnicu O, Stöver A, Vogt J.Current topics of interdisciplinary cooperation between engineering and human sciences.Z Arbeitswiss. 2023;77(1):7-22. doi:10.1007/s41449-023-00352-yU.S. Department of Labor.Psychologists: Pay.Occupational Outlook Handbook.
American Psychological Association.Human factors psychology studies humans and machines.
Krueger GP.Military engineering psychology. Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/oxfordhb/9780195399325.013.0077
Schultz DP, Schultz SE.Psychology and Work Today. Prentice-Hall.
Roscoe RD, Becker DV, Branaghan RJ, et al.Bridging psychology and engineering to make technology work for people.Am Psychol. 2019;74(3):394-406. doi:10.1037/amp0000444
American Psychological Association.Postgrad growth area: Engineering psychology.
Dressler A, Gerber N, Menig A, Pasnicu O, Stöver A, Vogt J.Current topics of interdisciplinary cooperation between engineering and human sciences.Z Arbeitswiss. 2023;77(1):7-22. doi:10.1007/s41449-023-00352-y
U.S. Department of Labor.Psychologists: Pay.Occupational Outlook Handbook.
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