Is a Career as a Developmental Psychologist Right for You?

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsImportanceResponsibilitiesWork SettingsSalaryTrainingJob Outlook

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Importance

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Job Outlook

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A developmental psychologist studies human growth and development throughout the lifespan. This includes not only people’s physical development but also their cognitive, social, intellectual, perceptual, personality, andemotional changesover time. These professionals look at how we mature and the different factors that influence this growth.

Before deciding whether a developmental psychologist career path is right for you, it’s helpful to develop a clear understanding of this role. Here we do a deep dive into thispsychology career, including why it’s important, what a development psychologist does, and how to become one.

Importance of the Developmental Psychologist Role

Developmental psychologists help us better understand how people change and grow with age. By understanding the typical rates at which we mature and the specific things that generally take place at each stage of life, these psychologists can better identify when children and adults may need special assistance.

While children tend to follow certainpatterns of development, all people reach different milestones at their own pace. Some children learn to walk before they turn one, for example, while others may not develop this skill until they are around 15 or 16 months old.

By adding to our understanding of how people change throughout life, these professionals play an important role in addressing developmental concerns. We can also apply the knowledge gained in their studies to help us live up to our full potential.

Thestudy of human developmentis important within the field of psychology, but also within other fields such as biology, anthropology, sociology, education, and history.

What Developmental Psychologists Do

Some of the tasks that a developmental psychologist might perform in their daily roles include:

Where Developmental Psychologists Work

Developmental psychologists can work in a wide range of settings. Some work in educational settings, such as colleges and universities,conducting research on developmental topicswhile also teaching courses. Others work in government agencies to help assess, evaluate, and treat individuals diagnosed with developmental disabilities.

Additional workplace settings where a developmental psychologist might be found include:

Salary of Developmental Psychologists

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that the median annual wage for developmental psychologists as of May 2022 is $106,420 per year.Those working in certain settings may earn a different amount.

While these are medians, a developmental psychologist’s actual salary can vary based on several different factors. Among them are their level of training, the geographic area in which they work, and their workplace setting.

How Much Do Therapists and Psychologists Make?

Training Needed to Become a Developmental Psychologist

While there are employment options at themaster’s degree level, those holding a Ph.D. or Psy.D. in developmental psychology may find more employment opportunities. Individuals with a doctorate can teach at the university level and be employed in private practices, hospitals, mental health clinics, and rehabilitation centers.

5 Types of Psychology Degrees

Job Outlook for Developmental Psychologists

The BLS reports that the expected job growth for psychologists is 6% over the next decade, resulting in roughly 12,800 new positions each year.This growth rate is higher than the average growth rate for all other occupations combined.

The demand for professionals to assess, evaluate, diagnose, and treat students with mental, developmental, and emotional issues contributes to this growth rate. It’s also anticipated that there will be a greater demand for psychological services at mental health centers, social service agencies, and hospitals.

Summary

Developmental psychologists have made major contributions to our understanding of how children and adults change and grow all through life. While we often think developmental psychology focuses primarily on childhood, many important events take place as people grow older.

By gaining a better understanding of these processes, psychologists can provide better prevention strategies and treatments fordevelopmental concernsthat might affect a person’s well-being at all stages of life.

80+ Jobs in Psychology to Consider

4 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.U.S. National Library of Medicine.Toddler development.U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.Psychologists: Pay.Occupational Outlook Handbook.U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.Occupational employment and wages, May 2022, 19-3039 psychologists, all other.U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.Psychologists: job outlook.

4 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.U.S. National Library of Medicine.Toddler development.U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.Psychologists: Pay.Occupational Outlook Handbook.U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.Occupational employment and wages, May 2022, 19-3039 psychologists, all other.U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.Psychologists: job outlook.

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.

U.S. National Library of Medicine.Toddler development.U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.Psychologists: Pay.Occupational Outlook Handbook.U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.Occupational employment and wages, May 2022, 19-3039 psychologists, all other.U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.Psychologists: job outlook.

U.S. National Library of Medicine.Toddler development.

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.Psychologists: Pay.Occupational Outlook Handbook.

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.Occupational employment and wages, May 2022, 19-3039 psychologists, all other.

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.Psychologists: job outlook.

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