Psychologists, All Other
SOC Code: 19-3039.00
Life, Physical & Social SciencePsychologists classified under "All Other" represent specialized psychology professionals not categorized elsewhere, earning a median salary of $117,580 per year. This diverse group includes practitioners working in niche areas such as engineering psychology, rehabilitation psychology, and quantitative psychology. Their advanced expertise allows them to apply psychological principles in unique and often interdisciplinary settings across research, industry, and clinical domains.
Salary Overview
Median
$117,580
25th Percentile
$73,820
75th Percentile
$145,200
90th Percentile
$163,570
Salary Distribution
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Growth Rate
+4.3%
New Openings
3,900
Outlook
As fast as average
Key Skills
Knowledge Areas
What They Do
- Conduct neuropsychological evaluations such as assessments of intelligence, academic ability, attention, concentration, sensorimotor function, language, learning, and memory.
- Write or prepare detailed clinical neuropsychological reports, using data from psychological or neuropsychological tests, self-report measures, rating scales, direct observations, or interviews.
- Interview patients to obtain comprehensive medical histories.
- Diagnose and treat conditions involving injury to the central nervous system, such as cerebrovascular accidents, neoplasms, infectious or inflammatory diseases, degenerative diseases, head traumas, demyelinating diseases, and various forms of dementing illnesses.
- Establish neurobehavioral baseline measures for monitoring progressive cerebral disease or recovery.
- Provide education or counseling to individuals and families.
- Diagnose and treat pediatric populations for conditions such as learning disabilities with developmental or organic bases.
- Read current literature, talk with colleagues, and participate in professional organizations or conferences to keep abreast of developments in neuropsychology.
Tools & Technology
★ = Hot Technology (in-demand)
Education Requirements
Typical entry-level education: On-the-Job Training
Related Careers
Top Career Pivot Targets
View all 12 →Careers with the highest skill compatibility from Psychologists, All Other.
A Day in the Life
A typical day for psychologists in this category varies widely depending on their specialization and work setting. A rehabilitation psychologist might spend the morning assessing cognitive and emotional functioning of patients recovering from brain injuries, then consult with physical therapists and physicians on treatment plans. An engineering psychologist could be conducting usability studies on control panel designs, analyzing human-machine interaction data, and presenting findings to product development teams. Quantitative psychologists often spend their days designing research methodologies, running statistical analyses, and writing technical reports or academic papers. Many in this category attend interdisciplinary meetings, bringing psychological perspectives to teams of engineers, physicians, or policy makers. Documentation and report writing occupy a significant portion of the day regardless of specialty. Some divide their time between applied work and academic responsibilities such as teaching, mentoring graduate students, or peer-reviewing journal submissions.
Work Environment
Work environments for these psychologists are as diverse as their specializations, ranging from university laboratories and corporate offices to hospitals, military installations, and field research sites. Research-oriented psychologists typically work in academic or institutional settings with access to specialized equipment and participant pools. Applied psychologists in industry may work in technology companies, aerospace firms, or consulting organizations with standard office environments. Those in rehabilitation or health settings work alongside medical teams in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, or Veterans Affairs facilities. The work is primarily intellectual and sedentary, though some specializations involve fieldwork or laboratory experiments. Most positions offer standard business hours, though academic positions may involve evening classes and research-oriented roles can require flexible scheduling around data collection. Remote work opportunities have expanded significantly, particularly for consultation, data analysis, and telehealth services. Travel may be required for those who consult across multiple sites or present at conferences.
Career Path & Advancement
Entering this field almost universally requires a doctoral degree in psychology, either a PhD for research-focused careers or a PsyD for clinical applications. Undergraduate studies typically begin in psychology with a strong foundation in research methods and statistics. Graduate programs span five to seven years and include coursework, supervised clinical or research practica, a comprehensive exam, and a dissertation. Many specializations within this category require postdoctoral training or fellowships to develop expertise in a particular area. Licensure requirements vary by state and specialization, but most practicing psychologists must pass the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology. Early career professionals often work in academic institutions, research organizations, or government agencies before establishing independent practices or advancing to senior positions. Board certification in a specialty area through the American Board of Professional Psychology can enhance career prospects and earning potential. Leadership roles include research director positions, department chairs, and chief psychologist roles within large organizations.
Specializations
This category encompasses a wide array of psychology specializations that fall outside the more common clinical, counseling, and school psychology classifications. Rehabilitation psychologists help individuals with disabilities or chronic health conditions maximize functioning and quality of life. Engineering psychologists, also known as human factors psychologists, optimize the design of products, systems, and environments for human use. Quantitative psychologists develop and apply mathematical and statistical models to psychological research. Sports psychologists work with athletes to improve performance, manage competition anxiety, and recover from injuries. Aviation psychologists study human factors in flight operations and pilot selection. Police and public safety psychologists conduct fitness-for-duty evaluations, critical incident debriefings, and officer selection assessments. Environmental psychologists study the relationship between people and their physical surroundings to inform architecture and urban planning.
Pros & Cons
Advantages
- ✓Above-average salary with strong earning potential in specialized niches
- ✓Intellectually stimulating work that draws on deep expertise
- ✓Opportunity to work at the intersection of psychology and other disciplines
- ✓Diverse career paths across research, clinical, and applied settings
- ✓Growing demand for specialized psychological expertise in emerging fields
- ✓Flexibility to combine research, teaching, and applied practice
- ✓Ability to make meaningful contributions to human wellbeing and system design
Challenges
- ✗Lengthy doctoral training pipeline of five to seven years minimum
- ✗Highly competitive graduate program admissions and job market
- ✗Significant student loan debt from extended graduate education
- ✗Licensure requirements vary by state and can be burdensome
- ✗Niche specializations may have limited geographic job availability
- ✗Publish-or-perish pressure in academic positions
- ✗Grant funding uncertainty for research-dependent positions
Industry Insight
The field of specialized psychology is evolving rapidly as technology, neuroscience, and data science create new applications for psychological expertise. Human factors psychology is experiencing strong growth driven by the expansion of autonomous vehicles, artificial intelligence interfaces, and virtual reality systems. The integration of big data analytics into psychological research is elevating the demand for quantitative psychologists who can bridge behavioral science and data science. Rehabilitation psychology is growing as the aging population and advances in medical treatment increase the number of individuals living with chronic conditions and disabilities. Telehealth and digital mental health platforms are creating new practice models and reaching previously underserved populations. The emphasis on diversity, equity, and inclusion in organizations is expanding roles for psychologists who specialize in organizational culture and bias reduction. Federal funding for psychological research remains competitive but continues to support innovation in specialized areas.
How to Break Into This Career
Breaking into specialized psychology fields requires careful planning during graduate school to build expertise in a specific niche area. Identifying a doctoral program with faculty whose research aligns with the desired specialization is critical for building relevant skills and professional connections. Gaining research experience as an undergraduate through lab assistantships and independent studies strengthens graduate school applications. Publishing research findings and presenting at professional conferences during graduate training establishes credibility in the chosen specialty. Postdoctoral positions provide essential supervised experience and are often required for licensure and board certification. Professional organizations specific to each specialization, such as the Division of Rehabilitation Psychology within the American Psychological Association, offer networking and mentorship opportunities. Internships and practicum placements in settings related to the target specialty provide hands-on experience that employers value. Many entry-level positions are in government agencies, academic institutions, or large healthcare systems that can support specialized roles.
Career Pivot Tips
Career changers entering specialized psychology fields can leverage diverse professional backgrounds to enrich their practice. Data scientists and statisticians transitioning to quantitative psychology bring computational skills that are increasingly essential to modern psychological research. Engineers and designers pivoting to human factors psychology already understand systems thinking, prototyping, and user-centered design principles. Healthcare professionals such as occupational therapists and physical therapists moving into rehabilitation psychology bring clinical experience with disability and recovery processes. Teachers and educational specialists bring assessment, instructional design, and developmental knowledge applicable to educational and developmental psychology specializations. Military veterans transitioning to psychology can draw on their understanding of organizational dynamics, stress responses, and leadership in high-pressure environments. Researchers from adjacent fields like neuroscience, sociology, or public health bring methodological rigor and interdisciplinary perspectives. Counselors and social workers pursuing doctoral degrees in specialized psychology areas can leverage their clinical experience to accelerate through practical training components.