Photo: Tomwsulcer (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Job description
The work starts with evaluation: selecting and administering psychological tests, compiling results alongside input from teachers and parents, and using all of it to diagnose conditions or determine eligibility for special services. School psychologists write up findings in reports for teachers, administrators, and families, and maintain confidential student records, including behavioral data and special education documentation. Because the role sometimes surfaces serious concerns, psychologists are also required to report suspected child endangerment, neglect, or abuse, and the position typically requires a specialist-level degree (Ed.S.) or a doctorate in school psychology.
Pros
- High upside earning potential up to $142k without requiring a full doctorate for many positions
- Directly supports students' academic, behavioral, and developmental needs within schools
- Broad demand with 3,800 positions nationwide across school districts
Cons
- Above-average hours, often exceeding a standard 40-hour work week
- Slower than average projected job growth (0.7%) limits new openings
- Some risk of encountering physically aggressive individuals amid a fast-paced, highly structured environment
A typical day
The morning starts with a cognitive assessment: ninety minutes one-on-one with a third grader whose reading struggles might be dyslexia, the standardized battery administered with warmth that keeps the child trying. Before lunch there's an IEP meeting where the psychologist translates test scores into plain language for parents who arrived anxious, and advocates for services the data supports. The afternoon holds a counseling session with an anxious seventh grader, a teacher consultation about a classroom behavior plan that isn't working yet, and a crisis screening for a student who said something worrying — the referral handled by protocol and by heart. Report writing fills the gaps; each evaluation is a legal document and a child's story at once.
Tasks at the job
- Compile and interpret students' test results, along with information from teachers and parents, to diagnose conditions and to help assess eligibility for special services.
- Maintain student records, including special education reports, confidential records, records of services provided, and behavioral data.
- Report any pertinent information to the proper authorities in cases of child endangerment, neglect, or abuse.
- Select, administer, and score psychological tests.
- Interpret test results and prepare psychological reports for teachers, administrators, and parents.
- Assess an individual child's needs, limitations, and potential, using observation, review of school records, and consultation with parents and school personnel.
Workplace & working conditions
Work happens indoors in a climate-controlled setting.
The pace is often fast, with real time pressure to meet deadlines, and you're expected to exercise significant independent judgment day to day. The work is highly structured, following set procedures. There's some risk of encountering physically aggressive individuals, and almost all of the work is done as part of a team.
Education necessary or common
Specialist-level degree (Ed.S.) or a doctorate (PhD or PsyD) in school psychology
Common college majors
Licenses & certifications
- NCSP (Nationally Certified School Psychologist)
- State school psychologist credential
Career path
Related fields
Courses to take
- AP Psychology — the field's foundation
- AP Statistics — assessment is applied measurement
- AP Biology — brain development and learning
- English — reports parents and lawyers both read
- Child Development courses where offered
Clubs, activities & competitions
- Peer counseling or peer mentoring
- Tutoring younger students — especially struggling readers
- Best Buddies
- Volunteer with after-school or summer youth programs
First steps you can take now
- Tutor an elementary student weekly and notice how they learn, not just what
- Interview your own school's psychologist about their week — most love the question
- Take a free child development or intro psychology course
- Look up the Ed.S. path: three years of graduate school including a full-year internship
