# What can you do with a Psychology degree?

> Source: https://coursetojob.co.uk/courses/psychology/ — updated 2026-09-25. Published by CourseToJob (independent; not affiliated with UCAS, HESA or GOV.UK).

**Quick answer:** A Psychology degree commonly leads to roles such as assistant psychologist, psychological wellbeing practitioner and research assistant. Five years after graduating, Psychology graduates had median earnings of £29,600 (middle half: £24,200–£36,600), and 89.5% were in sustained work or further study (DfE LEO, 2023–24 tax year). The largest employer sector for Psychology graduates is health and social work (26.4% of those in work).

Psychology degrees cover behaviour, research methods, and evidence. Typical first jobs include assistant and research roles.

## What jobs can you get with a Psychology degree?

- **Assistant psychologist**: Supports a qualified psychologist with notes, outcome measures, and structured sessions under supervision. Skills often asked for: record keeping, supervised assessment, safeguarding.
- **Psychological wellbeing practitioner**. Skills often asked for: guided self-help, risk protocols, caseload admin.
- **Research assistant**. Skills often asked for: SPSS or R basics, participant recruitment, literature review.
- **Mental health support worker**. Skills often asked for: de-escalation, care plans, shift handover.

## Where do Psychology graduates work?

Psychology graduates in UK employment five years after graduating, by industry (DfE LEO industry data, tax year 2023–24; shares calculated by CourseToJob from DfE's rounded counts).

| Industry | Share of graduates in work | Median earnings |
|---|---|---|
| Health and social work | 26.4% | £28,200 |
| Education | 20% | £29,300 |
| Public administration and defence | 10.8% | £31,800 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 9.1% | £35,500 |
| Wholesale and retail | 6.3% | £26,700 |
| Administrative and support services | 5.9% | £28,900 |
| Information and communication | 4.9% | £37,000 |
| Finance and insurance | 4.2% | £34,400 |

## How much do Psychology graduates earn?

UK-domiciled first-degree graduates in Psychology (non-specific) (CAH04-01-01). Source: DfE LEO CAH level 3 subject data, tax year 2023–24 (https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-catalogue/data-set/d8bc2906-419e-40ef-ad8e-9b2ccd3997dc). Each row is a different graduating cohort.

| Years after graduating | Graduated | Median earnings | Middle half | In work or further study | All-graduate median |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2021/2022 | £22,700 | £17,200–£27,100 | 90.1% | £26,400 |
| 3 | 2019/2020 | £27,100 | £22,700–£32,200 | 90.4% | £30,000 |
| 5 | 2017/2018 | £29,600 | £24,200–£36,600 | 89.5% | £33,700 |
| 10 | 2012/2013 | £35,100 | £24,200–£47,200 | 86.5% | — |

## Which universities have the highest-earning Psychology graduates?

Median earnings five years after graduating, universities with at least 50 graduates measured (DfE LEO provider-level data, 2023–24). Not a quality ranking.

| University | Median earnings | Graduates |
|---|---|---|
| [King's College London](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/kings-college-london/) | £48,300 | 70 |
| [University of Bristol](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/university-of-bristol/) | £41,700 | 110 |
| [University College London](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/ucl/) | £41,000 | 95 |
| [University of Bath](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/university-of-bath/) | £36,200 | 120 |
| [University of Exeter](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/university-of-exeter/) | £36,200 | 185 |
| [Queen Mary University of London](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/queen-mary-university-of-london/) | £35,900 | 65 |
| [Royal Holloway, University of London](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/royal-holloway-university-of-london/) | £35,100 | 130 |
| [Loughborough University](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/loughborough-university/) | £34,800 | 130 |
| [Newcastle University](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/newcastle-university/) | £34,800 | 100 |
| [University of Nottingham](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/university-of-nottingham/) | £34,800 | 180 |

## Is Psychology the right degree for you?

You may enjoy it if:
- You want to design studies and interpret behavioural data, not only talk about feelings.
- You are willing to learn statistics and write structured lab reports.
- You like connecting theory to safeguarding, health, or workplace settings.

It may not suit you if:
- You expected a counselling qualification on graduation day.
- You dislike numbers, ethics applications, or slow experimental work.
- You want a course that maps to a single protected job title immediately.

## Interview questions for Psychology graduate roles

Early psychology jobs are supervised. Interviews usually test whether you understand evidence, notes, and safeguarding — not whether you can practise independently. These prompts are editorial illustrations.

- A service user misses three sessions. What do you record, and who do you tell? (What it tests: Record-keeping, escalation, and the limits of an assistant role.)
- How would you explain a simple outcome measure to a non-specialist colleague? (What it tests: Whether you can talk about data without overclaiming what a score means.)
- You notice a risk comment in notes that was not handed over. What next? (What it tests: Safeguarding instincts and using the service’s protocol instead of improvising.)
- Describe a study you read and one thing that limits how far you can generalise it. (What it tests: Research literacy: sample, design, and honest uncertainty.)
- Why is this role supervised rather than independent psychological practice? (What it tests: That you know the title is not a licence to diagnose or treat unsupervised.)

## Frequently asked questions

### What jobs can you do with a Psychology degree?

Common starting roles include assistant psychologist, psychological wellbeing practitioner, research assistant and mental health support worker. Five years after graduating, the most common sectors for Psychology graduates in work were health and social work (26.4%), education (20%) and public administration and defence (10.8%). These are examples, not guaranteed jobs: your experience, location and further training matter.

### How much do Psychology graduates earn in the UK?

DfE Longitudinal Education Outcomes data for the 2023–24 tax year shows median earnings for UK-domiciled Psychology graduates of £22,700 one year after graduating, £27,100 three years after graduating, £29,600 five years after graduating and £35,100 ten years after graduating. Each figure describes a different graduating cohort, not one person's pay rise, and it is gross pay for those in sustained employment, not a starting salary offer.

### Is a Psychology degree worth it?

It depends on what you want to do. On the official data, 89.5% of Psychology graduates were in sustained employment or further study five years after graduating, with median earnings of £29,600. For comparison, the median across all first-degree graduates of GB higher education institutions was £33,700 at the same point. That places Psychology 112 of 146 subject groups by five-year median earnings. Earnings are only one factor: enjoyment of the subject, accreditation and the route into your target job matter too.

### Which universities have the highest-earning Psychology graduates?

Among universities in our index with at least 50 graduates measured, the highest five-year median earnings for Psychology were at King's College London (£48,300), University of Bristol (£41,700) and University College London (£41,000). These figures reflect entry grades, subject mix and where graduates work, so they are not a measure of teaching quality.

### Can international students study Psychology in the UK?

Yes, most UK universities accept international applicants, but entry requirements, recognised qualifications, English-language evidence and overseas tuition fees depend on the university and programme. Check the university course page and international admissions team, then check visa requirements on GOV.UK.


Apply for undergraduate courses on UCAS: https://www.ucas.com/explore/search/courses?query=Psychology