School Psychologists

Career summary

School psychologists evaluate students' needs through observation, assessments, and discussions with teachers and parents. They evaluate students of all abilities including those with learning disabilities as well as those who qualify for gifted and talented programs.

Based on their observations and assessment scores, school psychologists develop individualized education plans.

Psychologists work with students, teachers, family members, and school administrators. They also work with speech-language therapists and other educational therapists.

Psychologists may make suggestions to teachers for ways to improve the learning environment in the classroom to address the particular needs of a student. They might suggest different parenting techniques to improve the home environment.

While most school psychologists work in public or private school settings, some work in clinics, mental health institutes, state agencies, hospitals, or doctor's offices.

Related careers

This career is part of the Human Services cluster of careers.

Related careers include:

• Instructional Coordinators
• Marriage and Family Therapists
• Mental Health Counselors
• Psychiatrists
• Psychologists
• School Counselors
• Social Workers
• Special Education Teachers
• University and College Teachers

Job duties

Task list

The following list of tasks is specific to school psychologists.

• Consult with parents, teachers, administrators, and students.
• Give students psychological tests to diagnose conditions. Score and interpret results.
• Determine if students are eligible for special services.
• Prepare reports on tests results.
• Counsel children and families to help solve conflicts and problems related to learning and behavior.
• Maintain student records, including reports, confidential records, and records of services provided.
• Report information to authorities if a child is in danger or neglected.
• Assess an individual child's needs, limitations, and potential. Use observation, records, and interviews with parents and school personnel.
• Collect and analyze data to evaluate the effectiveness of programs and services.
• Develop individual education plans (IEPs) with teachers and other staff.
• Attend workshops, seminars, and professional meetings to keep skills up to date.
• Help families and schools deal with crises.
• Refer students and their families for medical or social services, when necessary.
• Design classes and programs to meet the needs of special students.

Common work activities

School psychologists perform the following tasks. These tasks are common to many careers.

• Get information needed to do the job
• Communicate with supervisors, peers, or subordinates
• Establish and maintain relationships
• Monitor events, materials, and surroundings
• Identify objects, actions, and events
• Make decisions and solve problems
• Explain the meaning of information to others
• Organize, plan, and prioritize work
• Analyze data or information
• Communicate with people outside the organization
• Update and use job-related knowledge
• Assist and care for others
• Provide advice and consultation to others
• Develop and build teams
• Think creatively
• Teach others
• Resolve conflicts and negotiate with others
• Use computers
• Perform administrative tasks
• Document and record information
• Coach others

Work requirements

Working conditions

In a typical work setting, school psychologists:

Interpersonal relationships

• Have a high degree of social interaction. They work with students, teachers, and parents throughout the day.
• Are regularly placed in conflict situations in which others may be upset or angry.
• Are somewhat responsible for the work done by support staff.
• Have limited responsibility for the health and safety of students.
• Communicate with students, teachers, and other professionals daily by phone, e-mail, or in person. Write letters and memos on a weekly basis.
• Work in a group or as part of a team.

Physical work conditions

• Usually work indoors.
• Work somewhat close to other people, such as when sharing office space.

Work performance

• Must be very exact and accurate when working with students. Errors can impact a student's ability to succeed.
• Often make decisions that affect students. They are able to make most decisions without talking to a supervisor.
• Are able to set most tasks and goals for the day without talking to a supervisor.
• Must meet strict deadlines on a weekly basis.

Hours/travel

• Generally have a set schedule each week. Most work more than 40 hours per week.
• May work nine or ten months during the school year and have summers off.

Physical demands

School psychologists frequently:

• Sit for long periods of time.

It is important for school psychologists to be able to:

• Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
• Understand the speech of another person.
• See details of objects that are less than a few feet away.

It is not as important, but still necessary, for school psychologists to be able to:

• See details of objects that are more than a few feet away.

Skills and abilities

School psychologists need to:

Communicate

• Understand spoken information.
• Listen to others and ask questions.
• Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
• Read and understand work-related materials.
• Understand written information.
• Write clearly so other people can understand.

Reason and problem solve

• Use reasoning to discover answers to problems.
• Combine several pieces of information and draw conclusions.
• Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong.
• Analyze ideas and use logic to determine their strengths and weaknesses.
• Judge the costs and benefits of a possible action.
• Recognize the nature of a problem.
• Understand new information or materials by studying and working with them.
• Follow guidelines to arrange objects or actions in a certain order.
• Develop rules that group items in various ways.
• Think of new ideas about a topic.
• Recognize when important changes happen or are likely to happen in a system.
• Identify what must be changed to reach goals.
• Concentrate and not be distracted while performing a task.
• Think of original, unusual, or creative ways to solve problems.

Manage oneself, people, time, and things

• Check how well one is learning or doing something.
• Manage the time of self and others.

Work with people

• Be aware of others' reactions and understand the possible causes.
• Look for ways to help people.
• Change behavior in relation to others' actions.
• Persuade others to approach things differently.
• Use several methods to learn or teach new things.
• Solve problems by bringing others together to discuss differences.
• Teach others how to do something.

Perceive and visualize

• Identify a pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in distracting material.

Education and training

Educational programs

The programs of study listed below will help you prepare for the occupation or career cluster you are exploring.

Programs of study directly related to this occupation

• School Psychology

Other programs of study to consider

• Clinical Psychology
• Counseling Psychology
• Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations
• Mental Health Counseling
• Psychology, General
• School Counseling

Training

To work as a school psychologist, you typically need to:

• have a high school diploma or equivalent;
• have a bachelor's degree;
• have at least a master's degree in school psychology;
• complete an internship; and
• pass a licensing exam.

Education after high school

Most school psychologists earn an education specialist (EdS) degree in school psychology. This takes a minimum of three years of graduate study and a one-year, full-time internship. You study both psychology and education in-depth. Some people decide to continue their education with a doctoral degree in school psychology. This generally takes five to seven years.

During your graduate work you study child and adolescent development, data-based decision- making, mental health, learning styles, and many other subjects.

A bachelor's degree in education or psychology is a good foundation for your graduate study. Make sure to take classes in child development, research methods, statistics, and English.

On-the-job training

After you complete your graduate study, a one-year, full-time internship is necessary. During this you work in a school setting and receive hands-on experience.

School psychologists attend classes and seminars each year to update their skills and knowledge. They must complete a certain number of continuing education hours each year. This is required to remain certified as a school psychologist or maintain a professional license.

Helpful high school courses

In high school, take classes that prepare you for college. A college preparatory curriculum may be different from your state's graduation requirements.

You should also consider taking some advanced courses in high school. This includes Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) courses if they are available in your school. If you do well in these courses, you may receive college credit for them. Advanced courses can also strengthen your college application.

Helpful electives to take in high school that prepare you for this career include:

• Anthropology
• Child Development
• Ethnic and Gender Studies
• Parenting
• Psychology
• Sociology

Many school psychologists are self-employed. If you want to run your own business some day, you should consider taking these courses as well:

• Accounting
• Entrepreneurship
• Introduction to Business

The courses listed above are meant to help you create your high school plan. If you have not already done so, talk to a school counselor or parent about the courses you are considering taking.

You should also check with a teacher or counselor to see if work-based learning opportunities are available in your school and community. These might include field trips, job shadowing, internships, and actual work experience. The goal of these activities is to help you connect your school experiences with real-life work.

Join some groups, try some hobbies, or volunteer with an organization that interests you. By participating in activities you can have fun, make new friends, and learn about yourself. Maybe one of them will help direct you to a future career. Here are examples of activities and groups that may be available in your high school or community.

Things to know

Most employers require a master's degree in school psychology. All states require school psychologists to be licensed.

Applicants must have good communication skills and a strong desire to help others. Some employers prefer applicants who are certified by The National Association of School Psychologists. Some employers look for school psychologists who speak languages other than English.

Licensing/certification

School psychologists must be certified by the Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. There are two levels of certification for those applying for certification in Washington for the first time: residency and professional. Residency certificate requirements include:

• being 18 years of age;
• digital fingerprinting and national background check;
• evidence of good moral character and physical fitness;
• a master's degree in school psychology;
• completion of a state-approved program for certification as a school psychologist; and
• completion of a written exam of the knowledge included in the course work for the required master's degree or the Praxis II specialty area test in school psychology.

The residency certificate is undated when first issued. After two years of employment as a school psychologist, the certificate becomes valid for five years.

Requirements for a professional certificate include:

• Nationally Certified School Psychologist certificate from the National Association of School Psychologists; and
• completion of approved course work in issues of abuse (physical, emotional, sexual, and substance abuse) and suicide prevention.

The original educational staff associate certificate is good for five years. The renewal certificate is good for two years. After that, qualified psychologists receive a professional certificate. School psychologists who do not already have a valid educational staff associate certificate must go through a background check which includes digital fingerprinting. Digital fingerprints can be obtained at one of nine Educational Service District (ESD) offices. There is a main processing fee and each ESD may also charge a processing fee. Fingerprints can also be obtained from private fingerprinting services or law enforcement agencies for an additional fee and submitted to Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. Employers may require an additional background check.

School psychologists must take 100-clock hours of continuing education and three hours of approved suicide prevention training every five years to renew their certification.

For more information on state certification, contact:

Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction
Professional Education and Certification 
PO Box 47200
Olympia, WA 98504-7200
360.725.6400

#2/12/20

Job listings

Listed below are links to job categories from the National Labor Exchange that relate to this career. Once you get a list of jobs, you can view information about individual jobs and find out how to apply. If your job search finds too many openings, or if you wish to search for jobs outside of Washington, you will need to refine your search.

• Educational Psychologists 

To get a listing of current jobs from the WorkSource system, go to the WorkSource website .

Wages

Psychologists working for public schools in the state earn an annual average base salary of $59,675 per year.

#Updated ES wage info 07.16 sd; Updated OSPI data from 2011-12 School Dist. Personnel Summary Report, 4/30/13 cj. Updated from 2013-14 OSPI rpt 3/30/15 cj. 4/11/16 lh, 4/3/17, 3/18/19 cj.

Wages vary by employer and area of the country. The psychologist's experience and reputation also affect wages.

Salaried psychologists who work full time usually receive benefits such as paid vacation, sick leave, and health insurance. Self-employed school psychologists must provide their own insurance.

Employment and outlook

Washington outlook

The table below provides information about the number of workers in this career in various regions. It also provides information about the expected growth rate and future job openings.

National employment

About 30% of school psychologists are self-employed.

Major employers:

• Schools, colleges, and universities

National outlook

Demand for this occupation will grow much faster than average. This is due to the increase in the number of students in schools. It is also because schools are trying to handle students' mental health and behavioral problems.

Opportunities should be best for psychologists with a doctorate (PhD). Those who have a master's degree in school psychology should also have many job prospects.

Other resources

American Psychological Association 
750 First Street NE
Washington, DC 20002
800.374.2721

Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards 
PO Box 849
Tyrone, GA 30290
678.216.1175

Careers in Psychology 

National Association of School Psychologists 
4340 East West Highway, Suite 402
Bethesda, MD 20814
866.331.6277
301.657.0270

School Psychologist Files 

Washington State Association of School Psychologists 
PO Box 525
Cheney, WA 99004
509.724.1587

Who are School Psychologists? 

References

Career cluster

• Human Services

Career path

• Social

O*Net  occupation

• School Psychologists (19-3031.01) 

O*Net job zone 

• Job Zone 5 - Extensive preparation needed. Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience.

DOT occupation

• Psychologist, School (045.107-034) 

Strong Interest Inventory

• Psychologist

Holland occupational clusters

• Investigative/Social/Artistic
• Investigative/Social/Conventional

COPSystem

• Science Professional
• Service Professional