Research shows that mental health is a desirable career path among psychology students but very few actually work in the field after graduation
Over the years, UK higher education institutions have faced criticism for offering 'low quality' courses that lead to poor labour market outcomes for graduates. In response, government proposals have sought to limit courses that do not significantly improve earning potential, while making exceptions for those deemed to deliver high social value.1
Psychology graduates are among the lowest paid graduates in the UK. However, given their broad and transferable set of skills, they play a vital role in a range of professional occupations. Reflecting this, research from the Department for Education identified therapy, counselling, and psychology-related skills as increasingly important for the future labour market.2
There is no question that psychology graduates leave university with a skillset that enables them to make valuable contributions across society. But as demand for psychological support grows, does more need to be done to steer these graduates toward careers in mental health?
According to HESA's most recent Graduate Outcomes data, 62% of UK domiciled, first degree psychology graduates were in full (47.7%) or part-time (14.3%) employment 15 months after graduation, with a further 14% reporting that they were working alongside their studies. The majority (55%) were working in professional-level employment.
Nevertheless, only 27% of these graduates were working in healthcare professions when surveyed, 15% of whom were working as therapy professionals.
| Health and Social Services Managers and Directors | 0.1% |
|---|---|
| Managers and Proprietors in Health and Care Services | 0.4% |
| Medical practitioners | 0.02% |
| Therapy Professionals | 15.0% |
| Nursing Professionals | 0.5% |
| Other Health Professionals | 1.0% |
| Health Associate Professionals | 0.5% |
| Caring Personal Services | 9.2% |
While psychology is one of the most popular undergraduate courses in the UK, there appears to be a wide disparity between students' career aspirations at the outset of their degree and their eventual career outcomes. Research from the Nuffield Trust found that nine in ten (91%) psychology undergraduates appear to want a career in mental health at the outset of their degree, falling to 79% by their final year.3
Complex career pathways
Given the amount of education and experience needed to pursue certain psychological professions, potential career pathways are often more complex for the average psychology graduate than those who graduate with more vocational degrees. On top of that, psychology-specific jobs are not always visible to students. With many graduates having narrow career goals centred around academia, clinical and forensic psychology, they can have a limited view of the alternative, more easily accessible jobs.4
Subsequently, while the vast majority of psychology graduates have ambitions to pursue a career in mental health, it appears that the complex nature of the career pathways available to these graduates may put a lot of them off from working in their desired field. And those who aren't put off still have a long journey ahead.
According to the BPS Careers destination survey, due to postgraduate training and work experience requirements, it takes three to five years just to get a job that is part of their route to becoming a psychology professional. In addition, the survey also found that the more time that passed after graduation, the higher the chance that psychology graduates were employed in a non-professional job linked to their career goal5, and 78% of graduates obtained a non-professional job in their desired role after 12 months of graduation.6
Additionally, while just over a quarter (27%) of first-degree psychology graduates were working in health or care roles when surveyed by HESA, 69% said that their current work fits within their plans for the future
Looking at these findings, it is clear that we need to re-evaluate how we see the career outcomes of first-degree psychology graduates. HESA's Graduate Outcomes data provides us with a useful snapshot of psychology graduates' early career outcomes; however, considering the complex nature of the career pathways available to these graduates, determining the value of a psychology degree based on the outcomes of first-degree psychology graduates 15 months after graduation is premature to say the least. Across all branches of psychology, very few psychologists are aged under 30.7
Postgraduate outcomes
Even using Graduate Outcomes data, we can see some of the effect that time and experience has on the outcomes of psychology graduates. Those who graduated from a postgraduate psychology course had better outcomes across the board 15 months after graduation.
| Occupational therapists | 8% |
|---|---|
| Welfare and housing associate professionals n.e.c. | 6% |
| Educational support assistants | 6% |
| Care workers and home carers | 6% |
| Sales and retail assistants | 4% |
| Other psychologists | 3% |
| Therapy professionals n.e.c. | 3% |
| Counsellors | 2% |
| Nursing auxiliaries and assistants | 2% |
| Other administrative occupations n.e.c. | 2% |
| Psychotherapists and cognitive behaviour therapists | 12% |
|---|---|
| Therapy professionals n.e.c. | 11% |
| Other psychologists | 11% |
| Clinical psychologists | 8% |
| Welfare and housing associate professionals n.e.c. | 5% |
| Other health professionals n.e.c. | 4% |
| Occupational therapists | 4% |
| Counsellors | 3% |
| Higher education teaching professionals | 2% |
| Other researchers, unspecified discipline | 2% |
Three quarters of psychology postgraduates reported that they were in full (60%) or part-time (17%) employment when surveyed, with the vast majority (89%) working in professional level jobs - compared to 55% of undergraduates. Additionally, 58% were working a job in healthcare, with 46% working as therapy professionals.
Although there isn't much difference between groups in terms earnings, considering that getting a postgraduate degree is only the first step to their desired role for many psychology graduates, it is safe to say that the average salaries of these graduates will increase over time.
| Subject | Undergraduate | Postgraduate |
|---|---|---|
| Counselling, psychotherapy and occupational therapy | 28900 | 30145 |
| Psychology (non-specific) | 25715 | 27400 |
| Applied psychology | 25795 | 25310 |
| Developmental psychology | 23465 | 28380 |
| Psychology and health | 26170 | 26900 |
For instance, a trainee clinical psychologists salary starts at £32,306, rising to £40,057 after qualification. More experienced psychologists can earn between £47,126 and £63,862, with consultant-level clinical psychologist roles typically ranging from £65,664 to £90,387 and heads of psychology services possibly earning in the region of £93,735 to £108,075.8
The importance of experience is also apparent when we consider how respondents reflect on their activities. When asked if their work is meaningful, 84% of undergrads agreed compared 94% of postgrads. The difference was even more pronounced when they were asked if they were utilising the skills that they learned during their studies in their current work, with 63% of undergrads saying this compared to 83% of postgrads.
Raising awareness
To ensure that more psychology graduates are going into careers in mental health, universities and careers services must do more to raise awareness of the pathways available. Students should also be informed about roles they can access immediately after graduation (e.g. psychological support work, research assistance, HR etc.).9
Furthermore, a large number of psychologists appear to be working in roles that do not require them to register. The BPS Careers destination survey found that there could be around 9,000 people in psychology-related, but not registered, roles in every graduate cohort - an important consideration when looking at the outcomes of first-degree psychology graduates.10
Notes:
- The myth of 'Mickey Mouse' degrees, Prospects, 2025
- What do graduates do? 2023, Luminate, 2022.
- The right track: Participation and progression in psychology career paths, Nuffield Trust, 2021.
- Why graduate outcome measures in psychology don't add up, BPS, 2022
- This suggests that being employed in a non-professional role 15 months after graduation is not an indicator that a Psychology graduate isn't on route to their desired career destination.
- Ibid.
- The right track: Participation and progression in psychology career paths, Nuffield Trust, 2021.
- Job profile: Clinical psychologist, Prospects, 2022.
- Why graduate outcome measures in psychology don't add up, BPS, 2022
- The right track: Participation and progression in psychology career paths, Nuffield Trust, 2021.
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