Industrial-organizational psychologists salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $79,010 | $37.99 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $193,950 | $93.24 |
| Mean (average) | $170,230 | $81.84 |
| 90th percentile | $247,220 | $118.86 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Industrial-organizational psychologists pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 2 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon | $174,980 | $92,450 | $174,980 | 60 | 5.76 |
| Texas | $139,520 | $80,820 | $154,540 | 40 | 0.49 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Job outlook for industrial-organizational psychologists
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 300. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 80.3%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for industrial-organizational psychologists
- Typical entry education
- Master's degree
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Internship/residency
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Psychology, General CIP 42.0101
- Industrial and Organizational Psychology CIP 42.2804
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Provide advice on best practices and implementation for selection.
- Develop and implement employee selection or placement programs.
- Analyze data, using statistical methods and applications, to evaluate the outcomes and effectiveness of workplace programs.
- Develop interview techniques, rating scales, and psychological tests used to assess skills, abilities, and interests for the purpose of employee selection, placement, or promotion.
- Observe and interview workers to obtain information about the physical, mental, and educational requirements of jobs, as well as information about aspects such as job satisfaction.
- Facilitate organizational development and change.
- Analyze job requirements and content to establish criteria for classification, selection, training, and other related personnel functions.
- Advise management concerning personnel, managerial, and marketing policies and practices and their potential effects on organizational effectiveness and efficiency.
Technology skills
- Adobe Acrobat (hot technology)
- Google Sheets (hot technology)
- Hypertext markup language HTML (hot technology)
- IBM SPSS Statistics (hot technology)
- Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft Project (hot technology)
- Microsoft Visio (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Oracle PeopleSoft (hot technology)
- SAS (hot technology)
- Assessment Systems Corporation XCALIBRE
- Human resource information system (HRIS)
Transferable skills for career changers: Judgment and Decision Making, Complex Problem Solving, Systems Evaluation, Social Perceptiveness, Systems Analysis, Coordination.
Common job titles: Consulting Psychologist, I-O Practitioner (Industrial-Organizational Practitioner), I-O Psychologist (Industrial-Organizational Psychologist), Industrial Psychologist, Management Consultant, Organizational Consultant, Organizational Development Specialist (OD Specialist), Organizational Psychologist, Personnel Research Psychologist, Research Scientist.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do industrial-organizational psychologists make?
The national median annual wage for industrial-organizational psychologists was $193,950 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $79,010 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $247,220. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do industrial-organizational psychologists need?
BLS lists master's degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and internship/residency on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is industrial-organizational psychologists a growing career?
BLS projects employment of industrial-organizational psychologists to change +6.5% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 300 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay industrial-organizational psychologists the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Oregon ($174,980), Texas ($139,520). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.