# Industrial-Organizational Psychologists

> Apply principles of psychology to human resources, administration, management, sales, and marketing problems. Activities may include policy planning; employee testing and selection, training, and development; and organizational development and analysis. May work with management to organize the work setting to improve worker productivity.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/industrial-organizational-psychologists
- SOC code: 19-3032.00
- Career family: Science
- Median annual pay: $193,950 (10th percentile $79,010, 90th percentile $247,220)
- Projected growth: Faster than average, +6.5%
- Openings a year: 300
- Typical entry education: Master's degree
- Bright outlook: yes
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code IEC)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 1 |
| Investigative (I) | 72 |
| Artistic (A) | 36 |
| Social (S) | 50 |
| Enterprising (E) | 62 |
| Conventional (C) | 55 |

## What you'd do

- Providing Consultation and Advice to Others (importance 94/100)
- Getting Information (importance 93/100)
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems (importance 92/100)
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships (importance 91/100)
- Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others (importance 91/100)
- Analyzing Data or Information (importance 90/100)
- Working with Computers (importance 89/100)
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 89/100)
- Processing Information (importance 87/100)
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work (importance 84/100)

## Skills

Active Listening, Reading Comprehension, Writing, Critical Thinking, Judgment and Decision Making, Speaking, Complex Problem Solving, Systems Evaluation, Active Learning, Monitoring

## Knowledge

Personnel and Human Resources, Psychology, Education and Training, Administration and Management, Mathematics, English Language, Customer and Personal Service, Law and Government, Sociology and Anthropology, Computers and Electronics

## Also called

Consulting Psychologist, Engineering Psychologist, HR Consultant (Human Resources Consultant), HR OD Consultant (Human Resources Organizational Development Consultant), HR Psychologist (Human Resources Psychologist), I-O Practitioner (Industrial-Organizational Practitioner), I-O Psychologist (Industrial-Organizational Psychologist), Industrial Psychologist, Learning and Organizational Development Specialist (Learning and OD Specialist), Management Consultant

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [Psychology, General](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/4201) (CIP 4201, 1,605 colleges)
- [Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/4228) (CIP 4228, 729 colleges)

## Colleges with strong outcomes (College Scorecard, 2025)

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [Georgetown University-DC](https://www.collegesref.com/college/georgetown-university-dc-1068) | Psychology, General | $47,774 | $99,007 | $12,500 |
| [Carnegie Mellon University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/carnegie-mellon-university-406) | Psychology, General | $54,429 | $82,433 | not reported |
| [Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott](https://www.collegesref.com/college/embry-riddle-aeronautical-university-prescott-909) | Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology | $48,898 | $82,023 | $24,529 |
| [Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach](https://www.collegesref.com/college/embry-riddle-aeronautical-university-daytona-beach-908) | Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology | $48,898 | $82,023 | $24,529 |
| [George Washington University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/george-washington-university-1066) | Psychology, General | not reported | $79,187 | $19,500 |
| [Cornell University-New York](https://www.collegesref.com/college/cornell-university-new-york-710) | Psychology, General | $43,156 | $78,049 | $12,500 |
| [Boston College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/boston-college-285) | Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology | $53,507 | $76,328 | $19,000 |
| [Santa Clara University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/santa-clara-university-2371) | Psychology, General | $40,079 | $75,742 | $15,500 |

## Related careers

- [Training and Development Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/training-and-development-managers): $133,000 median pay
- [Training and Development Specialists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/training-and-development-specialists): $69,280 median pay
- [Management Analysts](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/management-analysts): $101,860 median pay
- [Human Resources Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/human-resources-managers): $149,280 median pay
- [Human Resources Specialists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/human-resources-specialists): $75,940 median pay
- [Instructional Coordinators](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/instructional-coordinators): $77,440 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.