Industrial-Organizational Psychology Salary
Find out what kind of salaries you should expect in the Industrial-Organizational Psychology field
I/O Psychology Links
If you're interested in industrial-organizational psychology, you've chosen a field that offers an almost limitless number of career opportunities, and well paying salaries to match. Salaries for professionals working in the Industrial-Organizational Psychology (I/O) field are some of the highest paid among psychology careers, and higher than average salaries for all U.S. jobs.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a mean wage $41.57 hourly, or $86,460 annually (2008) for Industrial-Organizational Psychologists. Of course, like all other jobs, salaries are higher in some parts of the country than others, and those with master's or PhD's typically earn more than those with bachelor's degrees.
A 2006 Income and Employment Survey of the membership of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP) showed that members who live in Manhattan, other New York metro, San Francisco/San Jose metro, and Boston metro areas reported the highest median incomes. But government positions located in other cities also pay well, especially when adjusting for the cost-of-living in places like New York where housing costs 300 times the national average.
According to PayScale.com, salaries for I/O government employees, typically thought of as lower paid that those working in the private sector, are some of the highest in the field. PayScale.com also states that I/O psychologist salaries are higher for those with organizational development skills, or those who focus more on the "organizational-side" of the industrial-organizational career. Typical "O-side" careers focus more on organizational development and effectiveness rather than the processes involved with hiring and retaining employees - which reside more on the "industrial-side" of the career.
Organizations look at several factors when considering prospective candidates, such as years of experience, areas of specialization, and education level. The following chart lists average salaries for typical I/O job titles and openings on online employment websites during 2009.
| Industrial / Organizational Psychology Salaries | |
| Job Title | *Average Salary |
Workforce Insights Manager |
$92,000 |
Sr. Talent Management Specialist |
$66,000 |
Evaluation & Assessment Specialist/Manager |
$57,000 |
Professional Development |
$61,000 |
HR Organizational Development Specialist |
$67,000 |
Trainer |
$69,000 |
Test & Measurement Specialist |
$56,000 |
Organizational Effectiveness Director |
$75,000 |
Sr. Organization Development Advisor |
$82,000 |
Behavioral Analyst |
$55,000 |
Selection Systems Manager |
$60,000 |
HR Practice Manager |
$65,000 |
Research Analyst |
$61,000 |
Sr. Research Consultant |
$78,000 |
HR Consultant |
$77,000 |
Executive Coach |
$132,000 |
* all salaries reported by simplyhired.com as of Sept. 2009
If you enjoy helping others, working with statistics and quantitative tools, and desire a career with several options in diverse settings that offer competitive wages, you should consider a career in I/O psychology. Contact schools offering bachelor's degree programs in psychology, master's degree programs or PhD programs in industrial-organizational psychology.