Most of us have a general understanding of what a psychologist does: provide mental health care. But did you know that there are more than 56 different divisions of the American Psychological Association? In the U.S. alone, there were 160,200 reported psychologist jobs in 2012, a majority of which were clinical, counseling, and school positions. Speaking of schools, psychologists working in schools are called, well, School Psychologists. Here are few frequently asked questions about this fast-growing healthcare profession:

What do School Psychologists do?

School psychologists take part in much more than providing mental health care and counseling to students in schools. They also assist parents and administrators with the academic struggles of a student, review test scores, verify if students are qualified for special services, and treat behavioral and emotional problems through therapy. [¹]

Where do School Psychologists work?

Most school psychologists work in K-12 public schools, but they can provide services in other settings such as data collection and analysis, assessment, consultation, and mental health interventions.

How do I become a School Psychologist?

In order to become a school psychologist, you must obtain an advanced or doctoral degree relevant to both psychology and education. You must also complete at least 1,200 internship hours at a school and achieve a passing score on the Praxis II exam in school psychology.

What is the job outlook for School Psychologists?

U.S. News ranked School Psychologist as the #17 Best Jobs of 2015, and for good reason. School psychologist employment is projected to grow 12% between 2012 and 2022 as more and more schools strive to address students’ learning and emotional needs.

There are several job boards dedicated to school psychology opportunities, the largest ones being The NASP Career Center, SchoolPsychJobs.com, School Spring, and EdJoin.org.

Got tips for aspiring school psychologists? Please share them in the comments below! And don’t forget to check out the latest school psychologist jobs we offer at Soliant Health! Click here to get started.

[¹] http://money.usnews.com/careers/best-jobs/school-psychologist