To date, we’ve asked 42 current and past clinical, counseling, and applied psychology students about their happiness with their degree. Turns out, they rate it above average.

Different majors will offer different opportunities.

To help you reach the decision that is right for you, we asked students who have pursued a clinical, counseling, and applied psychology degree to respond to questions concerning five dimensions of the educational track they chose:

  • Course material: Were they interested in the material they learned?
  • Intellectual fulfillment: Did they find the coursework intellectually stimulating?
  • Job prospects: Did they leave the program with job opportunities?
  • Personality: Was the degree a good fit for their personality?
  • Overall fit: Were they happy with the program overall?

We examined their responses and combined the rankings to give us an average satisfaction score across all students. This doesn't necessarily reflect how satisfied you would be with a clinical, counseling, and applied psychology degree, but it’s a starting point to help you evaluate your options.

How satisfied are clinical, counseling, and applied psychology students compared to other degrees?

Overall, clinical, counseling, and applied psychology students rate their satisfaction with their degree a 3.5 out of 5. This is high compared to other degrees which average a rating of 3.28 across all degrees. For context, clinical, counseling, and applied psychology students rate their happiness similarly to students in Healthcare Management, Ethnic, Cultural, Gender, and Group Studies and Public Policy.

Here are other degrees that have a similar satisfaction rating to clinical, counseling, and applied psychology

DegreeAvg Grad SalarySatisfaction
English Literature (British And Commonwealth)$67,241
Fashion Design$47,178
Design and Applied Arts$54,021
Public Policy$92,203
Clinical, Counseling, and Applied Psychology$49,998
Healthcare Management$56,222
Ethnic, Cultural, Gender, and Group Studies$62,796
Statistics$78,623
Visual and Performing Arts$54,240
Health and Medical Administrative Services$54,095

Let's break that down further.

Are clinical, counseling, and applied psychology students satisfied with what they’re learning?

We asked students about their satisfaction with their course material and overall intellectual fulfillment. Here’s what they said:

We asked graduates how interesting they found the course material to be. Their response was:
4.2 out of 5 stars
49 ratings
5 stars
39%
4 stars
43%
3 stars
14%
2 stars
4%
1 stars
0%
We asked graduates how intellectually fulfilling they found the degree. Their response was:
4.0 out of 5 stars
46 ratings
5 stars
35%
4 stars
41%
3 stars
17%
2 stars
7%
1 stars
0%

These ratings are meant to give you an indication about what other people enrolled in clinical, counseling, and applied psychology experienced. While their input is useful, keep in mind that different people have had vastly different experiences, all of which were impacted by their personal motivations, professors, and specific curriculum. Always keep your own goals at the center of your decision-making process when it comes to something as significant as your education.

Did clinical, counseling, and applied psychology graduates leave school with good job prospects?

Of course, working towards a degree is also about pursuing your desired career. Here’s what clinical, counseling, and applied psychology grads had to say about their job prospects:

We asked graduates how satisfied they were with their job prospects. Their response was:
3.0 out of 5 stars
45 ratings
5 stars
2%
4 stars
36%
3 stars
31%
2 stars
18%
1 stars
13%

These responses represent a wide range of opinions. Things like extracurricular activities, internships and work placements can set you up for success after graduation.

Were clinical, counseling, and applied psychology students happy with their degree overall?

This rating takes into account all factors: how demanding the program is, whether graduates felt it was worthwhile, and how fulfilling they found their educational experience.

We asked graduates how satisfied they were with their degree as a whole. Their response was:
3.5 out of 5 stars
42 ratings
5 stars
29%
4 stars
26%
3 stars
21%
2 stars
14%
1 stars
10%

As you consider this information and input from others, remember above all that your choice should be based on your interests, goals, passions, and abilities. Consider the future and give yourself time. If you’re feeling unsure, click here to take our career assessment and see what path could be right for you.

Salary

Find out what graduates typically earn.

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