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What Can You Do With a Forensic Psychology Degree? (2026)
Key takeaway: A forensic psychology degree reaches two different job markets. Licensed doctoral practice pays a median annual wage of $110,840 for psychologists, all other, and $100,580 for clinical and counseling psychologists (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS), and requires a doctorate plus a state license. Bachelor's and master's graduates work in community supervision, correctional treatment, victim services, and agency analysis, where probation officers and correctional treatment specialists earn a median of $66,270 and social and human service assistants $45,930 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS). Read the level before you read the wage.
Forensic psychology is psychological science applied to legal questions. The routine work is evaluation, risk assessment, treatment planning, and report writing for courts, attorneys, correctional agencies, and juvenile systems. It is not profiling as television presents it, and outside of licensed doctoral practice it is not therapy either. That distinction drives the entire job map below.
Jobs you can get with a forensic psychology degree
| Occupation | Median annual wage | Typical entry level |
|---|---|---|
| Psychologists, all other | $110,840 | Doctorate plus state license |
| First-line supervisors of police and detectives | $106,040 | Promotion from sworn service |
| Clinical and counseling psychologists | $100,580 | Doctorate plus state license |
| Detectives and criminal investigators | $93,790 | Sworn hiring and academy |
| Forensic science technicians | $72,060 | Bachelor’s in a natural science |
| Probation officers and correctional treatment specialists | $66,270 | Bachelor’s |
| Rehabilitation counselors | $46,850 | Varies; master’s for licensed roles |
| Social and human service assistants | $45,930 | Bachelor’s or less |
View the data behind this chart
| Occupation | Avg. annual openings |
|---|---|
| Social and Human Service Assistants | 50,600/yr |
| First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives | 10,900/yr |
| Rehabilitation Counselors | 10,000/yr |
| Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists | 7,900/yr |
| Detectives and Criminal Investigators | 7,800/yr |
| Clinical and Counseling Psychologists | 4,800/yr |
| Psychologists, All Other | 3,900/yr |
| Forensic Science Technicians | 2,900/yr |
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS national medians. Median means half of workers in the occupation earned more and half earned less. Entry requirements are typical patterns, not universal rules; individual agencies set their own standards.
Psychologists, all other. This is the BLS category that carries forensic and correctional psychologists who are not counted as clinical, counseling, school, or industrial-organizational. The national median annual wage was $110,840; the 10th percentile was $54,990 and the 90th percentile $168,520 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS). Employment was 55,300 in 2024, projected to grow 4.3 percent through 2034 with about 3,900 openings per year (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-2034). The work is court-ordered evaluation, consultation to attorneys and agencies, forensic hospital and correctional practice, and testimony. Entry requires a doctorate, supervised hours, the national licensing examination, and a state license.
Clinical and counseling psychologists. Many forensic practitioners are counted here when their work is primarily clinical. The national median annual wage was $100,580; the 10th percentile was $55,170 and the 90th percentile $180,960 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS). Employment was 76,300 in 2024, projected to grow 11.2 percent with about 4,800 openings per year (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-2034) – the fastest growth among the occupations on this page. Same gate: doctorate and license.
Probation officers and correctional treatment specialists. This is the most common destination for a bachelor’s or master’s in forensic psychology. The work is risk and needs assessment with structured instruments, presentence and violation reports, case planning, and supervision of people on probation, parole, or in institutional release planning. The national median annual wage was $66,270; the 10th percentile was $46,840 and the 90th percentile $107,790 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS). Employment was 92,300 in 2024, projected to grow 2.6 percent with about 7,900 openings per year (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-2034). Entry typically requires a bachelor’s degree in a behavioral or social science, a background investigation, and an agency training academy. See how to become a probation officer.
Social and human service assistants. Victim advocacy, case management, intake, diversion program staffing, and juvenile services often carry this classification. The national median annual wage was $45,930; the 10th percentile was $34,200 and the 90th percentile $63,290 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS). Employment was 449,600 in 2024, projected to grow 6.4 percent with about 50,600 openings per year (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-2034). That is the largest volume of annual openings on this page by a wide margin, which makes it a realistic entry point and a common place to plateau without a graduate credential.
Detectives and criminal investigators. Investigative work attracts forensic psychology students, and the psychology background genuinely helps with interviewing and case analysis. It is not, however, the hiring path. The national median annual wage was $93,790; the 10th percentile was $55,390 and the 90th percentile $160,540 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS). Employment was 117,900 in 2024 and is projected to decline 0.7 percent through 2034, with about 7,800 openings per year (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-2034). Most detectives are promoted from sworn patrol service after hiring, academy training, and time in grade. See how to become a detective.
First-line supervisors of police and detectives. Supervisory law enforcement roles had a national median annual wage of $106,040; the 10th percentile was $63,350 and the 90th percentile $165,110 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS). Employment was 160,800 in 2024, projected to grow 2.9 percent with about 10,900 openings per year (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-2034). These are promotions within an agency, where a graduate degree can help a promotional file but does not substitute for service time.
Forensic science technicians. Included here because the fields are constantly confused. This is laboratory and crime-scene analysis of physical evidence, and it hires on a natural science bachelor’s rather than a psychology one. The national median annual wage was $72,060; the 10th percentile was $48,250 and the 90th percentile $117,250 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS). Employment was 20,700 in 2024, projected to grow 12.8 percent with about 2,900 openings per year (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-2034). If this is the work you want, see forensic science.
Rehabilitation counselors. Reentry, substance use, and disability-related counseling roles connected to justice-involved populations often fall here. The national median annual wage was $46,850; the 10th percentile was $35,060 and the 90th percentile $77,170 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS). Employment was 91,900 in 2024, projected to grow 1.4 percent with about 10,000 openings per year (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-2034). Licensed counseling roles have their own graduate requirements; see counseling.
What the degree level changes
Degree level is the whole story in this field, more than in almost any other silo on this site.
The online bachelor’s in forensic psychology qualifies you for community supervision, victim services, case management, juvenile services, and analytic support roles. It does not qualify you to assess or treat anyone in your own name. It is also a legitimate foundation for graduate study, particularly if you take real statistics and research methods.
The online master’s in forensic psychology can move you into specialist and supervisory agency roles and can prepare you for doctoral study. It still does not authorize psychological practice or expert testimony.
The doctorate plus a state license is the only route to the two psychologist occupations at the top of the table. That path runs through an American Psychological Association accredited doctoral program, a supervised internship, postdoctoral supervised hours in most states, and the national licensing examination. See how to become a forensic psychologist for the sequence and psychology for the broader discipline.
Common questions
What jobs can you get with a forensic psychology degree?
With a bachelor’s or master’s: probation officer, correctional treatment specialist, victim advocate, case manager, juvenile services worker, court program coordinator, crime or intelligence analyst, and research assistant. With a doctorate and a license: forensic psychologist conducting evaluations, correctional and forensic hospital psychologist, and consultant to courts and attorneys.
How much do forensic psychology graduates make?
It depends entirely on level. BLS May 2025 national medians are $110,840 for psychologists, all other, $100,580 for clinical and counseling psychologists, $93,790 for detectives and criminal investigators, $66,270 for probation officers and correctional treatment specialists, and $45,930 for social and human service assistants (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS).
Do I need a doctorate to be a forensic psychologist?
Yes. Every state restricts the title psychologist and the practice of psychological assessment and testimony to licensed practitioners, and licensure requires a doctorate. A master’s is not a shortcut.
Which of these careers has the most openings?
Social and human service assistants, with about 50,600 annual openings, followed by first-line supervisors of police and detectives at about 10,900 and rehabilitation counselors at about 10,000 (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-2034). The highest median wage on this page belongs to the occupation with the strictest entry requirement, which is the trade-off the field asks you to make.
Is a forensic psychology degree worth it?
It is worth it if you want agency work the bachelor’s actually reaches, or if you are treating it as the first step in a doctoral plan you have researched. It is a poor purchase if you expect it to make you a forensic psychologist on its own. The is a forensic psychology degree worth it page walks through the trade-offs.
Keep exploring
- Start at the forensic psychology program hub, then compare levels: online bachelor’s and online master’s.
- Walk through how to become a forensic psychologist, or weigh the trade-offs on is it worth it.
- Find programs near you at the state index.
- Compare related fields: psychology, criminal justice, forensic science, corrections, and counseling.
Data verified: September 5, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.