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Psychoanalysis & Psychotherapy

A program that prepares individuals to practice the provision of psychoanalytic counseling to individuals and groups based on the psychodynamic principles evolved from authorities such as Freud, Adler, and Jung. Includes instruction in self-analysis, personality theory, dream analysis, free association and transference theory and techniques, psychodynamic theory, developmental processes, applications to specific clinical conditions, practice management, and professional standards and ethics.

Types of Degrees Psychoanalysis & Psychotherapy Majors Are Earning

Those studying Psychoanalysis & Psychotherapy have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Master’s Degree	3
Doctor’s Degree	2

What Psychoanalysis & Psychotherapy Majors Need to Know

Coursework for Psychoanalysis & Psychotherapy develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Psychoanalysis & Psychotherapy graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Psychoanalysis & Psychotherapy emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Therapy and Counseling — Importance 5 / 5; level 6.9 / 7.
• Psychology — Importance 5 / 5; level 6.9 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5.0 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set emphasized by a Psychoanalysis & Psychotherapy program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.8 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Social Perceptiveness — Importance 4.4 / 5; level 5 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to Psychoanalysis & Psychotherapy careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.6 / 5; level 5 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.5 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.4 / 5; level 5 / 7.
• Problem Sensitivity — Importance 4.4 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Psychoanalysis & Psychotherapy graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.7 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.6 / 7
Assisting and Caring for Others	4.6 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.4 / 7
Getting Information	4.4 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.3 / 7
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards	4.0 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.0 / 7
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others	4 / 7
Providing Consultation and Advice to Others	4.0 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Psychoanalysis & Psychotherapy professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
MS*Health Software/CMHC	Medical software	—
Blueberry Harbor Software Clinical Record Keeper	Medical software	—
Polaris Health Directions Polaris-MH	Medical software	—
Spreadsheet software	Spreadsheet software	—
DocuTrac QuicDoc	Medical software	—
BRB Software HorizonMIS	Medical software	—
Statistical software	Analytical or scientific software	—
Google Meet	Video conferencing software	✓
O*NET OnLine	Data base user interface and query software	—
Google Sheets	Spreadsheet software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
B Sharp Technologies B Care	Medical software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Psychoanalysis & Psychotherapy graduates include:

• Licensed Psychologist
• Clinical Child Psychologist
• Counseling Service Psychologist
• Case Manager
• Child and Adolescent Therapist
• Psychologist
• LPC (Licensed Professional Counselor)
• Behavioral Analyst
• Personal Counselor
• Behavior Therapist
• Family Psychologist
• Clinical Psychologist
• Behavior Specialist
• Geropsychologist
• Treatment Coordinator

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Psychoanalysis & Psychotherapy graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Post-doctoral training	48%
Doctoral degree	44%
Master’s degree	8%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Psychoanalysis & Psychotherapy?

Gender Distribution

This field has a relatively balanced gender distribution: 60% women and 40% men among Psychoanalysis & Psychotherapy graduates.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	3	60.0%
Men	2	40.0%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Psychoanalysis & Psychotherapy graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	2	40.0%
Asian	1	20.0%
Race Unknown	2	40.0%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Psychoanalysis & Psychotherapy Graduates Earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of Psychoanalysis & Psychotherapy graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$46,066
4 years	$46,824
5 years	$52,641

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $52,641 — roughly 14% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Is a Degree in Psychoanalysis & Psychotherapy Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Psychoanalysis & Psychotherapy graduates earn a median of $46,824 four years after completion — roughly 23% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions	33,946
Mental Health Counseling/Counselor	10,855
Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling	6,135
Marriage and Family Therapy/Counseling	4,476
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions, Other	3,545
Clinical/Medical Social Work	3,296
Psychiatric/Mental Health Services Technician	2,601
Community Health Services/Liaison/Counseling	2,298
Genetic Counseling/Counselor	378
Clinical Pastoral Counseling/Patient Counseling	187
Trauma Counseling	161
Medical Family Therapy/Therapist	6

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.