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Child psychologists study childrens' mental processes and behavior. They observe, interpret, and record how children relate to one another, adults, and the environment. Child psychologists also look for patterns to understand and predict behavior, using scientific methods, principles, or procedures to test their ideas. A deep understanding of child development and cognitive psychology is essential to do this job effectively.

What to Know About Child Psychology Studies

You can secure an entry level position in child psychology with a bachelor's degree, but most people working in the field have, at least, a master's degree. The ideal education for a child psychology career is a doctoral degree (PsyD or PhD) that includes training in cognitive psychology and child psychology studies. Most child psychology programs require that students participate in internships and supervised work in order to graduate. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) child psychologists earned the following salaries in May 2008:

• Median annual salary for clinical, counseling, and school psychologists--$64,140
• The middle 50 percent--$48,700 to $82,800
• The lowest 10 percent earned less than $37,900
• The highest 10 percent earned more than $106,840

That same year, about 152,000 child psychologists specialized in clinical, school, and counseling psychology and about 170,000 psychologists practiced in the U.S. The BLS predicts the job market for psychologists will rise about 12 percent over the next ten years.