How to become a Psychologist

Official title: Psychologists

Also called: Clinical psychologist, Educational psychologist, Organizational psychologist, Psychotherapist, Sports psychologist

Psychologists research into and study the mental processes and behaviour of human beings as individuals or in groups, and apply this knowledge to promote personal, social, educational or occupational adjustment and development.

Main tasks

• Planning and carrying out tests to measure mental, physical and other characteristics such as intelligence, abilities, aptitudes, potentialities, etc., interpreting and evaluating results, and providing advice
• Analysing the effect of heredity, social, occupational and other factors on individual thought and behaviour
• Conducting counselling or therapeutic interviews with individuals and groups and providing follow-up services
• Maintaining required contacts, such as those with family members, educational authorities or employers, and recommending possible solutions to, and treatment of, problems
• Studying psychological factors in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mental illnesses and emotional or personality disorders, and conferring with related professionals
• Preparing scholarly papers and reports
• Formulating achievement, diagnostic and predictive tests for use by teachers in planning methods and content of instruction
• Conducting surveys and research studies on job design, work groups, morale, motivation, supervision and management
• Developing theories, models and methods to interpret and describe human behaviour

Ways in

• University: Psychology degrees, Offered by 18 universities in Hong Kong

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

• Median pay: HK$48,000 a month
• About 1,542,900 people in 2025, and about 1,639,100 projected by 2028. (+6.2%)
• Generative AI could change some tasks in this job, by the ILO's global estimate.

Related jobs

• Sociologists, anthropologists and related professionals
• Philosophers, historians and political scientists
• Social work and counselling professionals
• Religious professionals
• Economists

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Questions people ask

How do I become a Psychologist?

Ways in include: Psychology degrees.

Do you need a degree to become a Psychologist?

Usually. 85% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Will AI change the work of a Psychologist?

Generative AI could change some tasks in this job, by the ILO's global estimate.

Sources

• Census and Statistics Department (2021 Population Census): 2021 Population Census, Interactive Data Dissemination Service: working population by occupation (38 groups) and sex, age, education, income; median income and field of education (9 groups) (2021 Population Census), retrieved 4 October 2026
• Census and Statistics Department (General Household Survey): Median monthly employment earnings by occupation (9 groups), excluding foreign domestic helpers (Table 210-06317A); employed persons by occupation, age and sex (210-06307A) and by industry (210-06308A) (2025 annual (series to 2026-07)), retrieved 4 October 2026
• Labour and Welfare Bureau; tables published by C&SD: Mid-term Update of Manpower Projection to 2028: supplementary statistical tables (5 occupation groups, 17 selected industries) (2025 to 2028 (published 2026-09)), retrieved 4 October 2026
• International Labour Organization, Generative AI and Jobs: A Refined Global Index of Occupational Exposure (ILO Working Paper 140, Gmyrek et al.) (ILO Working Paper 140, May 2025, Annex Table A1), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 4 October 2026

Updated 4 October 2026