What is the Job Market Outlook for Psychologists in New Jersey?

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Being such a small state, one would think the need for New Jersey psychologists may be a bit limited. With a population of just over 8 million, New Jersey crowds, on an average, over 1,000 people per square mile. Thriving in business, women own over 27% of business firms. Food service is high in the area of business establishments and over 15% of those businesses are managed or owned by minorities.

New Jersey boasts a relatively low poverty rate, which has been fairly stable over the last 4 years, that being only slightly higher than 9%. About 87% of New Jersey’s population has attained a high school diploma and at least 35% have a bachelor’s degree in some type of formal educative program. Academic excellence seems to impact the outcomes in percentages involving not only poverty rates, homelessness, and truancy.

Taking these statistics into consideration, the main areas which may require clinical psychologist specialists in New Jersey, might encompass the following venues:

Veterans

A high population of veterans, non-categorically identified, would surely require clinical psychologists who specialize in re-entry from the war zones. Many veterans suffer from post-traumatic stress disorders and need much time to acclimate back into society. They may need marriage counseling, psychiatric evaluation, and medication for successful living in a normal environment.

Veterans of retirement age, possibly widowed, may also need direction and assistance with grieving, displacement, and depression.

Students

A career as a New Jersey psychologist might be exceedingly lucrative, if only for the sake of students counseling. New Jersey has an intrinsic network of colleges where many students go for continuing education and may need help with planning out academic futures.

Disaster Relief

All over the world today we are experiencing a high volume of catastrophic events from shootings in colleges, terrorist attacks, tsunami, earthquakes, and media piped calamities from overseas. Many young people experience depression and hopelessness because of inability to cope with powerlessness in these events. New Jersey is no exception. With severe weather complications and central location around much federal government activity, New Jersey youth needs much support from the psychological standpoint, even if just a supportive maintenance.

Population Increase

New Jersey ranked 9th in population in the US with an estimated total of 8,590,300 in 2002, an increase of 2.1% since 2000. Between 1990 and 2000, New Jersey’s population grew from 7,730,188 to 8,414,350, an increase of 8.9%. In 2000, New Jersey had the highest population density among the 50 states: 1,134.4 persons per square mile. The population is projected to reach 9.6 million by 2025.

Overcrowding in a limited geographical area may cause some types of disturbing behavior in the human race. With these numbers projecting as they do, there will certainly be more concern from the New Jersey psychologist standpoint.

Cultural mixing of races including Latinos, Blacks, Whites and some Asian, may require education for diversity and adaptation to new economic programs available to minorities.

Healthcare

Hospitals and treatment centers are always popular areas where psychologists may find opportunity to serve their community. Along with disease processes, spirit and soul are addressed for healing and this aspect cannot be ignored with cancer patients, teenagers recovering from addiction, and families of those who have lost loved ones to tragedies out of their control. There is market for these professionals in therapeutic children outreaches, clinical interventions, geriatric venues and school counseling.

Micro Venues

Other micro venues may include teaching of the counseling skill itself, private practice, and sexology.