The two pie charts compare the expected and actual employment destinations of psychology graduates after completing their studies.
Overall, there was a major difference between graduates’ expectations and reality. While the vast majority expected to work in private clinics, the actual figures show that most graduates found employment in schools and universities. Community agencies also employed a far larger proportion than anticipated, whereas hospitals and medical centres attracted fewer graduates than expected.
In terms of anticipated employment, private clinics were by far the most popular choice, accounting for 68% of expected jobs. Hospitals and medical centres were the second-largest category, at 13%. Schools and universities, and community agencies, were predicted to employ equal proportions of graduates, each making up 8%. Only a very small minority, 2%, expected to work in other areas.
However, the actual employment pattern was very different. Schools and universities became the leading employer, taking 46% of psychology graduates, which was almost six times higher than expected. Community agencies also saw a significant rise, from 8% anticipated to 26% actual employment. By contrast, the proportion working in private clinics dropped sharply from 68% to only 16%. Employment in hospitals and medical centres also fell considerably, from 13% to just 3%. Meanwhile, the share of graduates working in other fields increased from 2% to 8%.
In summary, psychology graduates greatly overestimated their chances of working in private clinics and medical settings, while underestimating opportunities in education and community-based work.