Annual Salary
£27,000 to £54,000
Average UK salary in 2022 was £33,200
(source Office for National Statistics)
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Forensic psychologists study criminal behaviour and help people who have committed crimes.
Average UK salary in 2022 was £33,200
(source Office for National Statistics)
You could work: between 8am and 6pm;
There will be
3.8% more Forensic psychologist jobs in 2027.
On a typical day, you could:
You could work in a prison, in an NHS or private hospital or at a police station.
Your working environment may be emotionally demanding and you'll travel often.
You can get into this job through a university course or by working towards this role.
To become a forensic psychologist, you can either follow the accredited degree process or complete a doctorate programme.
Accredited degree process
To become a forensic psychologist, you'll need to:
Doctorate programme
Alternatively, some universities offer a doctorate programme in forensic psychology. This is the equivalent of the accredited masters degree and 2 years of supervised practice.
There's a lot of competition for postgraduate training. To apply, you might need:a first or upper second class (2:1) degree; evidence of excellent research skills; relevant work experience, for example in a prison, probation or youth offending service
You'll usually need:
You may be able to start your career as an interventions facilitator in HM Prison Service.
You could study for a psychology degree part-time while you work. You could then apply for a trainee forensic psychologist role.
You'll need to:
You can join the The British Psychological Society for professional recognition and training opportunities.
You can find out more about how to become a forensic psychologist from The British Psychological Society and Health Careers.
With experience, you could:run the psychology department in a prison; move into a policy, strategy or management role; move into freelance and consultant work, for example as an expert witness
You'll find more details about careers in forensic psychology from The British Psychological Society and Health Careers.
You'll need: