Human Factors Specialists: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of human factors specialists about how they arrived at their current job, there's a good chance you would get several different answers about the paths and steps that each person took.
That said, there are still ways that you can develop a baseline understanding of the preparation that is necessary to become one.
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has gathered data to provide you with insight into the type of education that's commonly required for human factors specialists to land a job. This page contains information, sourced from real job postings, that describes the experience levels and specific skills that employers of human factors specialists expect candidates to have. In the end, this information will help you create an education or professional development plan that aligns with your career aspirations.
Keep reading to learn more about career steps for human factors specialists.
What Education & Experience is Needed for Human Factors Specialists?
Do human factors specialists need a degree? What kind of experience do human factors specialists typically need? Thanks to data sourced from Lightcast™ from real job postings, we can get some clarity on those questions, as well as the level of education that is commonly required for human factors specialists to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for Human Factors Specialists
Jobs Postings for Human Factors Specialists By Education
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 13,138 (45%)
- Master's degree: 6,547 (22%)
- Bachelor's degree: 4,236 (14%)
- No Education Listed: 4,177 (14%)
- High School or GED: 1,155 (4%)
A ph.d. or professional degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of human factors specialists. According to job data, a ph.d. or professional degree was required for 45% of positions. In 22% of job listings a master's degree was required and in 14% of postings a bachelor's degree was required.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Human Factors Specialists
Jobs Postings for Human Factors Specialists By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 4,295 (42%)
- 2-3 Years: 4,918 (48%)
- 4-6 Years: 782 (8%)
- 7-9 Years: 70 (1%)
- 10+ Years: 164 (2%)
While the amount of required experience will vary based on the responsibility and seniority of the position, an aggregate view of job posting data can help paint a picture of the experience level sought for most job openings for human factors specialists. In 48% of job postings for Human Factors Specialists, employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience. In 42% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 0-1 years of experience, while 4-6 years of experience was sought in 8% of job postings for human factors specialists.
What Kind of Degree Do Human Factors Specialists Need?
So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for human factors specialists, but what type of education or degree will help prepare you for a career in the field?
According to occupational data obtained through Lightcast,™ there are 24 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective human factors specialists, and in 2023 a total of 190,188 of those programs were completed at institutions in the United States.
Check out the information below to learn more about the specific programs that should be considered by prospective human factors specialists.
Top Degree Programs for Human Factors Specialists
Top 5 Degree Programs for Human Factors Specialists (2023)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Psychology, General. | 143,660 |
| Research and Experimental Psychology, Other. | 13,458 |
| Applied Behavior Analysis. | 6,780 |
| Behavioral Sciences. | 4,777 |
| Experimental Psychology. | 4,342 |
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Psychology, General. | 143,660 |
| Research and Experimental Psychology, Other. | 13,458 |
| Applied Behavior Analysis. | 6,780 |
| Behavioral Sciences. | 4,777 |
| Experimental Psychology. | 4,342 |
| Cognitive Science, General. | 2,955 |
| Psychology, Other. | 2,803 |
| Applied Psychology. | 2,536 |
| Forensic Psychology. | 2,506 |
| Educational Psychology. | 2,114 |
| Behavioral Neuroscience. | 1,427 |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology, Other. | 631 |
| Community Psychology. | 542 |
| Social Psychology. | 531 |
| Early Childhood and Family Studies. | 332 |
| Cognitive Psychology and Psycholinguistics. | 316 |
| Performance and Sport Psychology. | 210 |
| Psychometrics and Quantitative Psychology. | 105 |
| Family Psychology. | 56 |
| Psychopharmacology. | 34 |
| Transpersonal/Spiritual Psychology. | 28 |
| Personality Psychology. | 21 |
| Comparative Psychology. | 16 |
| Environmental Psychology. | 8 |
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What Skills Do Human Factors Specialists Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by human factors specialists to secure a job?
A good way to understand this is to examine actual job postings for skills commonly sought by employers. Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for human factors specialists, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Human Factors Specialists
Based on 23,012 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Human Factors Specialists
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Psychology | 18,479 | 80% |
| Mental Health | 7,525 | 33% |
| Clinical Psychology | 5,822 | 25% |
| Psychotherapy | 5,808 | 25% |
| Psychological Evaluations | 5,360 | 23% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Human Factors Specialists
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Research | 6,355 | 28% |
| Communication | 5,522 | 24% |
| Management | 4,872 | 21% |
| Writing | 3,848 | 17% |
| Ethical Standards And Conduct | 3,039 | 13% |
Based on 23,012 job postings related to human factors specialists, psychology was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 80% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for mental health, clinical psychology, psychotherapy, psychological evaluations and treatment planning were also highly sought.
As for common skills, research was the most desired skill found in job postings for human factors specialists, followed by communication, management, writing, ethical standards and conduct and teaching.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Psychology | 18,479 | 80% |
| Mental Health | 7,525 | 33% |
| Clinical Psychology | 5,822 | 25% |
| Psychotherapy | 5,808 | 25% |
| Psychological Evaluations | 5,360 | 23% |
| Treatment Planning | 5,334 | 23% |
| Behavioral Health | 5,127 | 22% |
| School Psychology | 4,910 | 21% |
| Psychiatry | 4,529 | 20% |
| Crisis Intervention | 3,451 | 15% |
| Clinical Supervision | 2,643 | 11% |
| Clinical Research | 2,550 | 11% |
| Social Work | 2,351 | 10% |
| Primary Care | 2,318 | 10% |
| Mental Diseases | 2,216 | 10% |
| Program Development | 2,192 | 10% |
| Behavioral Medicine | 1,807 | 8% |
| Health Psychology | 1,797 | 8% |
| Family Therapy | 1,724 | 7% |
| American Psychological Style (APA) | 1,718 | 7% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Research | 6,355 | 28% |
| Communication | 5,522 | 24% |
| Management | 4,872 | 21% |
| Writing | 3,848 | 17% |
| Ethical Standards And Conduct | 3,039 | 13% |
| Teaching | 2,741 | 12% |
| English Language | 2,652 | 12% |
| Leadership | 2,610 | 11% |
| Planning | 2,135 | 9% |
| Teamwork | 1,780 | 8% |
| Coordinating | 1,764 | 8% |
| Problem Solving | 1,712 | 7% |
| Scheduling | 1,703 | 7% |
| Presentations | 1,522 | 7% |
| Report Writing | 1,439 | 6% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 1,316 | 6% |
| Operations | 1,096 | 5% |
| Written English | 1,089 | 5% |
| Customer Service | 1,082 | 5% |
| Time Management | 974 | 4% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about human factors specialists? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for human factors specialists.
What do human factors specialists do?
How much do human factors specialists make?
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