A qualification in counseling or psychology can open the door to a number of highly-specialized jobs.

Careers consultants Liz Hagger and Mike Cox told independent.co.uk that a background in psychology, sociology or counseling can "stand you in good stead" for competitive, expert positions such as police force negotiators.

A degree in counseling and psychology can also be applied to a variety of other careers, such as family therapy or correctional treatment specialists, according to the US Department of Labor.

Furthermore, many qualified psychologists opt to become self-employed, with DOL figures showing around 34% of people working in the field choose this option, compared to an average of 8% for the wider workforce.

In the field of counseling, meanwhile, around 47% of qualified professionals work in the healthcare or social assistance sector.

Psychology-related jobs are expected to grow by 15% between 2006 and 2016, while counseling positions are project to experience growth of 21% over the same period.

The average salary for psychologists in May 2006 was $59,440, while the average earnings for counselors were $47,530.