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Chief psychologist education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a chief psychologist. Chief psychologists usually study psychology, clinical psychology, or counseling psychology. 43% of chief psychologists hold a bachelor's degree, and 30% hold an doctoral degree. We analyzed 126 real chief psychologist resumes to see exactly what chief psychologist education sections show.
The most common colleges for chief psychologists are the Saint Louis University and the Saint Louis University.
There are also many online chief psychologist courses to help get the education required to be a chief psychologist.
What education do you need to become a chief psychologist?
What degree do you need to be a chief psychologist?
- Bachelor's, 43%
- Doctorate, 30%
- Master's, 19%
- Associate, 5%
- Other Degrees, 3%
What should I major in to become a chief psychologist?
- Psychology, 42%
- Clinical Psychology, 28%
- Criminal Justice, 3%
- Other Majors, 19%
Most common colleges for chief psychologists
| Chief psychologist common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Saint Louis University | 12.50% |
| Florida Institute of Technology | 6.25% |
| New York University | 6.25% |
| Montclair State University | 6.25% |
| Suffolk University | 6.25% |
Best majors for chief psychologists
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psychology | 41.9% |
| 2 | Clinical Psychology | 28.0% |
| 3 | Counseling Psychology | 7.5% |
| 4 | Criminal Justice | 3.2% |
| 5 | School Psychology | 2.2% |
Best colleges for chief psychologists
The best colleges for chief psychologists are Columbia University in the City of New York, Johns Hopkins University, and Northwestern University.
A chief psychologist with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for chief psychologists. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become chief psychologists.
1. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
2. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$53,740
Enrollment
5,567
3. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Enrollment
31,503
4. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$9,808
Enrollment
13,990
5. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Enrollment
16,205
6. University of Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,207
Enrollment
30,905
7. SUNY Stony Brook
Stony Brook, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$9,625
Enrollment
17,407
8. Clemson University
Clemson, SC • Private
In-state tuition
$15,374
Enrollment
19,564
9. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
10. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
20 best online courses for chief psychologists
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Learn to provide psychological first aid to people in an emergency by employing the RAPID model: Reflective listening, Assessment of needs, Prioritization, Intervention, and Disposition. Utilizing the RAPID model (Reflective listening, Assessment of needs, Prioritization, Intervention, and Disposition), this specialized course provides perspectives on injuries and trauma that are beyond those physical in nature. The RAPID model is readily applicable to public health settings, the workplace, the...
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Ever wonder why people do what they do? This course—which includes more than $1,000 of video and reading materials—offers some answers based on the latest research from social psychology. Students taking the course for a Certificate will also receive free membership in Social Psychology Network (SocialPsychology.org). COURSE DESCRIPTION FROM PROFESSOR PLOUS: Each of us is dealt a different hand in life, but we all face similar questions when it comes to human behavior: What leads us to like one...
3. Abnormal Behavior & Clinical Psychology (Certificate)
Guiding students into the field of mental health services for either personal and/or professional development...
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The emphasis is on the development of fundamental clinical skills in the area of crisis intervention...
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13. Psychology of Older Age / Gerontology - ACCREDITED CERT
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16. Personality Disorders: Master the Psychology of All 10 Types
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17. Diploma in Modern Applied Psychology (DiMAP.)
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18. Cognitive Psychology for Positive Mental Health and Wellness
Optimise your mental health and reduce stress by mastering the key concepts of Cognitive Behavioural Psychology (CBP)...
19. Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT): The Complete Course
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)...
20. Mental Health and Wellness Professional (MHW) Diploma Course
Discover a flexible and comprehensive way of understanding mental health as a Certified Mental Health Professional (MHP)...
Top 10 most affordable universities for chief psychologists
The most affordable schools for chief psychologists are Hunter College of the City University of New York, california state university - long beach, and baruch college of the city university of new york.
If the best universities for chief psychologists are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for chief psychologists.
1. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
2. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
3. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
4. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
5. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
6. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
7. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
8. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
9. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
10. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for chief psychologists
The hardest universities for chief psychologists to get into are Columbia University in the City of New York, Johns Hopkins University, and Northwestern University.
Some great schools for chief psychologists are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for chief psychologists based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
2. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
3. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
4. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
5. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
6. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,516
7. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,506
8. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
9. Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA • Private
Admissions rate
28%
SAT average
1,429
10. University of Rochester
Rochester, NY • Private
Admissions rate
29%
SAT average
1,422
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for chief psychologists
The easiest schools for chief psychologists to get into are Mount Saint Mary's University, wayland baptist university, and felician university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a chief psychologist without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for chief psychologists.
1. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
2. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
3. Felician University
Lodi, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
999
4. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
5. Life University
Marietta, GA • Private
Admissions rate
94%
SAT average
979
6. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
7. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
8. Ottawa University
Ottawa, KS • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,024
9. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,072
10. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
Average chief psychologist salary by education level
| Chief psychologist education level | Chief psychologist salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $103,453 |
| Doctorate Degree | $110,015 |
Chief psychologist education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025