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Professor of psychology education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a professor of psychology. Professors of psychology usually study psychology, clinical psychology, or counseling psychology. 46% of professors of psychology hold a bachelor's degree, and 33% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 507 real professor of psychology resumes to see exactly what professor of psychology education sections show.

The most common colleges for professors of psychology are the Carlos Albizu University and the Carlos Albizu University.

There are also many online professor of psychology courses to help get the education required to be a professor of psychology.

What education do you need to become a professor of psychology?

What degree do you need to be a professor of psychology?

The most common degree for professors of psychology is bachelor's degree, with 46% of professors of psychology earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 33% and master's degree degree at 16%.
  • Bachelor's, 46%
  • Master's, 33%
  • Doctorate, 16%
  • Associate, 3%
  • Other Degrees, 2%

What should I major in to become a professor of psychology?

You should major in psychology to become a professor of psychology. 48% of professors of psychology major in psychology. Other common majors for a professor of psychology include clinical psychology and counseling psychology.

Most common colleges for professors of psychology

Professors of psychology often get their degrees at Carlos Albizu University, Capella University, and University of Phoenix. Here are the most common colleges for professors of psychology in the US based on their resumes.
Professor of psychology common collegePercentages
Carlos Albizu University11.39%
Capella University8.86%
University of Phoenix7.59%
Walden University7.59%
University of Pittsburgh6.33%

Best majors for professors of psychology

Best colleges for professors of psychology

The best colleges for professors of psychology are Northwestern University, Johns Hopkins University, and Columbia University in the City of New York.

A professor of psychology with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for professors of psychology. 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 professors of psychology.

1. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

In-state tuition

$53,740

Enrollment

5,567

2. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

3. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$59,430

Enrollment

8,216

4. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

5. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

In-state tuition

$53,399

Enrollment

7,356

6. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

7. Hunter College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,182

Enrollment

16,205

8. Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$18,454

Enrollment

40,108

9. University of Maryland - College Park

College Park, MD • Private

In-state tuition

$10,595

Enrollment

30,184

10. University of Washington

Seattle, WA • Private

In-state tuition

$11,207

Enrollment

30,905

20 best online courses for professors of psychology

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1. Social Psychology

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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...

2. Psychological Research

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This specialization is primarily aimed at first- and second-year undergraduates interested in psychology, data analysis, ethics in research, and quantitative research methods along with high school students and professionals with similar interests.\n\nLearners will develop knowledge about the fundamentals of research design for quantitative studies in psychology, analysis of data from quantitative studies in psychology, and ethical standards for conducting psychological research. Learning...

3. Diploma in Modern Applied Psychology (DiMAP.)

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4.7
(8,492)

Learn the science of human behavior and how to apply it to everyday life with this in-depth guide to applied psychology...

4. Diploma Course in Human Resource Management (HRM)

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4.3
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Become top-notch HRM Practitioner - Get Live Projects, Ready-to-use Templates, Demos, Quizzes, Articles, Case studies...

5. Certification Course in Human Resource Management

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4.3
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Curriculum commensurate to Top B School's Management Program : with downloadable resources, quiz, assessments & exercise...

6. Fully Accredited Positive Psychology Diploma Course

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4.3
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Fully Accredited Diploma To Increase Your Awareness & Understanding Of The Human Mind Using Positive Psychology!...

7. Master Course in Human Resources 2.0

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Strategic human resource management, strategic planning, recruiting, training, HR management,Labour welfare...

8. Understand the Mind: 15 Fascinating Psychology Studies

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Learn About the Human Mind Through the Research in Social Psychological Science...

9. Gamification: Motivation Psychology & The Art of Engagement

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10. Introduction to Behavioral Economics & Consumer Psychology

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Learn how to apply some of the most powerful principles from consumer psychology to increase conversions...

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12. Psychology 101: Why We Think, Feel, and Act the Way We do

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Psychology Principles: Learn how the human mind works and how you can use the power of your mind to your advantage...

13. HR,HR Analytics, Human Resource Management, Black Friday Ed

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HR Analytics ,HR Courses, human resource management, ,HR certification, HRM, hr payroll, people management, 2022...

14. The Psychology of Color in Game Design & Development

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Comprehensive Theory/Psychology Course that Analyzes how Color can affect a Player's Emotion, Actions and Thinking!...

15. Advanced Level Psychology - ACCREDITED CERTIFICATE

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Psychology skills, Applied Social & Cognitive Psychology, Child Development, Research Methods, academic online study...

16. Psychology of Attraction and Likability

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Use Psychology for Personal Development and Self-Improvement by Increasing Social Skills and Achieving Goal Success...

17. Ultimate HR Generalist and Human Resource Management Course

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Hands-on HR Certification: All HRM topics. Master Employee Life Cycle, Payroll, Recruitment, Engagement, EXDesign and AI...

18. Human Resources For Beginners

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A guide to learning the fundamentals of human resource management...

19. Introduction to Criminal Psychology

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Understand the Forensic Psychology of the Criminal Mind...

20. Effective Human Resource Administration

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Effective Human Resource Administration...

Top 10 most affordable universities for professors of psychology

The most affordable schools for professors of psychology are Baruch College of the City University of New York, hunter college of the city university of new york, and california state university - long beach.

If the best universities for professors of psychology 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 professors of psychology.

1. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

2. Hunter College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,182

Cost of attendance

13,998

3. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

4. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

5. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

6. Queens College of the City University of New York

Queens, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,338

Cost of attendance

14,281

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. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

10. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for professors of psychology

The hardest universities for professors of psychology to get into are Northwestern University, Johns Hopkins University, and Columbia University in the City of New York.

Some great schools for professors of psychology 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 professors of psychology 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. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

2. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

3. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

6%

SAT average

1,512

4. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,506

5. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

5%

SAT average

1,520

6. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

7. Tufts University

Medford, MA • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,461

8. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

9. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

10. Boston College

Chestnut Hill, MA • Private

Admissions rate

28%

SAT average

1,429

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for professors of psychology

The easiest schools for professors of psychology to get into are Felician University, life university, and notre dame de namur university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a professor of psychology 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 professors of psychology.

1. Felician University

Lodi, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

999

2. Life University

Marietta, GA • Private

Admissions rate

94%

SAT average

979

3. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

4. Kean University

Union, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

991

5. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

6. Wayland Baptist University

Plainview, TX • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

1,003

7. Ottawa University

Ottawa, KS • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

1,024

8. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

9. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

10. Nyack College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

999

Average professor of psychology salary by education level

According to our data, professors of psychology with a Doctorate degree earn the highest average salary, at $106,541 annually. Professors of psychology with a Master's degree earn an average annual salary of $76,590.
Professor of psychology education levelProfessor of psychology salary
Master's Degree$76,590
Doctorate Degree$106,541

Professor of psychology education FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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