Psychologist education requirements

Q: How long does it take to get a Ph.D. in psychology?

It takes between five and seven years to get a Ph.D. in psychology. This also depends on a variety of factors, including the type of degree you have chosen to obtain, your educational background, and the specific doctoral program in which you have enrolled. Most Ph.D. psychology programs take between five to seven years. This is the case if you have already completed all of the necessary prerequisite coursework needed to enroll for a doctoral degree. Prerequisites can be obtained by either completing BA or BS in psychology or another related social science field. Students who seek traditional bachelor's degrees in these areas are usually able to obtain them in four years. Depending on the educational institution you attend, you may need to gain a master's degree in one of these areas as well before you can pursue your doctorate degree. However, some colleges do not require this step and you can enroll in a doctoral psychology program after obtaining your relevant bachelor's degree. Once enrolled in your Ph.D. in psychology program you can expect much of your studies to revolve around research. You will have to complete classes involving research methods and statistics. Most programs also require at least one year of an internship program during your course of study. The biggest hurdle to completing your doctoral degree in psychology is the culminating dissertation you must write. Some programs offer the choice of doing a dissertation or completing an original research project of your own design.

Q: How long is psychology school?

Psychology degrees are offered at the associate's level, bachelor's level, master's level, and doctorate level. The length of these programs varies greatly, with an associate's degree generally taking around two years, and a bachelor's degree requiring four. After earning a bachelor's degree, a master's degree adds two additional years and a doctorate can add four.

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a psychologist. Psychologists usually study psychology, clinical psychology, or counseling psychology. 47% of psychologists hold a bachelor's degree, and 26% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 6,549 real psychologist resumes to see exactly what psychologist education sections show.

The most common colleges for psychologists are the New York University and the New York University.

There are also many online psychologist courses to help get the education required to be a psychologist.

There are certain psychologist certifications that you should consider. These psychologist certifications include Certified in Hospital Psychology (CHP) and Board Certified Specialist in School Psychology.

What education do you need to become a psychologist?

What degree do you need to be a psychologist?

The most common degree for psychologists is bachelor's degree, with 47% of psychologists earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 26% and master's degree degree at 23%.

Bachelor's, 47%

Master's, 26%

Doctorate, 23%

Associate, 2%

Other Degrees, 2%

What should I major in to become a psychologist?

You should major in psychology to become a psychologist. 44% of psychologists major in psychology. Other common majors for a psychologist include clinical psychology and counseling psychology.

Psychology, 44%

Clinical Psychology, 22%

Counseling Psychology, 12%

School Counseling, 2%

Other Majors, 20%

Most common colleges for psychologists

Psychologists often get their degrees at New York University, Alliant International University, and Wayne State University. Here are the most common colleges for psychologists in the US based on their resumes.

Psychologist common college	Percentages
New York University	8.32%
Alliant International University	7.66%
Wayne State University	6.78%
Marshall University	6.13%
Carlos Albizu University	5.91%

Show more common psychologist colleges

Best majors for psychologists

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Psychology	44.2%
2	Clinical Psychology	22.1%
3	Counseling Psychology	12.4%
4	School Counseling	2.3%
5	Education	2.1%

Show more common psychologist majors

$9,808

Enrollment

13,990

20 best online courses for psychologists

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9. Crisis Intervention Seminar

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19. Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) Certificate

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Top 10 most affordable universities for psychologists

The most affordable schools for psychologists are University of Florida, hunter college of the city university of new york, and california state university - long beach.

If the best universities for 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 psychologists.

1. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

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. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

5. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

6. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

7. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

8. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

9. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

10. Queens College of the City University of New York

Queens, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,338

Cost of attendance

14,281

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for psychologists

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

Some great schools for 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 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. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,508

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,520

6. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

Marietta, GA • Private

Admissions rate

94%

SAT average

979

9. Rochester University

Rochester Hills, MI • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,002

10. The University of Texas Permian Basin

Odessa, TX • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,046

Average psychologist salary by education level

According to our data, psychologists with a Doctorate degree earn the highest average salary, at $108,846 annually. Psychologists with a Master's degree earn an average annual salary of $88,497.

Psychologist education level	Psychologist salary
Master's Degree	$88,497
Doctorate Degree	$108,846

Psychologist education FAQs

How long does it take to get a Ph.D. in psychology?

How long is psychology school?

What is the best college for Psychologists?

Have more questions? See all answers to common life, physical, and social science questions.

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Updated January 8, 2025

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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