Best Graduate Clinical Psychology Programs

Counselors and therapists help clients face and address many issues, from substance use to childhood trauma to mental health challenges. These careers can be a good fit for those who want to help others and their community.

If you want to pursue a career in counseling or therapy, you will need to get your master’s degree in clinical psychology. Read on to explore our list of best graduate clinical psychology programs.

BestColleges surveyed more than 100 online psychology, education, and social sciences students and graduates in our 2024 Online Education Trends Report and found that:

When you’re comparing clinical psychology master’s programs, you’ll want to consider the length of time it’ll take to complete, how many credits you’ll need, and how much it’ll cost you.

Source: NCES PowerStats

According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the average tuition for an online master’s in clinical psychology program is $12,047; with an average net price of $11,012. These figures include tuition, fees, course materials, and related living expenses.

Using financial aid like grants can help you offset some of these costs and make your program more affordable. Talk to the financial aid office at your university for more information.

A clinical psychology master’s degree usually takes 2-3 years to complete, depending on the program and its requirements. You’ll have to look at the requirements of each master’s program, as credit requirements can range from 17-74.

For example, the University of Central Florida master’s in clinical psychology program requires 61 credit hours to complete, while Notre Dame de Namur’s clinical psychology master’s program requires 37 units to graduate. Most programs take roughly 30-60 credits to complete.

Although online programs may take less time because they have more flexible schedules, they still require some form of required in-person learning and internship training to meet licensure standards.

Programmatic accreditation is essential for evaluating the value of many education programs. This process helps ensure students can trust that the programs they apply to meet certain educational standards. You should check if your desired master’s program is accredited by the regional accreditor or the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).

Earning your master’s in clinical psychology can help you become eligible for a job as a marriage and family therapist, substance use counselor, or mental health counselor.

Depending on the job, however, you may need to earn additional licenses or certifications or complete additional training.

Graduates of online psychology programs generally find their programs to be useful for their careers and to have value overall, according to BestColleges’ 2024 survey.

Several jobs that you can qualify for with this master’s degree have projected employment growth rates above 15% from 2023-33 — much higher than the national average for all jobs, according to the BLS.

Additionally, these roles can yield higher-than-average incomes, with marriage and family therapists earning a median annual salary of $58,510 in 2023 and school counselors earning a median annual salary of $61,710 during the same time period, according to the BLS. These salaries are both significantly higher than the national median annual salary of $48,060 across all jobs in 2023.

When compared to the average net price of an online master’s in clinical psychology program, you may be able to secure a return on investment in just a few years.

After you earn your master’s in clinical psychology degree, you can go on to pursue your doctorate. Earning your doctorate can make you eligible for more prestigious and higher-paying positions, such as a clinical or counseling psychologist. These professionals earn a median annual salary of $92,740 as of May 2023, according to the BLS.

Earning a doctoral degree can also open pathways to a career in research, assessment, or academia.