The Best Graduate Schools for Clinical Psychology Programs of 2024

Master’s in clinical psychology programs can lead you to various careers in counseling and therapy or a doctoral degree. Discover the best clinical psychology programs and what they offer.

Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.

A clinical psychology master’s degree can set the foundation for a clinical psychology doctorate and psychologist licensure, or it may qualify you for state licensure as a counselor or therapist without any further training.

These graduate degrees can help position you for counseling, diagnosing, and developing treatments for diverse clients. They can also equip you with the skills and credentials to develop and manage clinics or community programs.

Your opportunities depend on your chosen program, specialization, state, and postgraduate license.

Your salary potential with a clinical psychology master’s degree depends on your license, role, location, employer, and experience, among other factors.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual salary is $58,510 for marriage and family therapists and $53,710 for mental health counselors. The top 10% of earners in these fields made more than $104,710 and $89,920, respectively.

Both fields have strong employment outlooks, with the BLS projecting 16% growth for marriage and family therapists and 19% for mental health counselors between 2023 and 2033.

Your experience in a master’s in clinical psychology program can differ dramatically between schools. While these programs take about two years to complete with full-time study, many schools offer part-time or accelerated options. Most feature an evidence-based curriculum, with sections dedicated to core psychology theory, interventions, assessments, and professional ethics.

Depending on your school, you may have only one track available or several specializations such as addictions and recovery, clinical counseling, or child psychology. Some programs meet the requirements for state licensure, whereas others prepare you for a doctorate. Some schools even give you the choice between a pre-licensure track or a research/thesis track.

Practicum requirements vary, but programs may include a 100-hour practicum and a 600-hour internship. Some schools connect you with partnered mental health services organizations for these hours, some host the experiences at an affiliated community clinic, and others leave it up to you to find your placement.

The admission requirements vary between programs, depending on how open or competitive they are. In all cases, you need a bachelor’s degree at minimum. Below, you can find some of the requirements you may need.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the average graduate program cost $20,513 in 2021-2022, or just over $41,000 for a two-year program. Tuition depends on school type and location, program length and credit cost, which can fluctuate greatly.

For example, the per-credit prices for the above programs range between $370 and $2,049, and total tuition prices fall between $13,000 and about $80,000. On top of tuition, you may pay for room and board, books and materials, and student fees.

Consider filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid to determine your eligibility for federal loans, scholarships, and grants. You can also apply for psychology scholarships at your school.