If you’re passionate about addressing mental health concerns in your community—or about researching how the mind influences behaviors—consider becoming a psychologist. Psychology is a vast field with specialties in forensic, clinical, social, developmental, industrial or rehabilitation psychology.
Along with diverse job opportunities, reliable pay and increasing demand, careers in psychology often provide engaging, fulfilling work. This article overviews the steps to becoming a psychologist, including certification options and professional organizations.
What Is a Psychologist?
Psychologists are mental health professionals who study emotions, cognition and behavior. They conduct psychological evaluations and help people manage mental health issues, relationships, and life challenges.
In psychology, a key aim is to help individuals understand their emotions, improve their mental well-being and develop tools to cope with challenges. As such, psychologists must be patient critical thinkers with high emotional intelligence.
Daily tasks for psychologists vary depending on the work environment but often involve:
- Conducting research on brain function and human behavior
- Identifying behavioral and emotional patterns
- Diagnosing psychological disorders
- Developing, implementing, and evaluating programs to promote mental health and prevent mental illness and problematic behavior
- Collaborating with professionals to write articles on scientific findings
- Creating treatment plans to help patients cope with psychological challenges
- Providing comprehensive care alongside mental health professionals including psychiatrists and social workers
A psychologist’s specialty largely determines their work environment. For example, school psychologists engage with teachers and students in various learning facilities, while clinical psychologists may work in health centers or outpatient settings. Some psychologists operate private practices and set their own hours.
How To Become a Psychologist: Psychologist Requirements
So what are the steps and requirements involved in becoming a psychologist? Let’s dive in.
Earn a Bachelor’s Degree
A bachelor’s degree in psychology or a related subject prepares you for advanced study. A bachelor’s in psychology typically requires 120 credits and takes four years. Coursework may include introductory psychological science, abnormal psychology, psychology of learning, developmental psychology and multicultural psychology.
As you still need an advanced psychology degree to practice, preparing for grad school is your next step.
Enroll in Graduate School
Graduate school advances your foundational knowledge of psychology and focuses your studies through specializations. It takes about two years of full-time study to complete a master’s degree in psychology.
Clinical and counseling psychologists require a doctoral degree to practice independently. A master’s degree in psychology can help you qualify to see clients or patients as a counselor or therapist or to advance to a doctoral program. In some cases, individuals with a master’s can work as school psychologists or industrial-organizational psychologists. However, professionals with the job title of psychologist typically need a doctorate.
Complete Your Doctoral Degree
Completing an accredited doctoral degree such as a Ph.D. in psychology or Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) qualifies you for well-placed jobs in your psychology specialty. To obtain licensure as a psychologist, you generally need to earn a Ph.D. or Psy.D. in clinical or counseling psychology, complete an internship and pass a state licensing exam.
For every level of education, it’s essential to confirm accreditation status. Accreditation ensures your education meets rigorous standards and qualifies you for federal financial aid and licensure. Many internships prefer graduates from accredited institutions as well.
Complete an Internship
Undergoing supervised professional experience through an internship is another licensure criterion for prospective psychologists in the U.S. and Canada. Requirements vary by state, but many states require 3,000 hours (or two years) of postdoctoral supervised experience to qualify
for licensure.
Get Licensed and Certified
Licensure requirements for psychologists differ by state and position. However, the process typically entails passing the national Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology, administered by the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards, and fulfilling other state-specific requirements.
Psychologist vs. Psychiatrist: What’s the Difference?
Psychiatrists and psychologists can provide psychotherapy to treat behavioral disorders. However, psychiatrists are trained as medical doctors and therefore, are qualified to prescribe medication to patients. In some states, psychologists can also complete training that allows them to prescribe psychiatric medications.
Psychologists, on the other hand, are highly trained in methodology and typically focus on psychological assessment and providing effective talk therapy.
Psychologist Salary and Job Outlook
As of May 2022, the median annual wage for psychologists was $85,330, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). However, psychologists’ salaries often differ by specialty, location and experience level.
For instance, industrial-organizational psychologists earned a median annual salary of $139,280 while school psychologists earned a median of $78,700 in 2022, according to the BLS.
As mental health awareness remains on the rise, the employment rate of psychologists is projected to increase by 6% from 2022 to 2032, with roughly 12,800 job openings each year.
Types of Psychology Degrees
Becoming a licensed psychologist requires an advanced degree, and which degree you pursue determines your career options. Below we outline a few.
Master’s Degree in Psychology
For many, a psychology master’s program can be a step toward a doctorate. For others, it’s an opportunity to start practicing. Earning a psychology master’s degree typically takes two years, depending on your institution and learning pace.
If you want to enter the workforce immediately, consider specialized master’s programs in industrial-organizational psychology, school psychology or experimental psychology, which prepare you for entry-level jobs.
Ph.D. in Psychology
A Ph.D. in psychology program trains graduate students for careers in academia and research. This terminal degree allows students to focus on a specialty area like clinical or developmental science.
Undergraduate degrees in related subjects like sociology or neuroscience can increase your chances of admission. Depending on your institution, completing a Ph.D. in psychology requires 64 to 80 credits, including a dissertation and final oral exam.
Doctor of Psychology
A Psy.D. program generally prepares graduates for clinical practice rather than research. Hence, it requires fewer research-based courses and more focused clinical training than a Ph.D. program. Psy.D. programs typically take less time to complete.
A Psy.D. in psychology may suit your goals if you want to directly interact with patients. Coursework depends on your specialty, but overall, Psy.D. programs train you to apply principles of clinical psychology in patient care.
Doctor of Education in Psychology
A Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in psychology is typically awarded by a college of education.This program explores the intersections of education and psychology and prepares graduates for roles in educational institutions as school psychologists or psychology teachers.
An Ed.D. in psychology may take less time than a Ph.D. or Psy.D. Graduates can improve learning processes and enhance students’ academic outcomes by supporting learners’ mental health.
Education Specialist in Psychology
An Education Specialist (Ed.S.) degree in psychology is an intermediate postgraduate degree between a master’s and a doctorate. This degree provides advanced psychological knowledge without the rigors of a dissertation.
An Ed.S. prepares learners to practice as school psychologists in most U.S. states. If pursuing an Ed.S., ensure you enroll in a program approved by the National Association of School Psychologists.
Certifications for Psychologists
Clinical Psychology Certification
The American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP) offers board certifications in over 15 specialty areas, including forensic psychology, addiction psychology, and geropsychology. Candidates need a doctorate, internship experience and a valid license. Board certification is optional for psychologists, and many practice without it.
To earn certification you must pass an oral and written exam. The oral exam costs $450, while the written exam fee is $300. Applicants who have completed their degrees within the last decade pay a discounted rate of $65.
Professional Organizations for Psychologists
A professional organization can support your psychology career and provide continuing education opportunities.
American Psychological Association (APA)
The American Psychological Association is the largest professional organization representing psychologists in the U.S. It regulates the psychology profession and promotes the application and advancement of psychology.
Association for Psychological Science (APS)
The Association for Psychological Science advances the representation of scientific psychology. APS also enhances the public’s understanding of psychology through its various journals.
National Association of School Psychologists
The National Association of School Psychologists is the leading professional organization for school psychologists in the United States. This body advances practices that improve students’ mental health and academic outcomes.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Psychologists
How long does it take to become a psychologist?
Becoming a psychologist takes six to ten years, depending on the type of doctoral degree you pursue. Your psychology specialty determines how long it takes to gain licensure and begin practicing as a psychologist.
What are the best undergraduate majors for psychologists?
Prospective psychologists can major in psychology or related disciplines like sociology, anthropology, education or social work.
Which states have the most licensed psychologists?
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, states with the highest employment of psychologists are California, Illinois, Florida, Pennsylvania and New York. Psychologists in most of these states earn an average salary of more than $90,000 annually.
