Master’s in Psychology
A master’s degree in psychology is a two-year graduate degree covering psychological theory, research methods, and human development. It qualifies graduates for a wide range of psychology-related roles in business, education, and human services, and serves as a stepping stone toward doctoral licensure. Some states also offer limited licensure options at the master’s level.
Master’s programs in psychology are often an overlooked option in human services educational degrees. While bachelor’s programs in psych can set you up to branch out into almost any human services specialty, and doctoral psychology degrees are the path to clinical practice as a licensed psychologist, the role of the master’s degree in psychology is less clearly defined.
Courses Studied in Psychology Master’s Programs
Careers in Psychology with a Master’s Degree
What To Expect For Your Salary After Earning a Master’s Degree in Psychology
Frequently Asked Questions About Master’s Degrees in Psychology
But that’s actually a bonus, not a drawback.
The advanced study of psychology is really a study of people. What makes us tick? How we’re motivated. Where our feelings come from. What molds our personality?
These factors apply across many industries and fields.
That makes a master’s degree in psychology a highly versatile degree in human services. You’ll get a lot of the foundational work that goes toward advanced psychological practice, but without the deep clinical skill training and experience required for licensed psychologists. But there are many psychological applications that don’t need licenses and don’t involve clinical practice. A master’s program will qualify you for a wide range of psychology-related roles, while saving you time and money compared to a full doctoral track.
Just as important, in psychology studies, the script is flipped between master’s and doctoral programs. In most fields, your doctoral studies will be more flexible and can be focused more directly on your specific areas of interest within the field. In psychology, doctoral studies are almost always aimed at meeting state licensure requirements and preparing graduates for academic or clinical positions. At the master’s level, however, the wide range of applications makes programs more inclined to let you chart your own course.
Psychology Education Requirements by State
Doctors of philosophy have been awarded in the field of psychology since as far back as 1878, when Harvard issued the first in the United States. It’s not known when exactly or where the first master’s degree in psychology was awarded, but it is clear that the field became highly specialized quite far back. Purdue reports offering a master’s in industrial-organizational psychology in 1939.
The point of the master’s degree historically was to establish common qualifications for professionals who would be qualified to teach in the lower levels of their field. A master’s degree awarded by any college was recognized by any other college as a qualification for instructors in bachelor ‘s-level programs.
It’s only more recently that master’s degrees have taken on a life as a professional qualification outside of academia. But with the doctorate level of psychology degree already established as the firm qualification for professional clinical practice, it wasn’t immediately clear what kind of standing the master’s alone would have.
Today, with the huge demand for qualified psychologists in all kinds of industries, with dozens of non-clinical specialties, the role of the master’s degree is clear: a solid professional education for specialists without a need to establish independent clinical practice credentials.
William James was the pioneering American psychologist who built the ground-breaking psychology department at Harvard in the late 1800s.
All of that flows from the unique course of study you follow in a master’s degree in psychology program. You can take your training in any direction by picking the right program.
Courses Studied in Psychology Master’s Programs
All psychology master’s programs cover modern psychological theory and the empirical research that supports it. They also cover the essential knowledge of human development that includes building up the cognitive, behavioral, and emotional make-up of a functional human being.
That makes psychological studies a popular pursuit for college students. The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) found that psychology was the fourth most highly awarded degree in the country at the undergraduate level as of 2017, based on available NCES data. According to NCES, 27,841 master’s degrees in psychology were awarded in 2018. The broad applicability of what you learn in a master’s degree in psychology programs is one of the reasons they are so popular.
General Studies and Core Courses in a Master’s Degree in Psychology
Master’s programs are typically around two years in length, and most of them are offered in an in-depth concentration area. That doesn’t leave a lot of room for extras, so your core coursework will usually be general studies of psychological approaches that are fundamental to all branches of the field. Those include:
- Research Fundamentals and Experimental Design: A master’s degree is your formal introduction to the world of research and experimentation. As part of an evidence-based profession, you need to understand how the underlying research backing treatment and analysis is performed. Courses in research considerations and training in how to design ethical and informative experiments in human subjects is key to developing both your understanding and your own research chops in psychology. Statistical and measurement processes are part of this coursework.
- Psychopathologies: The history, conceptual perspectives, and diagnosis of psychopathologies is almost always everyone’s favorite part of psych degrees. Abnormal psych might have been what drew you into the profession in the first place. Here, you’ll go deeper into the various mental issues cataloged in the DSM-5 and the batteries of tests such as the MMPI (Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory) that are used to diagnose those disorders.
- Professional and Ethical Considerations in Psychology: As a profession whose stock in trade is the deepest, darkest parts of the human psyche, ethics gets a strong emphasis in master’s-level psychology programs. You’ll learn your legal and ethical obligations both to clients and to the community, and you will explore the profession of psychology in all its various practice areas.
- Physiology and Human Lifecycle Development: Psychology is the science of the mind, and the mind is an integral part of the body. Like every other physical feature, it grows, matures, and runs via biological processes that can create mental health issues themselves. Some of the physiology of the brain will get covered in your general studies, together with the patterns of growth and development through the course of a human life that lead to different stages of thought and mental conditioning.
- Social Psychology: Psychology never really exists in a vacuum. We all reflect the psychological processes of the humans around us, and the ways that our mental processes interact are important to understand in order to assess and treat individuals. Social psychology sifts through theory and research concerning interpersonal perception. You’ll learn about individual and group decision-making processes, how attitudes develop, and how social motivations are shaped.
Different programs might split these out into a broader range of classes, or offer electives for a deeper dive into any of them.
Specialist Concentrations Fill In Your Master’s in Psychology Studies
Because psychology has such broad applications, there are dozens of highly specialized areas of study that live within it. You can make a complete career out of any of these specialties, absorbing knowledge that someone else in a different part of the field might never even touch on in their own career.
Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology
Specializing in clinical psychology is specializing in direct, in-person treatment of individuals with mental health issues. That means coursework that builds on the base knowledge with in-person assessment and treatment skills. You’ll learn how to interact with patients and develop treatment plans for their conditions. Cultural and social elements of therapy are explored in depth, and you can expect internship and practicum placements in active therapy programs that give you a hands-on experience working with clients. A clinical specialization can prepare you either to advance to a PhD program for full licensure as a practicing clinical psychologist or, in some states, allow you to pursue limited licensure options such as psychological associate roles.
Master’s Degree in Forensic Psychology
Forensic psychology is a field that attracts a large number of applicants each year. Although there are far more applicants in this competitive field than there are jobs, positions in forensic psychology with a master’s degree usually do not require licensure. You’ll be prepared for those roles through an in-depth education in the American legal system. That includes not just the popular analysis of criminal activity and culpability, but also understanding social psychology and how to evaluate jury pools and judges. Research and evaluation are prized in forensics, so you’ll double down on that coursework in these master’s programs.
Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology
Master’s programs in counseling psychology are often used as qualifications for licensure as professional counselors or marriage and family therapists. These degrees are frequently available with their own subset of concentrations, in fields like correctional psychology, health psychology, Latino counseling, LGBTQ counseling, and family therapy. All of these programs deliver training in clinical therapeutic skills similar to a degree in clinical psychology. The focus is on hands-on assessment and treatment. You develop skills in working with patients directly and assisting them through various mental health issues. These degrees can also be considered as part of the path to a PhD or PsyD program and full licensure as a practicing psychologist.
Master’s Degree in School Psychology
School psychology is a field where licensure is often available with only a master’s degree. That means these degrees prepare you for full practice authority working in school systems with preK-12 students. They deliver training in assessing kids for the hallmarks of abuse or bullying, briefing you on your legal and ethical obligations with minors, and how to bridge the difficult gap between teachers, kids, parents, and school administrators.
It’s exactly the right specialization if you love kids and want to work to build a safe, healthy, and supportive learning environment through psychological principles. At the same time, you’ll be equipped to deal with the hard parts like violence, abuse, and substance abuse that can crash hard into the bright, promising future that children have.
While these programs are sometimes offered by psychology departments as an MA or MS in psychology, you can also find them run by the college school of education and offered as a master’s degree in educational psychology.
Master’s Degree in Child Psychology
Closely related to school psychology but aimed more at individual and family work, master’s degrees in child psychology prepare you for advocacy or program development work benefiting children, adolescents, and families. The coursework in these programs leans heavily on the study of lifecycle development and the unique psychological issues arising from cognitive, physical, socioemotional, and gender development. The psychopathology of children is explored, and hot-button issues in the field, like autism spectrum and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorders, are studied.
Master’s Degree in Industrial Organizational Psychology
A degree in organizational psychology is your ticket into the world of business and corporate affairs as a psychologist. Licensure is generally not required in this field, which means you can typically put your degree to work directly after graduation.
Industrial-organizational psychologists study leadership and social psychology to understand how groups of people work together. Communication and analysis skills give them the tools to promote teamwork, manage transitions, and develop appropriate organizational structures for different companies, non-profits, and government agencies. Some I-O degree programs offer additional specialization tracks, developing your skills within specific industries like healthcare or education.
Master’s Degree in Applied Psychology
Applied psychology master’s degrees are distinguished from more general, theoretical psychology studies by an emphasis on practice. They are similar to clinical and educational psychology master’s programs, and can also be used as preparation for a path to a PhD or PsyD. They can also be used as a qualification for licensure as a school psychologist or counselor, therapist, or psychology associate in some states.
Like those other programs, applied psychology degrees cover the bases in assessment and treatment skills for direct intervention in mental health crises. You’ll get the kind of practicum and internship placements that let you develop those skills in hands-on practice with real patients, under the supervision of instructors with substantial applied psychology experience.
Master’s Degree in Sports Psychology
Sports and performance psychology explores the mental elements of high-caliber athletic skills. Everything from boxing to football to Olympic-caliber curling has enormous psychological elements, many of which are only just becoming well-understood. Sports psychologists both study the aspects of peak performance development that exist in the athlete’s mind and design training and game planning to take advantage of the latest in sports psych theory.
Performance psychology bleeds over into fields outside the world of sports, too, with clientele from neurosurgeons to actors to politicians hoping to better understand how to develop their performance under pressure. Although direct clinical treatment isn’t possible in this field without a PsyD or PhD, many sports psychologists work as coaches or organizational consultants.
What is The Difference Between an MS and an MA in Psychology?
In all of these programs, you will find degrees that are offered as Master’s of Science and others that are listed as Master’s of Arts. So what is the difference, and does it matter to your goals and aspirations?
Answering the last question first, no, there’s not much practical difference between an MA and an MS in the field. You’re not going to miss out on that dream job because you are a few letters off in the alphabet.
But there are some distinctions between the two degrees:
- Master of Arts in Psychology: Arts degrees reflect the traditional liberal arts approach to higher education. That is, they emphasize a broad exposure to social and cultural factors, development of critical thinking skills, and a generalist approach to the field. Students from all backgrounds are likely to thrive in MA programs. Discussion and debate are usually encouraged, with studies seen as a mutual exploration of the issues being taught.
- Master of Science in Psychology: Degrees in the sciences tradition emphasize hard data and research. Coursework may involve more education in the neurological and physical processes affecting mental function, and look at assessment and treatment tools that are grounded in evidence-based results. Science programs may be a better preparation for a future path to a PsyD or PhD in psychology.
In those PhD programs that award master’s degrees along the path to a doctorate, you’ll almost always earn a Master of Science in psychology. The doctoral training in a PsyD or PhD is, by nature, scientific. But many stand-alone master’s programs offer a Master of Arts (MA) in psychology instead.
Your Master’s Thesis Will Be The Centerpiece of Your Master’s Degree in Psychology Program
No matter what specialization you choose, a master’s thesis forms the capstone that cements the skills and knowledge gained in your studies.
A master’s thesis is a scholarly paper that often ranges from 40 to 80 pages in length, though requirements vary by program. It can take you most of the last year of your program to complete. You will probably spend much of your first year thinking about it, laying the groundwork, and working out the project with your thesis advisor. It will end up encapsulating not only what you have been taught, but also original research that you design and collect data to support.
The paper is the expression of your ideas and interests in your specialty area. You’ll defend it in front of a thesis committee, who will challenge you and elevate your work until it is publication-quality.
In some programs, a more action-oriented capstone project is offered as an alternative. Rather than a formal paper, you’re expected to design and execute an active solution to some problem or challenge in your field. It’s every bit as intense, but offers a more hands-on approach that is more solution-oriented than research-centric.
Considering an Online Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology Programs
Of course, you can find online programs these days in any specialty area, not just clinical studies. Clinical psychology studies might be some of the most challenging to pursue online, though, since hands-on experience is a big part of that. But if a school can develop an effective online master’s in clinical psychology, you know that just about any discipline in the field can be taught that way.
Online studies are well-suited for master’s-level students. Most master’s students are already out in the workforce, sometimes mid-way through excellent careers, and often starting families. That makes for obligations and restrictions on your availability, the kind of limits that can easily keep you from completing traditional classes on a fixed schedule.
Careers in Psychology with a Master’s Degree
With the broad range of roles you will find in the job market for the skillset you get with a master’s in psychology, there is a wide range of potential career paths you can build. In fact, the Center for Workforce Studies at the American Psychological Association (APA) says that only about half of all psychologists work in traditional psychology occupations. For a closer look at the career options available with a psychology degree, our full guide covers the landscape in detail.
Do you have a love for high-tech or social media? User experience teams and marketing research groups often seek professionals with your background. How about business? Human resources departments often seek professionals with expertise in workplace psychology and team management. Or maybe you want to make the world a better place through non-profit or human services work. You’ve got what it takes to put together community health interventions, run homeless services programs, manage healthcare teams, or even work with law enforcement on offender diversion programs.
It’s also worth noting that school psychologist licenses may require only a master’s-level education in many states. In some states, it’s also possible to become a licensed professional counselor (LPC) or licensed mental health counselor (LMHC) with a master’s degree in psychology. Some psychology master’s degrees may also qualify you to become an Applied Behavior Analyst (ABA), depending on the program and state requirements. It might be helpful to review the differences between a counselor vs. therapist vs. psychologist before you pick these paths.
The Psychological Associate
One position in clinical psychology that you may be able to practice with a master’s degree is that of the psychological associate. Not all states define this position, but some do offer limited licenses in the field.
The APA defines a psychological associate as a master’s-prepared psychologist who may require supervision and have a limited scope of practice compared to a fully licensed clinical psychologist.
In general, psychological associates aren’t allowed to present themselves as psychologists. They may have to complete a period of supervised practice and pass the EPPP (Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology) in order to become licensed in states that regulate the job. And they might have to work under fully licensed clinical psychologists in order to provide treatment in some settings.
There’s no separate category for psychological associate salaries, so you can’t separate them from the other BLS practitioner figures. But you can assume they will generally fall in the mid to lower range of other psychologists, somewhere between the bottom ten percent and the median.
Are These Career Paths Growing?
Demand for professionals with psychology training at the master’s level is strong, particularly on the counseling and mental health side. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects faster-than-average job growth for mental health counselors, marriage and family therapists (Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists, or LMFTs), and school psychologists through the next decade. Industrial-organizational psychology is slower-growing, but tends to carry higher salaries at the master’s level.
The broader picture is also favorable. As mental health awareness grows and access to services expands, employers across healthcare, education, and corporate settings are actively seeking people who understand human behavior. A master’s in psychology positions you for many of those roles directly, without requiring a doctorate. Check the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook for current projections on the specific career path you’re targeting.
Which Career Paths Need Additional Licensure?
Your master’s degree in psychology is a foundation, not a finish line, for careers that involve direct treatment or counseling. It may also help to review how a psychologist’s credential compares to an LCSW as you map out your options. Here’s how the main licensed pathways typically work, though requirements vary significantly by state, and you should confirm specifics with your state licensing board:
- Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) or Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC): Most states require a master’s degree in counseling or a related field, a defined number of supervised post-degree clinical hours, and passage of a state-approved licensing exam. The specific exam, hour requirements, and title vary by state.
- Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT): Similar structure to LPC licensure, with a master’s degree, supervised clinical hours, and passage of the AMFTRB national exam or a state equivalent. Many states accept a master’s in counseling psychology as a qualifying degree.
- School Psychologist: Many states license school psychologists at the master’s or specialist degree level. The National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) offers the Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP) credential, which some states use or recognize. Requirements vary widely.
- Industrial-Organizational Psychologist: Licensure is generally not required in this field. A master’s in I-O psychology or a related field is typically sufficient for entry-level and mid-level roles.
- Psychological Associate: Available in select states only, this limited-practice license generally requires a master’s degree, supervised hours under a licensed psychologist, and passage of the EPPP. Not all states recognize this credential.
All of this is to say, there is a wide range of potential career paths available with a master’s degree in psychology. This is especially true in the field of human services, where psychology master’s graduates can contribute to almost any organization at various levels.
What To Expect For Your Salary After Earning a Master’s Degree in Psychology
Of course, with such a broad range of career possibilities, there also comes a wide array of possible salaries. You’re looking at very different take-home pay as a legal administrative specialist for the Department of Veterans Affairs versus working as a tutor coordinator, as a pair of recent master’s grads from the same program ended up doing.
But many grad students in psychology will prefer to stay employed directly in the field. And their salaries are tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. For 2024, the median salary for psychologists in the United States was $94,310. That number is averaged out for all psychologists, however, including school psychologists, industrial-organizational psychologists, forensic psychologists, and many others. Some of those roles may be accessible with a master’s degree, while others require a doctorate. The BLS breaks out median salaries for certain roles. These are national estimates and vary by location, experience, and specialization:
| Psychology Role | Median Annual Salary (2024) |
|---|---|
| Industrial-Organizational Psychologists | $109,840 |
| Clinical and Counseling Psychologists | $95,830 |
| School Psychologists | $86,930 |
| All Other Psychologists (including forensic) | $117,580 |
Clinical psychology salaries don’t really start to climb until you earn a doctoral degree. The simple fact is, you won’t be offering clinical services independently with only a master’s program under your belt. A master’s can serve as a stepping stone to a PhD in psychology; however, this is your ticket to licensure in every state.
Is a Master’s in Psychology Worth It?
For most people who go into this degree with a clear plan, the answer is yes. A master’s typically takes two years and costs considerably less than a full doctoral program, while still opening doors that a bachelor’s degree doesn’t. The degree pays off most clearly when you’re targeting a specific career path, whether that’s I-O psychology, school psychology, mental health counseling with licensure, or a stepping stone to doctoral work.
Where people run into trouble is when they earn the degree without a clear picture of what licensure they’ll need next, or what role they’re aiming for. The master’s in psychology is flexible, but that flexibility requires you to direct it. If you know which career you’re aiming for, the degree makes a lot of sense. If you’re not sure, it may be worth spending some time on that question before committing to a graduate program.
A License To Practice Can Be Complex to Navigate
Psychologist licensure can be complex to navigate. Some of the basic concepts are pretty straightforward. Most states require a high-level degree, passage of the EPPP, and a set number of post-graduate practice hours.
But you get into messy details pretty quickly as you look from state to state. Most states require that the high-level degree you earn is a doctorate (PhD or PsyD). But in others, it’s possible to get some kind of limited-practice license with only a master’s. Some have additional exams you need to take on state laws and regulations.
There are rules about how your hours are counted, when you can take the test, and whether or not temporary practice authority is allowed. Some states offer licensure by endorsement if you have a license elsewhere, while others do not.
All of this is just to say, be sure to look carefully at the laws and licensing board rules for psychologists in your state before you start making career plans. Your master’s degree can be worth a lot more or less than you think if you make assumptions.
Licensed clinical psychologists fall into the group of psychologists, all other, in the BLS data, and have a median annual salary of $105,780.
Frequently Asked Questions About Master’s Degrees in Psychology
What Are The Admission Criteria For Master’s Degrees in Psychology?
Master’s programs are harder to get into than bachelor’s programs. You’ll need that bachelor’s degree in hand, for starters. Although it usually does not have to be in psychology or even a related field, it will probably help your chances if it is. Typical admissions standards at the master’s level in psychology include submission of your official bachelor’s transcripts, one or more letters of recommendation, a personal statement giving your reasons for applying, your CV or professional resume, and standardized test scores such as those from the Graduate Record Exam (GRE). Every master’s program sets its own specific criteria, and usually judges your application as a whole. If your paperwork passes muster, you can still expect to sit for an interview with an admissions committee before final acceptance.
How Long is a Master’s Degree in Psychology?
Master’s programs in psychology are typically around two or three years in length, depending on whether or not you pursue them full-time or part-time. Many online psychology master’s degrees offer flexible scheduling that lets you stretch out your studies so you have more time for your other obligations. But that also means it takes more time overall to meet your learning goals.
What Can I Do with a Master’s Degree in General Psychology?
There are a surprising number of applications for general psychology in the workforce today. You can take that degree and stack it up toward a PsyD or PhD program in the conventional track to becoming a licensed psychologist. But you can also put your fundamental knowledge of how people think to use in almost any industry. Marketers want to understand the psychology of customers. High-tech companies need user experience designers who understand how people react to app layouts and website features. You may also qualify for licensure in therapy or counseling in some states, depending on the program and field, though requirements vary and should be confirmed with the relevant licensing board.
Can a Master’s Degree in Psychology Allow Me To Practice Clinical Psychology?
Not by itself. A doctorate in psychology (PhD or PsyD) is required for full independent practice of clinical psychology in all U.S. states. The direct treatment of patients using psychotherapy and other psychological techniques is restricted to licensed psychologists. However, earning a master’s can be used to shorten your path to that doctorate. You can shave as much as two years off some doctoral programs by earning your master’s degree first. Check with specific programs you’re considering to see if this option applies.
What Are Dual Master’s and PsyD Programs in Psychology?
Many, if not most, PsyD (Doctor of Psychology) programs grant you a master’s degree as part of your doctoral studies. When people refer to dual programs, though, they usually mean those that offer extra specialization as part of your training. For example, you can find dual programs where you earn a master’s in sports psychology together with a PsyD in clinical psychology. By combining the two, you set yourself up with expertise in sports psychology plus the qualifications to become a clinical psychologist. Other dual programs cover non-psych fields like public health or nursing.
What is The Cost of a Master’s Degree in Psychology?
College is expensive in the United States today, and a master’s program averaged nearly $39,000 in tuition, fees, and related expenses according to 2019 NCES data, and costs may be higher today. Every school has its own rate and fee structure. Public institutions tend to be more affordable than average, and private schools typically charge more. A study by Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce found that private schools tend to dominate the total returns at 20, 30, and 40 years after graduation. So if you’re patient, a higher tuition rate may more than pay for itself.
What Kind of Accreditation Should a Master’s Program in Psychology Have?
Psychology master’s programs fall into a kind of hole in the accreditation universe. The APA (American Psychological Association) is the recognized specialty accreditor for psychology programs in the United States, but they only accredit doctoral-level programs. The minimum you should look for at the master’s level is standard regional or national accreditation for the school overall, by an accreditor recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. There is also a relatively new specialty accrediting agency called MPCAC (Master’s in Psychology and Counseling Accreditation Council), founded in 2011 to fill that gap. They offer accreditation to both counseling and psychology programs at the master’s level and are worth keeping an eye on.
What Are Behavioral Psychology Master’s Programs?
Every master’s-level program in psychology is going to cover behaviorism to some extent. As one of the major theories underlying both the analysis and treatment of mental health issues today, behaviorist training is common. A master’s in psychology with a concentration in behavioral analysis takes that training much further. You’ll learn how to use behavioral concepts to develop evidence-backed assessment and intervention skills to deal with all types of psychological disorders. Some of these behavioral psychology master’s programs include Association for Behavioral Analysis International (ABAI) Verified Course Sequences, a key part of establishing eligibility to take the Behavioral Analysis Certification Board’s BCBA examination, which is a component of becoming licensed as an applied behavior analyst in most states.
Key Takeaways
- Versatile but not clinical: A master’s in psychology qualifies you for a wide range of non-clinical roles across business, education, and human services, but does not by itself allow you to practice as a licensed psychologist. A doctoral degree (PhD or PsyD) is required for that.
- Licensure depends on your career target: Paths like LPC, LMHC, LMFT, and school psychologist all build on the master’s degree, but each requires additional supervised hours and a licensing exam. Requirements vary by state.
- Concentration matters: The specialization you choose shapes your career options significantly. I-O psychology, counseling psychology, school psychology, and forensic psychology all lead to very different day-to-day careers and salary ranges.
- Strong earning potential: According to BLS 2024 data, median salaries for psychologist roles range from roughly $86,000 for school psychologists to over $109,000 for I-O psychologists, though figures vary by location, experience, and specialization.
- Doctoral stepping stone: Earning your master’s separately can shorten some PhD programs by up to two years, making it a useful strategy for those who can’t commit to a seven-year doctoral program all at once.
To explore licensing requirements in your state or find master’s degree programs in psychology that align with your career goals, browse our state-by-state psychology licensing guides.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2024. Salary figures for Psychologists, Industrial-Organizational Psychologists, Clinical and Counseling Psychologists, Psychologists, all other, and School Psychologists reflect national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed April 2026.