Wisconsin Psychology Education Overview
Psychology Licensure in Wisconsin
The great state of Wisconsin offers attractive career options for human services professionals licensed as psychologists. Options range from working at a school in Madison to being employed at a hospital in Milwaukee.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the average annual salary for clinical and counseling psychologists in Wisconsin is $117,050.
For those drawn to the fast-paced and stimulating environment of a hospital, it’s worth exploring a career at one of Wisconsin’s 110+ major hospitals. If the idea of helping children heal emotional wounds is one that resonates with you, you can consider work at one of Wisconsin’s 475+ school districts.
Below you will find our step-by-step guide to help you streamline the process of attaining your license to practice psychology in Wisconsin.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2024. Salary figures for Clinical and Counseling Psychologists. Salaries based on state data not school specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed May 2025.
Required Educational Background
Getting your Psychology license in Wisconsin is a challenging task to undertake. However, those who persevere and attain their license will discover they have created a career niche for themselves that is both lucrative and personally rewarding. In order to earn your license in psychology you will need to have already gained your Doctorate in Psychology. That in turn means that you have already earned your Bachelor and Master of Psychology.
Whether or not you continue your schooling to attain full licensure in Psychology, you will find that a Bachelor of Psychology is one of the most flexible and sought after Bachelor’s degrees in the human services field. It is also a necessary component for earning your psychology license.
Wisconsin does not allow licensing for those who have less than their Ph.D. in Psychology. Earning your Master of Psychology is a great item to have on your resume, and it is also a necessary step towards getting your license. With a Master of Psychology, you will find that a wide variety of job opportunities open up for you immediately. So, even if you choose not to continue on towards your doctorate and licensure in psychology, you Master of Psychology degree is still extremely useful for finding employment in human services.
Once you have been awarded your Ph.D. in psychology from an APA approved school you will need to begin accumulating your required hours of field experience.
Field Experience
To verify your field experience component, you will need to take the following actions:
- You are required to amass 1500 hours of field experience over the course of studying for your Ph.D.
- The remaining 1500 hours must be post-doctoral and in a supervised form under the direction of a Psychologist who is approved by the board in the state of Wisconsin.
- You will need to apply for licensure, get approval and take your examination as explained below.
You will want to familiarize yourself with the Wisconsin specific rules and regulations for licensure. These laws change so it is good to make sure you have current information, you can find that information here:
Examination
Once you have completed your field experience you can apply to take the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP).
- Pass the EPPP with a score meeting the Wisconsin minimum.
- Pass Wisconsin ethics exam
- Pass Wisconsin oral interview before board
You can find some helpful information about your EPPP here: