How to become a psychologist
Answer
To become a clinical or counseling psychologist, you earn a bachelor's degree, then a doctorate (PhD or PsyD) that includes a one-year internship, complete the supervised hours your state requires, and pass the EPPP licensing exam. Plan on about 9 years or more after high school.
- Total time
- 9 years or more after high school
- Fastest path: About 8 years after high school
- Minimum education
- Doctoral degree (PhD or PsyD) in clinical or counseling psychology, preferably from an APA-accredited program
- Exam or license
- Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology, from the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards
- + 1 more · Required in all 50 states and DC to practice independently; most states also limit use of the title psychologist to licensees
- Typical cost
- $81.0K–$133K
- Tuition and fees before aid
Median pay once qualified: $100,580 a year ($48.36 an hour), BLS OEWS, May 2025. See psychologist pay in every state.
Steps to become a psychologist
6 steps
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1Earn a bachelor's degree
Time: 4 yearsCost: College tuitionSources 1
Most applicants major in psychology, but doctoral programs mainly look for statistics, research methods and core psychology courses. Get involved in a faculty research lab early, because research experience and a strong recommendation letter carry a lot of weight in clinical PhD admissions. Volunteering or working in a crisis line, hospital or group home shows you understand clinical work. Grades matter, and some programs still ask for GRE scores.
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2Choose a PhD or PsyD program and get admitted
Time: 1 application cycle; some people work 1-2 years firstCost: Application feesSources 1, 2
PhD programs weight research and end in a dissertation; PsyD programs focus on clinical practice. Look for programs accredited by the APA Commission on Accreditation, which also accredits the internships and postdoctoral residencies that follow. Admission to clinical PhD programs is competitive. Some applicants work as research assistants or finish a master's degree first to strengthen their applications.
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3Complete the doctorate
Time: At least 3 full-time years before internship; usually longerCost: Varies; see median debtSources 2
APA-accredited programs require at least three full-time academic years of graduate study, with at least one year in full-time residence, and cannot be completed substantially online. You take courses in assessment, psychopathology, ethics and therapy, see clients in supervised practicum placements, and write a dissertation or doctoral project. Practicum hours build the record you need for internship applications.
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4Match to a one-year internship
Time: 1 yearCost: $160 APPIC Match registration (2027 Match)Sources 2, 4
The internship is the equivalent of one year of full-time supervised training, finished in no less than 12 months, or half time over 24 months. Most students apply through the APPIC Match in the fall of their final years: you apply and interview, then submit a ranked list. Phase II starts as soon as Phase I ends and places applicants who did not match. Many students relocate for the internship year.
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5Finish postdoctoral supervised hours
Time: About 1-2 yearsCost: Paid trainee positionSources 5, 10, 2
Many states require supervised experience after the doctorate before you can be licensed. California requires 3,000 total hours, at least 1,500 earned after the degree, and the post-doctoral hours must fall within 30 consecutive months. Some psychologists do a formal postdoctoral residency, which APA accredits in both general and specialty areas of practice.
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6Pass the EPPP and get licensed
Time: A few monthsCost: $600 + $91.88 test site fee, plus state feesSources 3, 6, 5
The EPPP is the national licensing exam used across the US and Canada, given at Pearson VUE centers. Part 1 tests knowledge; ASPPB paused its plan to require Part 2-Skills everywhere, and an integrated single-session exam is due to replace both by April 1, 2028. Many states add a law and ethics exam. In California, that is the CPLEE, taken after the EPPP.
How long it takes to become a psychologist
Education options
| Option | Length | Where | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| PhD in clinical or counseling psychology | At least 4 years including internship; often longer | Research universities | Research-heavy, ends with a dissertation. Suits people who want academic, hospital or research roles as well as practice. Admission is very competitive. |
| PsyD in clinical psychology | At least 4 years including internship | Universities and professional schools of psychology | Focused on clinical practice and assessment. Classes are often larger and median debt is high, so compare outcomes, internship match rates and APA accreditation status before enrolling. |
| Master's degree in psychology or counseling | About 2 years | Universities | Not enough to be licensed as a clinical psychologist in most states. It can lead to other licensed roles, such as mental health counselor, or serve as a step toward a doctorate. |
Programs, tuition and graduates’ earnings
| Field and credential (College Scorecard) | Programs | Tuition, public (in-state, per year) | Tuition, private (per year) | Median federal loan debt | Graduates’ median earnings after 4 years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology, doctoral degree | 288 | — | — | $132,586 | $99,878 |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology, first professional degree | 115 | — | — | $80,289 | $70,514 |
U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard (most recent cohorts, released 2026-10-15). Scorecard groups programs by 4-digit field, so a row can include related programs. Tuition is the median published undergraduate tuition and fees of the colleges offering the program (shown only for undergraduate credentials); debt is the median of programs’ median federal loan debt at completion; earnings are the national median for the field and credential four years after completion.
Licensing, exams and certification
Every state and DC licenses clinical and counseling psychologists, and you need a license to practice independently; most states also reserve the title psychologist for licensees. Most state boards require a doctorate in psychology, supervised experience (the internship plus, in many states, post-doctoral hours) and a passing score on the EPPP. ASPPB charges $600 for EPPP Part 1 plus a $91.88 test site fee. ASPPB has paused its plan to require Part 2-Skills for licensure everywhere, though some jurisdictions still use it, and plans an integrated exam priced at $650 from April 1, 2028.
Many states add a law and ethics exam or an oral exam. California, for example, requires 3,000 supervised hours, the EPPP and the CPLEE. All states require continuing education to renew a license.
Check your state's requirements and board in the CareerOneStop License Finder.
| Exam or credential | Issued by | Required? | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP), Part 1-Knowledge3 | Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB) | Required | $600 plus $91.88 test site fee (as of 2026) |
| EPPP Part 2-Skills (only where a jurisdiction requires it)3,6 | Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB) | Optional | $450 plus $91.88 test site fee (as of 2026) |
| California Psychology Laws and Ethics Examination (CPLEE), California only5 | California Board of Psychology | Optional | $127 request fee (as of 2026) |
| Prescriptive authority (psychopharmacology training)7 | State psychology boards in states that allow it | Optional | See issuer |
Requirements differ by state. Check your state’s rules in the CareerOneStop License Finder (U.S. Department of Labor) before you enroll.
Skills and qualities that matter
- Careful listening
- Diagnosis depends on catching what clients leave out or contradict as much as what they say directly.
- Assessment and statistics
- Psychologists choose, score and interpret standardized tests, and need to understand error and norms to avoid overreading a single score.
- Clinical writing
- Evaluation reports go to schools, courts and doctors who make decisions based on them, so they must be clear and defensible.
- Ethical judgment
- Confidentiality limits, duty-to-warn situations and dual relationships come up regularly, and errors can cost a license.
- Emotional steadiness
- Psychologists hear about trauma, abuse and suicidal thinking daily and must stay calm and focused without burning out.
O*NET 31.0 rates these skills as most important for the occupation: reading comprehension, active listening, writing, critical thinking, speaking.
What it costs and what it pays
Compare careers- Training cost
- $81.0K–$133K
- Before financial aid
- Time
- 9 years or more after high school
- Typical path
- Median pay
- $100,580
- All US jobs: $50,980
- Payback once qualified
- 1.6–2.7 yrs
- Pay above the all-jobs median vs. cost
Based on borrowing, not sticker price. Low: College Scorecard median federal loan debt for first professional degrees in clinical, counseling and applied psychology (mostly PsyD programs), $80,289, plus the EPPP fee of $600 and test site fee of $91.88. High: median federal loan debt for doctoral degrees in the same field, $132,586, plus the same EPPP fees. Not included: bachelor's degree costs, state application and license fees, and private loans. Debt varies widely by program and funding.
Rough guide only: ignores taxes, aid, interest and earnings given up during training. How we calculate it.
Where the career can lead
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Psychiatrist$281,870 median
Requires medical school and a psychiatry residency; a psychology doctorate does not shorten either.
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School psychologist$95,990 median
Usually needs a school psychology specialist or doctoral program and a state education credential, so clinical psychologists typically retrain or add coursework.
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Board-certified specialist (for example, neuropsychology)
Usually takes specialty-focused postdoctoral training, then a specialty board's review and exams, such as those offered through the American Board of Professional Psychology.
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Prescribing psychologist
In the few states that allow it, licensed psychologists complete postdoctoral training in clinical psychopharmacology and pass a national exam.
Can you become a psychologist online?
You cannot earn an APA-accredited clinical or counseling doctorate online. APA's standards say these programs cannot be completed substantially online and require at least one year of full-time residence, plus in-person practicum and internship training. Some coursework, continuing education and EPPP preparation can be done online, and once licensed, many psychologists provide therapy by video.
FAQ: becoming a psychologist
How long does it take to become a psychologist?
Usually 9 years or more after high school. That covers a 4-year bachelor's degree, a doctorate that takes at least four years including the required one-year internship, often longer because of the dissertation, and post-doctoral supervised hours in many states. California, for example, wants 1,500 hours after the degree. Passing the EPPP and getting the license adds a few months at the end.
Can you be a psychologist with a master's degree?
Not as a licensed clinical or counseling psychologist in most of the US. Licensure for independent practice requires a doctorate in psychology. With a master's, you can become a licensed professional counselor or marriage and family therapist in many states, work under a psychologist's supervision in some, or move into school psychology, which accepts specialist-level degrees.
What is the difference between a PhD and a PsyD in psychology?
Both can lead to licensure. A PhD trains you as a researcher and a clinician and ends with a dissertation; it suits people interested in research, teaching or academic medical centers. A PsyD emphasizes clinical practice and assessment, usually with less research. Either way, check that the program is APA-accredited and look at its internship match rate and graduates' debt.
What is the EPPP?
The Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology is the national licensing exam run by ASPPB and used by state boards across the US and Canada. Part 1 tests knowledge across psychology and costs $600 plus a $91.88 test site fee. A few jurisdictions also use Part 2-Skills. ASPPB plans to replace both with a single integrated exam, the only option from April 1, 2028.
Is it hard to get into a clinical psychology doctoral program?
Admission to clinical PhD programs is competitive, and committees look closely at research experience, statistics coursework, grades and recommendation letters from faculty who know your work. Requirements and class sizes differ a lot between PhD and PsyD programs. Before choosing, check each program's APA accreditation status, its record of placing students in internships through the APPIC Match and how much its graduates borrow.
Sources for this guide
Checked October 28, 2026
- Psychologists, Occupational Outlook Handbook, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · checked October 28, 2026
- Standards of Accreditation for Health Service Psychology, American Psychological Association, Commission on Accreditation · checked October 28, 2026
- EPPP Registration Fees, Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards · checked October 28, 2026
- Match Overview, Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC) · checked October 28, 2026
- Application for Licensure as a Psychologist, California Board of Psychology · checked October 28, 2026
- Updates on the EPPP's Accessibility, Eligibility, and Cost for 2028, Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards · checked October 28, 2026
- About prescribing psychologists, APA Services · checked October 28, 2026
- College Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education · checked October 28, 2026
- License Finder, CareerOneStop, U.S. Department of Labor · checked October 28, 2026
- Cal. Code Regs. tit. 16, § 1387, Supervised Professional Experience, California Board of Psychology regulations (via Cornell Legal Information Institute) · checked October 28, 2026
Sources
Data updated October 28, 2026
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates, released April 30, 2026, SOC 19-3033
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard field-of-study and institution data, most recent cohorts, released 2026-10-15
- O*NET 31.0 Database (19-3033.00), U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under CC BY 4.0; tasks rewritten by Careers and Salaries
Careers and Salaries is not affiliated with the Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Found an error? Tell us; corrections are listed on the editorial policy page.