Psychologists go from their undergraduate studies to graduate school and continue on to doctoral level training. They do not complete medical school. Within psychology, students can pursue a PhD or a PsyD. A PsyD has a stronger focus on clinical training, whereas a PhD puts more emphasis on research.

To become a clinical psychologist, you will need an undergraduate degree (four to five years of college) plus a doctorate degree (four to seven years of graduate school). For this specialty area, most people will spend between eight to 12 years in higher education.

As of 2021, no states allow master’s-level psychological associates to work independently. A number of states also allow master’s-level school psychologists: Louisiana….

• Alaska.
• Kentucky.
• Michigan.
• New Mexico.
• Oregon.
• Tennessee.
• Texas.
• U.S. Virgin Islands.

Fastest Growing Psychology Careers

1. Vocational and Career Counselors. There are more people lookings for jobs or changing careers than ever before.
2. School Psychologist.
3. Family Marriage Counselor.
4. Forensic Psychologist.
5. Genetics Counselor.
6. Engineering Psychologist.
7. Clinical Psychologist.
8. Industrial-Organizational Psychologist.

Online psychology doctoral programs range from 60 to 90 credits. Some programs take full-time students five to six years to complete, while others span four years or less. Students may be able to reduce their completion time by transferring course credits from other institutions.

5-7 years

You do not need a Master’s to be admitted to a PhD program and you do not (usually) need to get a Master’s before getting the PhD. It typically takes at least four years to get a PhD. PhDs in clinical or counseling psychology will require an extra year of internship.

Median annual tuition costs to earn a master’s and doctorate degree in Clinical Psychology (private institution): Private institution master’s degree: $30,000. Private institution doctorate degree: $34,000.

Average Cost of a PhD The average time it takes to complete a PhD is just over 8 years. That’s right, 8 years. The average cost of a PhD program is $30,000 per year, which comes to a grand total of $240,000 over the course of eight years.

Phd researchers in the United States make an average salary of $49,666 per year or $23.88 per hour.

On average, a Ph. D. may take up to eight years to complete. A doctorate degree typically takes four to six years to complete—however, this timing depends on the program design, the subject area you’re studying, and the institution offering the program.