by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 741 U.S. colleges awarded 43,187 degrees and certificates in Clinical, Counseling & Applied Psychology. Master’s degrees are the most popular award, at 77% of graduates. College Factual ranks 532 schools in its 2027 Best Clinical, Counseling & Applied Psychology Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $55,107 one year after completing, rising to $71,095 after four years.
Are you interested in helping individuals with psychological or mental health disorders? Getting your degree in Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology will teach you about the professional practice of psychology. This involves the diagnosis and treatment of individuals with disorders and behavioral pathologies.
Some of the things you will learn and discuss in your classes are growth and development, nature vs. nurture, reactions towards a specific environment, health problems and family issues. You should be deeply interested in people and comfortable working with diverse populations. Some of the courses you will take are chemistry, biology, abnormal psychology, statistics, child development, and clinical methods. This branch of psychology is focused around practical application.
You may be able to choose a concentration or specialization in this major. Some of the more common ones available are Community Psychology; Counseling Psychology; Industrial and Organizational Psychology; School Psychology; Educational Psychology; Clinical Child Psychology; Environmental Psychology; Geropsychology; Health/Medical Psychology; Family Psychology; Forensic Psychology; and Applied Psychology.
A major in Clinical, Counseling & Applied Psychology covers Clinical, Counseling And Applied Psychology.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Across the country, clinical, counseling & applied psychology is a popular field of study, with 43,187 degrees awarded annually. 741 colleges award clinical, counseling & applied psychology degrees, an average of 58 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 2,069.
By level, the 43,187 awards include 27 certificates, 48 associate degrees, 5,080 bachelor’s degrees, 33,255 master’s degrees and 4,728 doctorates.
Women earned 83% of clinical, counseling & applied psychology degrees and certificates in the latest year (35,673 of 43,187). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (21,390) and Hispanic or Latino (8,355), and international students earned 1,370.
College Factual ranks 532 schools in its 2027 Best Clinical, Counseling & Applied Psychology Schools ranking, including 1 for associate degrees, 82 for bachelor’s degrees, 436 for master’s degrees and 139 for doctorates. It also ranks clinical, counseling & applied psychology schools within 50 states. In all, 741 colleges offer clinical, counseling & applied psychology programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Clinical, Counseling & Applied Psychology Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common clinical, counseling & applied psychology credential is the master’s degree: 33,255 of the 43,187 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to clinical, counseling & applied psychology call most for Reading Comprehension, Active Listening and Speaking, and for knowledge of English Language, Education and Training and Psychology, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Oral Expression, Written Comprehension and Oral Comprehension.
The study of psychology involves time spent in lecture halls, labs and libraries. Students will perform experiments and write lab reports, conduct research and prepare papers and presentations, and participate in class discussions. This requires a balanced individual who is comfortable working with numbers and science as well as interacting with people.
Your major will most likely include an internship or work study program where you will gain some real-world experience. It is important to be able to listen and respond appropriately in potentially emotional situations. Environmental awareness and attention to detail will help you understand the reactions and behavior of people.
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How long a clinical, counseling & applied psychology degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 27 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 48 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 5,080 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 33,255 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 4,728 |
Bachelor’s degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to clinical, counseling & applied psychology, at 33.8%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 33.8% |
| Post-doctoral training | 21.5% |
| Doctoral degree | 17.8% |
| Master’s degree | 10.4% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 5.2% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 4.2% |
| Some college courses | 2.3% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 2.3% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 1.7% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 0.8% |
Source: O*NET Online.
24 occupations are related to Clinical, Counseling & Applied Psychology, with an average median salary of $94,446; the strongest outlook belongs to Clinical and Counseling Psychologists, at 14.7% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Clinical Psychology Teacher, Adjunct Instructor, College Professor and Associate Professor.
A major in Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology prepares you for work in several different fields as a clinical psychologist, counselor or social worker. Most of these occupations do require an advanced degree in the field of psychology. If graduates decide not to obtain an advanced degree, their college education also prepares them for work in social work, public service, marketing, sales or any other career working with people.
The occupation related to clinical, counseling & applied psychology with the most projected jobs is Teaching Assistants, Special Education, at 656,798.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Teaching Assistants, Special Education | 656,798 | 9.5% |
| Training and Development Specialists | 622,945 | 11.3% |
| Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary | 513,614 | -3.0% |
| Management Analysts | 484,759 | 12.6% |
| Managers, All Other | 468,025 | 6.2% |
| Human Resources Specialists | 405,890 | 11.8% |
| Human Resources Managers | 404,262 | -3.6% |
| Training and Development Managers | 394,938 | -0.4% |
Clinical, Counseling & Applied Psychology graduates earn a median $55,107 one year after completing their program, $71,095 after four years and $67,444 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $55,107 |
| 4 years | $71,095 |
| 5 years | $67,444 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The highest-paying occupation related to clinical, counseling & applied psychology is Wind Energy Development Managers, with a median salary of $169,952.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Wind Energy Development Managers | $169,952 |
| Loss Prevention Managers | $165,723 |
| Training and Development Managers | $139,524 |
| Wind Energy Operations Managers | $122,567 |
| Compliance Managers | $117,178 |
| School Psychologists | $108,275 |
| Brownfield Redevelopment Specialists and Site Managers | $99,321 |
| Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary | $98,479 |
Clinical, Counseling & Applied Psychology includes 17 concentrations that together award 43,187 degrees a year; by graduates, the largest are Counseling Psychology (12,299), Applied Behavior Analysis (7,220) and Clinical Psychology (6,412). It has 3 similar majors in the Psychology field, which together award 178,031 degrees a year; the largest are Psychology, General (150,830), Research and Experimental Psychology (24,503) and Psychology, Other (2,698). Browse all Psychology majors or the full list of college majors.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Counseling Psychology | 12,299 |
| Applied Behavior Analysis | 7,220 |
| Clinical Psychology | 6,412 |
| School Psychology | 3,735 |
| Industrial and Organizational Psychology | 3,171 |
| Applied Psychology | 3,004 |
| Forensic Psychology | 2,736 |
| Educational Psychology | 1,876 |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology, Other | 711 |
| Family Psychology | 630 |
| Community Psychology | 467 |
| Health/Medical Psychology | 441 |
| Performance and Sport Psychology | 319 |
| Clinical Child Psychology | 101 |
| Transpersonal/Spiritual Psychology | 41 |
| Environmental Psychology | 22 |
| Geropsychology | 2 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Psychology, General | 150,830 |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | 24,503 |
| Psychology, Other | 2,698 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
