by our College Data Analytics TeamAre 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.
In 2020-2021, clinical, counseling and applied psychology was the 33rd most popular major nationwide with 33,758 degrees awarded. This is a difference of 2,012 over the prior year, a growth of 6.0%.
This year's Best Clinical, Counseling & Applied Psychology Schools ranking compares 495 of them to identify the best overall programs in the country. Explore this or one of our many other custom clinical psychology rankings further below.
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.
New students will need to have completed high school or a GED program and each school will have their own minimum GPA and SAT/ACT test requirements. In addition to these basic clinical, counseling and applied psychology program qualifications, to serve in some clinical psychology careers, special certification may be required outside of your degree.
Clinical Psychology degree levels vary. You can get anything from a in clinical, counseling and applied psychology to the highest clinical psychology degree, a . Different clinical, counseling and applied psychology degrees vary in how long they take.
| Degree | Credit Requirements | Typical Program Length |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 60-70 credits | 2 years |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 120 credits | 4 years |
| Master’s Degree | 50-70 credits | 1-3 years |
| Doctorate | Program required coursework including thesis or dissertation | At least 4 years |
A bachelor's degree is the most common level of education achieved by those in careers related to clinical psychology, with approximately 29.4% of workers getting one. See the the most common levels of education for clinical psychology workers below.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 29.8% |
| Master’s Degree | 22.4% |
| Post-Doctoral Training | 17.2% |
| Doctoral Degree | 16.4% |
| Post-Master’s Certificate | 4.4% |
About 61.8% of workers in careers related to clinical psychology obtain at least master's degrees. The chart below shows what degree level those who work in clinical, counseling and applied psychology have obtained.
The education level required is different depending on the clinical psychology career you are seeking.
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.
Want a job when you graduate with your clinical psychology degree? Clinical, Counseling & Applied Psychology careers are expected to grow 9.1% between 2016 and 2026.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to clinical, counseling and applied psychology.
| Occupation Name | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Managers | 1,071,700 | 8.0% |
| Clinical, Counseling, and School Psychologists | 168,500 | 14.2% |
| Psychology Professors | 54,000 | 15.1% |
| Psychologists | 19,200 | 10.3% |
| Industrial-Organizational Psychologists | 1,800 | 5.9% |
Recently graduated clinical, counseling and applied psychology students earned an average of $47,800 in 2019-2020. Earnings can range from as low as $11,399 to as high as $88,144. As you might expect, salaries for clinical psychology graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.
Salaries for clinical, counseling and applied psychology graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top highest paying careers clinical psychology grads often go into.
| Occupation Name | Median Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Managers | $115,590 |
| Industrial-Organizational Psychologists | $109,030 |
| Psychologists | $95,610 |
| Psychology Professors | $88,490 |
| Clinical, Counseling, and School Psychologists | $85,340 |
With over 2,182 different clinical psychology degree programs to choose from, finding the best fit for you can be a challenge. Fortunately you have come to the right place. We have analyzed all of these schools to come up with hundreds of unbiased clinical psychology school rankings to help you with this.
Clinical, Counseling & Applied Psychology is one of 3 different types of Psychology programs to choose from.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Counseling Psychology | 9,463 |
| Applied Behavior Analysis | 5,497 |
| Clinical Psychology | 5,125 |
| School Psychology | 3,230 |
| Industrial & Organizational Psychology | 2,386 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| General Psychology | 141,695 |
| Child Development & Psychology | 17,542 |
| Other Psychology | 2,683 |
