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2027 Clinical Psychology Degree Guide

6,412 Degrees Awarded
205 Schools Offering Degrees
$55,107 Median Pay 1 Year After Graduation

In the latest year, 205 U.S. colleges awarded 6,412 degrees and certificates in Clinical Psychology. Master’s degrees are the most popular award, at 56% of graduates. College Factual ranks 126 schools in its 2027 Best Clinical 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.

A major in Clinical Psychology covers Clinical Psychology. A Program That Prepares Individuals For The Independent Professional Practice Of Clinical Psychology, Involving The Analysis, Diagnosis, And Clinical Treatment Of Psychological Disorders And Behavioral Pathologies. Includes Instruction In Clinical Assessment And Diagnosis, Personality Appraisal, Psychopathology, Clinical Psychopharmacology, Behavior Modification, Therapeutic Intervention Skills, Patient Interviewing, Personalized And Group Therapy, Child And Adolescent Therapy, Cognitive And Behavioral Therapy, Supervised Clinical Practice, Ethical Standards, And Applicable Regulations.

Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.

Nationwide, clinical psychology is a popular field of study, with 6,412 degrees awarded annually. 205 colleges award clinical psychology degrees, an average of 31 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 813.

By level, the 6,412 awards include 3 certificates, 343 bachelor’s degrees, 3,560 master’s degrees and 2,506 doctorates.

Women earned 81% of clinical psychology degrees and certificates in the latest year (5,179 of 6,412). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (3,225) and Hispanic or Latino (1,230), and international students earned 253.

What Are the Best Clinical Psychology Schools?

College Factual ranks 126 schools in its 2027 Best Clinical Psychology Schools ranking, including 10 for bachelor’s degrees, 87 for master’s degrees and 73 for doctorates. It also ranks clinical psychology schools within 30 states. In all, 205 colleges offer clinical psychology programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Clinical Psychology Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.

2027 Best Colleges for Clinical Psychology
2027 Overall Best Clinical Psychology Colleges >
Bachelor's Degrees in Clinical Psychology
Master's Degrees in Clinical Psychology
Doctorate Degrees in Clinical Psychology

What Are the Requirements for a Clinical Psychology Degree?

The most common clinical psychology credential is the master’s degree: 3,560 of the 6,412 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to clinical psychology call most for Reading Comprehension, Speaking and Active Listening, and for knowledge of English Language, Education and Training and Administration and Management, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Oral Expression, Written Expression and Written Comprehension.

Skills You Will Develop

Top skills, rated 0–5:

Reading Comprehension  4.1 / 5
0
5

Speaking  4.0 / 5
0
5
Active Listening  4.0 / 5
0
5
Writing  3.9 / 5
0
5
Critical Thinking  3.9 / 5
0
5

Knowledge Areas

Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:

English Language  4.3 / 5
0
5
Education and Training  3.6 / 5
0
5
Administration and Management  3.6 / 5
0
5
Psychology  3.4 / 5
0
5
Law and Government  3.3 / 5
0
5

Clinical Psychology Degree Types

How long a clinical psychology degree takes:

Degree Typical Program Length Graduates Annually
Certificate Varies 3
Bachelor’s Degree 4 years 343
Master’s Degree 1-3 years 3,560
Doctorate At least 4 years 2,506

Bachelor’s degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to clinical psychology, at 39.0%.

Level of Education Percentage of Workers
Bachelor’s degree 39.0%
Doctoral degree 19.9%
Post-doctoral training 12.0%
Master’s degree 10.2%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) 6.3%
High school diploma or equivalent 4.7%
Postsecondary certificate 3.1%
Some college courses 2.4%
Post-baccalaureate certificate 2.0%
Post-master’s certificate 0.3%

Level of education for Clinical Psychology workers

Source: O*NET Online.

What Can You Do With a Clinical Psychology Degree?

9 occupations are related to Clinical Psychology, with an average median salary of $112,764; the strongest outlook belongs to Clinical and Counseling Psychologists, at 14.7% projected job growth. Typical job titles include I/O Psychology Professor (Industrial/Organizational Psychology Professor), Child Development Teacher, College Professor and Child Psychology Teacher.

9 Related Occupations
$112,764 Average Median Salary
14.7% Growth Top Job Outlook

In-Demand Clinical Psychology Careers

The occupation related to clinical psychology with the most projected jobs is Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary, at 513,614.

Occupation Projected Jobs Expected Growth
Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary 513,614 -3.0%
Managers, All Other 468,025 6.2%
Compliance Managers 310,203 13.0%
Loss Prevention Managers 265,210 2.2%
Regulatory Affairs Managers 206,415 9.9%
Wind Energy Operations Managers 128,884 5.2%
Wind Energy Development Managers 107,541 10.1%
Brownfield Redevelopment Specialists and Site Managers 105,398 -1.9%

How Much Do Clinical Psychology Graduates Make?

Clinical 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.

Median earnings for Clinical Psychology graduates by years after completion
Years Out Median Earnings
1 year $55,107
4 years $71,095
5 years $67,444

Source: College Scorecard.

Highest Paid Clinical Psychology Careers

The highest-paying occupation related to clinical 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
Wind Energy Operations Managers $122,567
Compliance Managers $117,178
Brownfield Redevelopment Specialists and Site Managers $99,321
Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary $98,479
Managers, All Other $95,684
Regulatory Affairs Managers $77,828

Clinical Psychology has 16 similar majors in the Psychology field, which together award 36,775 degrees a year; the largest are Counseling Psychology (12,299), Applied Behavior Analysis (7,220) and School Psychology (3,735). Browse all Psychology majors or the full list of college majors.

Related Major Annual Graduates
Counseling Psychology 12,299
Applied Behavior Analysis 7,220
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

References

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