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.
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.
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.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
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% |
Source: O*NET Online.
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.
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% |
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.
| 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 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 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.