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2024 Best Clinical, Counseling & Applied Psychology Schools

504 Colleges in the United States
33,758 Clinical Psychology Degrees Awarded
$47,894 Avg Early-Career Salary
Clinical, Counseling & Applied Psychology is of the hottest degree programs in the United States, coming in as the #33 most popular major in the country. This means there are lots of options to choose from when you decide to get your degree.

College Factual reviewed 504 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for degree seekers in the field of clinical, counseling & applied psychology. Combined, these schools handed out 33,758 degrees in clinical, counseling & applied psychology to qualified students.

What's on this page: * Degree-Level Rankings

Choosing a Great Clinical, Counseling & Applied Psychology School

Best Clinical, Counseling & Applied Psychology Schools Your choice of clinical, counseling & applied psychology school matters, so we have put together these rankings to help you make your decision. In order to come up with a best overall ranking for clinical, counseling & applied psychology schools, we combine our degree-level rankings, weighting them by the number of degrees awarded at each level.

In order to find the schools that are the best fit for you, you may want to filter to one of the degree levels below.

Pick Your Clinical, Counseling & Applied Psychology Degree Level

Associate Degrees in Clinical Psychology
Bachelor's Degrees in Clinical Psychology
Master's Degrees in Clinical Psychology
Doctor's Degrees in Clinical Psychology

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we've developed a number of rankings, including this Best Clinical, Counseling & Applied Psychology Schools list, to help you choose the best school for you. If you'd like to restrict your choices to just one part of the country, you can filter this list by location.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

If you want to learn more about how we derive our rankings, see College Factual's Methodology.


 

Best Schools for Clinical, Counseling & Applied Psychology in the United States

Although we recommend filtering by degree level first, you can view the list below to see which schools give the educational experience for the clinical psychology degree levels they offer. Only those schools that rank in the top 15% of all the schools we analyze get awarded with a place on this list.

25 Top Schools in Clinical Psychology

1
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
267 Clinical Psychology Degrees Awarded
28.5% Growth in Graduates

Northwestern University is one of the finest schools in the United States for getting a degree in clinical, counseling & applied psychology. Located in the small city of Evanston, Northwestern is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #5 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means Northwestern is a great university overall.

There were about 267 clinical, counseling & applied psychology students who graduated with this degree at Northwestern in the most recent data year. Graduates who receive their degree from the clinical psychology program make about $39,767 in their early career salary.

More information about a degree in clinical, counseling & applied psychology from Northwestern University

2
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
432 Clinical Psychology Degrees Awarded
$55,053 Median Starting Salary

The Chicago School of Professional Psychology at Los Angeles is a great option for students pursuing a degree in clinical, counseling & applied psychology. The Chicago School Los Angeles Campus is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Los Angeles.

There were roughly 432 clinical, counseling & applied psychology students who graduated with this degree at The Chicago School Los Angeles Campus in the most recent year we have data available. Those clinical, counseling & applied psychology students who get their degree from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology at Los Angeles earn $7,159 more than the typical clinical psychology grad.

More information about a degree in clinical, counseling & applied psychology from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology at Los Angeles

3
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
242 Clinical Psychology Degrees Awarded
$53,234 Median Starting Salary

Every student pursuing a degree in clinical, counseling & applied psychology needs to take a look at Teachers College at Columbia University. Teachers College is a small private not-for-profit university located in the large city of New York. A Best Colleges rank of #12 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means Teachers College is a great university overall.

There were about 242 clinical, counseling & applied psychology students who graduated with this degree at Teachers College in the most recent year we have data available. Clinical, Counseling & Applied Psychology degree recipients from Teachers College at Columbia University receive an earnings boost of approximately $5,340 over the typical income of clinical, counseling & applied psychology majors.

More information about a degree in clinical, counseling & applied psychology from Teachers College at Columbia University

4
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
21st Most Popular In NY
60 Clinical Psychology Degrees Awarded

Columbia University in the City of New York is a good option for students pursuing a degree in clinical, counseling & applied psychology. Columbia is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of New York. A Best Colleges rank of #14 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means Columbia is a great university overall.

There were approximately 60 clinical, counseling & applied psychology students who graduated with this degree at Columbia in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in clinical, counseling & applied psychology from Columbia University in the City of New York

5
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
376 Clinical Psychology Degrees Awarded
25.0% Growth in Graduates

Located in the large city of Chicago, The Chicago School Chicago Campus is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.

There were approximately 376 clinical, counseling & applied psychology students who graduated with this degree at The Chicago School Chicago Campus in the most recent year we have data available. Clinical, Counseling & Applied Psychology degree recipients from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology at Chicago earn a boost of approximately $7,159 over the average income of clinical, counseling & applied psychology majors.

More information about a degree in clinical, counseling & applied psychology from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology at Chicago

6
UPenn crest
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
119 Clinical Psychology Degrees Awarded
21.0% Growth in Graduates

UPenn is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Philadelphia. A Best Colleges rank of #4 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means UPenn is a great university overall.

There were roughly 119 clinical, counseling & applied psychology students who graduated with this degree at UPenn in the most recent year we have data available. Soon after graduating, clinical psychology degree recipients usually make an average of $48,246 in their early careers.

More information about a degree in clinical, counseling & applied psychology from University of Pennsylvania

7
Harvard crest
Harvard University
Cambridge, MA
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
28th Most Popular In MA
25.0% Growth in Graduates

Located in the medium-sized city of Cambridge, Harvard is a private not-for-profit university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #6 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means Harvard is a great university overall.

There were approximately 8 clinical, counseling & applied psychology students who graduated with this degree at Harvard in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in clinical, counseling & applied psychology from Harvard University

8
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
41 Clinical Psychology Degrees Awarded
$35,220 Median Starting Salary

UChicago is a large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Chicago. A Best Colleges rank of #2 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means UChicago is a great university overall.

There were about 41 clinical, counseling & applied psychology students who graduated with this degree at UChicago in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the clinical psychology program state that they receive average early career earnings of $35,220.

More information about a degree in clinical, counseling & applied psychology from University of Chicago

9
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
179 Clinical Psychology Degrees Awarded
17.3% Growth in Graduates

The Chicago School Washington DC Campus is a fairly small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Washington.

There were roughly 179 clinical, counseling & applied psychology students who graduated with this degree at The Chicago School Washington DC Campus in the most recent data year. Clinical, Counseling & Applied Psychology degree recipients from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology at Washington DC get an earnings boost of about $7,159 above the average income of clinical, counseling & applied psychology majors.

More information about a degree in clinical, counseling & applied psychology from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology at Washington DC

10
Boston College crest
Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
124 Clinical Psychology Degrees Awarded
$41,046 Median Starting Salary

Located in the city of Chestnut Hill, Boston College is a private not-for-profit college with a large student population. This college ranks 8th out of 63 schools for overall quality in the state of Massachusetts.

There were about 124 clinical, counseling & applied psychology students who graduated with this degree at Boston College in the most recent year we have data available. Graduates who receive their degree from the clinical psychology program make around $41,046 in their early career salary.

More information about a degree in clinical, counseling & applied psychology from Boston College

11
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
205 Clinical Psychology Degrees Awarded
5.4% Growth in Graduates

Located in the small city of Santa Barbara, Fielding is a private not-for-profit university with a small student population. This university ranks 11th out of 168 schools for overall quality in the state of California.

There were approximately 205 clinical, counseling & applied psychology students who graduated with this degree at Fielding in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the clinical, counseling & applied psychology program at Fielding Graduate University earn $14,543 more than the average graduate with the same degree when they enter the workforce.

More information about a degree in clinical, counseling & applied psychology from Fielding Graduate University

12
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
173 Clinical Psychology Degrees Awarded
23.1% Growth in Graduates

Located in the city of La Jolla, UCSD is a public university with a very large student population. This university ranks 8th out of 168 schools for overall quality in the state of California.

There were roughly 173 clinical, counseling & applied psychology students who graduated with this degree at UCSD in the most recent year we have data available. Students who receive their degree from the clinical psychology program make an average of $29,313 for their early career.

More information about a degree in clinical, counseling & applied psychology from University of California - San Diego

13
Adler crest
Adler University
Chicago, IL
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
349 Clinical Psychology Degrees Awarded
2.3% Growth in Graduates

Adler is a small private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Chicago.

There were approximately 349 clinical, counseling & applied psychology students who graduated with this degree at Adler in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the clinical, counseling & applied psychology program at Adler University earn $3,146 above the typical graduate in this field shortly after graduation.

More information about a degree in clinical, counseling & applied psychology from Adler University

14
Pacific Graduate School of Psychology crest
Palo Alto University
Palo Alto, CA
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
192 Clinical Psychology Degrees Awarded
$57,598 Median Starting Salary

Located in the rural area of Palo Alto, Pacific Graduate School of Psychology is a private not-for-profit university with a small student population.

There were about 192 clinical, counseling & applied psychology students who graduated with this degree at Pacific Graduate School of Psychology in the most recent year we have data available. Clinical, Counseling & Applied Psychology degree recipients from Palo Alto University get an earnings boost of around $9,704 over the typical income of clinical, counseling & applied psychology graduates.

More information about a degree in clinical, counseling & applied psychology from Palo Alto University

15
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
116 Clinical Psychology Degrees Awarded
8.6% Growth in Graduates

Located in the city of Los Angeles, USC is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #11 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means USC is a great university overall.

There were about 116 clinical, counseling & applied psychology students who graduated with this degree at USC in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the clinical, counseling & applied psychology major at University of Southern California earn $9,521 more than the average college graduate in this field when they enter the workforce.

More information about a degree in clinical, counseling & applied psychology from University of Southern California

16
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
156 Clinical Psychology Degrees Awarded
$51,025 Median Starting Salary

Located in the city of Newton, William James College is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.

There were roughly 156 clinical, counseling & applied psychology students who graduated with this degree at William James College in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the clinical, counseling & applied psychology major at William James College get $3,130 above the standard college graduate in this field when they enter the workforce.

More information about a degree in clinical, counseling & applied psychology from William James College

17
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
181 Clinical Psychology Degrees Awarded
6.6% Growth in Graduates

Texas A&M College Station is a very large public university located in the medium-sized city of College Station. This university ranks 3rd out of 115 colleges for overall quality in the state of Texas.

There were roughly 181 clinical, counseling & applied psychology students who graduated with this degree at Texas A&M College Station in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the clinical, counseling & applied psychology degree program at Texas A&M University - College Station get $10,022 above the typical college grad in this field shortly after graduation.

More information about a degree in clinical, counseling & applied psychology from Texas A&M University - College Station

18
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
518 Clinical Psychology Degrees Awarded
46.1% Growth in Graduates

Pepperdine is a large private not-for-profit university located in the large suburb of Malibu. This university ranks 16th out of 168 colleges for overall quality in the state of California.

There were approximately 518 clinical, counseling & applied psychology students who graduated with this degree at Pepperdine in the most recent data year. Clinical, Counseling & Applied Psychology degree recipients from Pepperdine University earn a boost of approximately $8,018 above the typical income of clinical, counseling & applied psychology graduates.

More information about a degree in clinical, counseling & applied psychology from Pepperdine University

19
SCU crest
Santa Clara University
Santa Clara, CA
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
98 Clinical Psychology Degrees Awarded
$57,675 Median Starting Salary

SCU is a medium-sized private not-for-profit university located in the midsize city of Santa Clara. This university ranks 12th out of 168 colleges for overall quality in the state of California.

There were roughly 98 clinical, counseling & applied psychology students who graduated with this degree at SCU in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the clinical, counseling & applied psychology major at Santa Clara University make $9,781 above the typical college grad in this field when they enter the workforce.

More information about a degree in clinical, counseling & applied psychology from Santa Clara University

20
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
293 Clinical Psychology Degrees Awarded
$65,877 Median Starting Salary

Alliant is a small private for-profit university located in the large city of San Diego. This university ranks 46th out of 168 schools for overall quality in the state of California.

There were roughly 293 clinical, counseling & applied psychology students who graduated with this degree at Alliant in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the clinical, counseling & applied psychology major at Alliant International University make $17,983 above the average college grad with the same degree shortly after graduation.

More information about a degree in clinical, counseling & applied psychology from Alliant International University

21
Vanderbilt crest
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
12th Most Popular In TN

Located in the large city of Nashville, Vanderbilt is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #19 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means Vanderbilt is a great university overall.

There were roughly 5 clinical, counseling & applied psychology students who graduated with this degree at Vanderbilt in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in clinical, counseling & applied psychology from Vanderbilt University

22
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
78 Clinical Psychology Degrees Awarded
$65,003 Median Starting Salary

UGA is a very large public university located in the midsize city of Athens. This university ranks 3rd out of 68 schools for overall quality in the state of Georgia.

There were roughly 78 clinical, counseling & applied psychology students who graduated with this degree at UGA in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the clinical, counseling & applied psychology major at University of Georgia earn $17,108 more than the typical college grad in this field shortly after graduation.

More information about a degree in clinical, counseling & applied psychology from University of Georgia

23
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
208 Clinical Psychology Degrees Awarded
20.2% Growth in Graduates

DU is a large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Denver. This university ranks 3rd out of 33 colleges for overall quality in the state of Colorado.

There were approximately 208 clinical, counseling & applied psychology students who graduated with this degree at DU in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the clinical, counseling & applied psychology degree program at University of Denver get $5,837 more than the typical college grad with the same degree when they enter the workforce.

More information about a degree in clinical, counseling & applied psychology from University of Denver

24
National University crest
National University
San Diego, CA
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
1,007 Clinical Psychology Degrees Awarded
15.6% Growth in Graduates

National University is a large private not-for-profit university located in the city of San Diego. This university ranks 33rd out of 168 colleges for overall quality in the state of California.

There were approximately 1007 clinical, counseling & applied psychology students who graduated with this degree at National University in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the clinical, counseling & applied psychology degree program at National University get $7,247 more than the typical graduate with the same degree shortly after graduation.

More information about a degree in clinical, counseling & applied psychology from National University

25
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
51 Clinical Psychology Degrees Awarded
$46,963 Median Starting Salary

Located in the small suburb of Charlottesville, University of Virginia is a public university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #33 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means University of Virginia is a great university overall.

There were roughly 51 clinical, counseling & applied psychology students who graduated with this degree at University of Virginia in the most recent data year. Graduates who receive their degree from the clinical psychology program make around $46,963 in the first couple years of working.

More information about a degree in clinical, counseling & applied psychology from University of Virginia - Main Campus

Rest of the Top 50 Best Clinical, Counseling & Applied Psychology Schools

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27
28
29
30
31
USFCA crest
University of San Francisco
San Francisco, CA
32

33
Tufts crest
Tufts University
Medford, MA

34
Pacific crest
Pacific University
Forest Grove, OR
35
Yeshiva crest
Yeshiva University
New York, NY
36
NUS Florida crest
Nova Southeastern University
Fort Lauderdale, FL
37
38
39
40
41
Iowa crest
University of Iowa
Iowa City, IA

42

43
44
The Wright Institute crest
The Wright Institute
Berkeley, CA
45
46
47
48
Boston U crest
Boston University
Boston, MA
49
50

 

Additional Award Winners

This list represents the rest of the schools awarded a Best Clinical, Counseling & Applied Psychology Schools badge. Showing in this list means the college was ranked in the top 15% of the 504 different United States clinical, counseling & applied psychology schools we analyzed.

Rank College Location
51 Capella University Minneapolis, MN
52 Holy Names University Oakland, CA
53 University of Minnesota - Twin Cities Minneapolis, MN
54 Baylor University Waco, TX
55 Auburn University Auburn, AL
56 University of Kansas Lawrence, KS
57 Hofstra University Hempstead, NY
58 University of Cincinnati - Main Campus Cincinnati, OH
59 University of Florida Gainesville, FL
60 Brandman University Irvine, CA
61 Wheaton College Illinois Wheaton, IL
62 Seattle University Seattle, WA
63 University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus Pittsburgh, PA
63 Walden University Minneapolis, MN
64 Touro University Worldwide Los Alamitos, CA
65 California State University - Long Beach Long Beach, CA
66 University of Kentucky Lexington, KY
67 Oklahoma State University - Main Campus Stillwater, OK
68 Salve Regina University Newport, RI
69 National Louis University Chicago, IL
70 Saint Louis University Saint Louis, MO
71 Ball State University Muncie, IN
72 Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Daytona Beach Daytona Beach, FL
73 Western Michigan University Kalamazoo, MI
74 California Institute of Integral Studies San Francisco, CA
75 Marquette University Milwaukee, WI

Honorable Mentions

Here are some additional great schools for Clinical, Counseling & Applied Psychology students that almost earned our Best Clinical, Counseling & Applied Psychology Schools award.

Rank College Location
76 University of Miami Coral Gables, FL
77 University of North Dakota Grand Forks, ND
78 Mount Saint Mary’s University Los Angeles, CA
79 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC
80 University of St Thomas Minnesota Saint Paul, MN
81 Biola University La Mirada, CA
82 Drexel University Philadelphia, PA
83 DePaul University Chicago, IL
84 Texas Tech University Lubbock, TX
85 University of Maryland - College Park College Park, MD
86 George Fox University Newberg, OR
87 Seattle Pacific University Seattle, WA
88 University of Utah Salt Lake City, UT
89 University of the Cumberlands Williamsburg, KY
90 Saint Mary’s College of California Moraga, CA
91 Temple University Philadelphia, PA
92 Thomas Jefferson University Philadelphia, PA
93 John Jay College of Criminal Justice New York, NY
94 Rider University Lawrenceville, NJ
95 University of Phoenix - Arizona Phoenix, AZ
96 Wayne State University Detroit, MI
97 Michigan State University East Lansing, MI
98 Lamar University Beaumont, TX
99 Syracuse University Syracuse, NY
100 Rutgers University - New Brunswick New Brunswick, NJ

Clinical, Counseling & Applied Psychology by Region

View the Best Clinical, Counseling & Applied Psychology Schools for a specific region near you.

Region
Southeast
New England
Rocky Mountains
Plains States
Middle Atlantic
Far Western US
Southwest
Other U.S. Territories
Great Lakes

View All Rankings >

Clinical, Counseling & Applied Psychology is one of 24 different types of Psychology programs to choose from.

Clinical Psychology Concentrations

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
Forensic Psychology 2,290
Applied Psychology 2,058
Educational Psychology 1,856
Other Psychology & Counseling 666
Community Psychology 624

View All Clinical Psychology Focus Areas >

Related Major Annual Graduates
General Psychology 141,695
Child Development & Psychology 17,542
Other Psychology 2,683

View All Clinical Psychology Related Majors >

Notes and References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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