Clinical Psychology Degrees

Considering graduate education in clinical psychology? Check out the guide from the Council of University Directors of Clinical Psychology.
MSW (Masters in Social Work)
  • 2 years to complete ​
  • Average Cost of Tuition: $15, 416
  • Average Acceptance Rate: 60%
  • Average Salary MSW: $35k - $61k
  • Average Salary of a LCSW: $42k - $78k
  • IMPORTANT: look for programs with CSWE (The Council on Social Work Education) accreditation
Psy.D. (Doctor of Psychology)
  • 4 - 7 years to complete 
  • Average Cost of Tuition: $22k
  • Average Acceptance Rate: 40%
  • Average Salary: $50k - $100k
  • IMPORTANT: look for programs that are APA-accredited 
    • In order to gain licensure, study at an APA-accredited institution is universally required
Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy) 
  • 6-8 years to complete
  • Average Cost of Tuition: $8k
  • Average Acceptable Rate: 11-15%
  • Average Salaries: 
    • Clinical Psychologists: $80-120k
    • Teachers: $76k
    • Administrators: $116.5k 
    • Researchers: $80k
    • Research Administrators: $116k 
  • IMPORTANT: look for programs that are APA-accredited 

Click here for a comprehensive guide to clinical Ph.D. programs: (Prinstein, 2017)

Differing Curriculums for Psychology Programs 

Psy.D.
Ph.D.
Psy.D. curriculum tends to focus on clinical training and practice, though research is still a part of it to a lesser degree. As a result, those who earn a Psy.D. should most often be motivated towards a career in clinical practice, as opposed to research or academia-related careers.
Ph.D. curriculum tends to focus on research rather than clinical practice, though the ratio between the two can differ based on the program. While those with a Ph.D. in clinical psychology can become licensed for clinical practice, and often do, the education tends to better lend itself to a future in research and academia (teacher, administrator).

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Links for Examples of Curriculums for Psychology Programs 

Differing Careers and Specializations for Psychology Programs 

MSW
  • Substance Abuse Counselor
  • Therapist
  • Clinical Social Worker
  • School Counselor
  • Medical Social Worker 
Psy.D.
  • Clinical Psychology
  • Business Psychology
  • Organizational Development
  • Counseling Psychology
  • School Psychology 
  • IMPORTANT: available specializations differ based on the course work and internship opportunities available at your chosen institution. Be sure to research thoroughly to be sure that your institutions can satisfy your interests.
Ph.D.
  • Research Scientist: emphasizes research and experimentation
    • Programs that follow these are usually referred to as "Clinical Science"
    • Focus on psychology as a scientific study and focuses on training students for a future in research and academia 
  • Scientist Practitioner: hybrid of both clinical and research experience 
  • Practitioner-Scholar: primarily focuses on clinical practice rather than research, though research is still a part of the education to varying extents 

Additional Licensing 

MSW
  • Professions that involve providing therapy to clients, require a clinical license in order to be performed in a private practice
  • Requirements to become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) differ from state to state. Check the respective requirements of the state you wish to practice in
  • LCSWs who want to practice in a state other than their own will often have to complete extraneous requirements 
    • Afterwards, you must accrue a varying amount of supervised clinical experience required which varies state to state, but tends to be at least 3,000 hours
    • Obtain the appropriate degree, as decided by whatever state one wishes to practice in. Certain states may require that an individual obtains an MSW which specializes in clinical work. It is important to be aware of your state's unique requirements so you can choose your degree accordingly
Psy.D.
  • If you wish to go into clinical or counseling psychology, or a number of other careers that you may pursue with a Psy.D., you must complete the respective licensing exams 
  • Requirements to become licensed differ on a state-basis
  • Extensively research your desired state-of-practice's licensing requirements before choosing a doctoral program
  • While some states have accommodated pre-graduate, supervised clinical experience for licensing requirements, most have not
    • As a result, one will usually have to accrue post-grad, supervised clinical experience before becoming licensed, and therefore before engaging in individual practice 
Ph.D.
  • Certain careers, namely those that involve counseling will require a license
  • Be sure to understand what is required by your state for the license you desire and seek out a corresponding graduate program 

Link for Additional Information on Becoming Licensed 

http://www.apa.org/gradpsych/2004/01/get-licensed.aspx ​

Differences between MSW, Psy.D., and Ph.D.

MSW
Psy.D.
  • Largest acceptance rate
  • Shortest program (2 years)
  • Overall salary tends to be the lowest 
  • Funding is scarcer than Ph.D. programs
  • Less intensive than Psy.D. and Ph.D. in terms of time commitment 
  • Larger acceptance rate (40%) than Ph.D. programs 
  • Psy.D. programs are more expensive 
  • Psy.D. graduates tend to have significantly more debt upon graduating 
  • Stigma attached to Psy.D. in an educational setting that it is a lesser degree than a Ph.D.
    • In a clinical setting, this stigma is less pronounced and the degrees are valued more evenly 
  • Psy.D. programs will often require a smaller scale research paper before graduating, but not to the extent of a dissertation 
Ph.D.
  • Smallest acceptance rate (11-15%)
  • Smaller amount of students (not just percentage wise, the programs themselves tend to be smaller)
    • Class pools will be smaller
    • Professor's attention will be less divided 
  • Ph.D. programs tend to be cheaper 
    • Largely due to Ph.D. programs providing funding for tuition and stipends for TA'ing extremely often
  • Ph.D. programs tend to take a year to a year and a half longer than getting a Psy.D.
  • Ph.D. programs will require a dissertation before graduating 
  • Internships are easier to find as a Ph.D. graduate

Weekly Time Commitment 

  • The time commitment of a Ph.D./Psy.D. work week can drastically vary based on the individual and the work one wishes to put in.
  • Much of the work that is often undertaken by graduate students is external to classes- such as teaching, research, clinical experiences.​

Planning to apply?

Check out the Council of University Directors of Clinical Psychology guide.
Look for accredited programs: ​
  • ​​Be sure to evaluate:
    • Acceptance rate, Average GREs, GPAs (What is the likelihood that your application will be accepted?)
    • Program cost (Is this financially possible for you?)
    • Time to completion (Does this fit with your goals?)
    • Attrition rate (Are other students staying in the program?)
    • Licensing rate/ EPPP pass rate (Will your program prepare you for licensure?)

Informational interviews can also help you learn about Degrees and careers