What Psychologists Do in Clinics, Schools, and Workplaces
The word psychologist covers several jobs. Clinical and counseling psychologists assess, diagnose, and treat mental and emotional conditions through observation, interviews, and psychological tests. They also provide individual or group counseling to help people adjust and make progress in their personal, social, educational, and work lives.
School psychologists work inside education. O*NET describes them as diagnosing and carrying out individual or schoolwide strategies for educational, behavioral, or developmental problems. NASP adds that they support students’ mental health, use data to improve teaching and learning, and strengthen family and school partnerships. Most work in public K-12 schools.
Industrial-organizational psychologists study behavior at work. The American Psychological Association lists recruitment and selection, training and development, performance measurement, and workplace motivation among the problems they address. The BLS wage survey also counts a fourth group, psychologists who do not fit the first three categories.
Sources: O*NET OnLine: Clinical and Counseling Psychologists · O*NET OnLine: School Psychologists · National Association of School Psychologists: What Is a School Psychologist? · American Psychological Association: Industrial and Organizational Psychology · O*NET OnLine: Industrial-Organizational Psychologists
Psychologist Education Requirements
Most states require a doctoral degree in psychology, supervised experience, and a licensing exam before you can practice as a psychologist. School psychologists usually start with a specialist-level degree and a state credential. Industrial-organizational psychologists are most often hired with a master’s degree, and some hold a doctorate. A psychology bachelor’s is the first degree on each of these routes, and it is also a strong degree on its own for research, human services, and business work.
Source: ASPPB: Psychologist Requirements to Practice
Degrees to Consider
Ranked Programs for This Career
Psychologist Salary
The national median annual wage for clinical and counseling psychologists was $100,580 in May 2025. The 10th percentile was $55,170 and the 90th percentile was $180,960.
The figures above are for clinical and counseling psychologists, the largest of the four psychologist categories in the BLS wage survey. The table below lists all four, since school and industrial-organizational psychologists are counted separately.
Pay varies by location. Psychologist Pay by State: Mississippi, South Carolina, and Connecticut.
- 10th Percentile
- $55,170
- Median
- $100,580
- 90th Percentile
- $180,960
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, U.S. estimates for Clinical and Counseling Psychologists (SOC 19-3033); 75,990 employed. These figures cover workers across experience levels. They describe occupational wages, not starting offers or earnings for everyone with a particular major. How We Read the Data.
| BLS Category | 10th Percentile | Median | 90th Percentile | U.S. Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clinical and Counseling Psychologists (SOC 19-3033) | $55,170 | $100,580 | $180,960 | 75,990 |
| School Psychologists (SOC 19-3034) | $63,070 | $95,990 | $142,330 | 63,940 |
| Industrial-Organizational Psychologists (SOC 19-3032) | $79,010 | $193,950 | $247,220 | 790 |
| Psychologists, All Other (SOC 19-3039) | $54,990 | $110,840 | $168,520 | 18,820 |
Doctoral Training and State Licensure for Clinical and Counseling Practice
The Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards says that most jurisdictions require a doctoral degree in psychology for independent practice. A majority also ask for two years of supervised experience, one during the doctoral program and one after it. All 66 ASPPB member jurisdictions require the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology, and several add a jurisprudence or oral exam.
The American Psychological Association says doctoral degrees in psychology include the PhD, the EdD, and the PsyD, and each takes about five to seven years to earn. It describes the PhD as more research focused and the PsyD as designed for people who want to do clinical work. If your goal is health services, APA advises attending an accredited institution.
About half of the jurisdictions allow a person with a master’s degree in psychology to practice under the supervision of a licensed doctoral-level psychologist, according to ASPPB. The rules, titles, and supervision requirements differ by state, so check the licensing board in the state where you plan to work before you choose a program.
Sources: ASPPB: Psychologist Requirements to Practice · American Psychological Association: Working in Psychological Science
School Psychologists Start With Specialist-Level Training
NASP says most school psychologists hold at least a specialist-level degree, which typically takes three years of full-time graduate study, and many also earn doctoral degrees. Coursework covers assessment, academic and behavioral interventions, counseling and consultation, special education, and ethics and law.
To practice, you need state certification or licensure. Many school psychologists also earn the Nationally Certified School Psychologist credential, and graduates of NASP-approved or accredited programs get a streamlined application. O*NET respondents most often report that new school psychologists need a post-master’s certificate, a master’s degree, or a professional degree, so look at your state’s credential before you pick a program.
Sources: National Association of School Psychologists: What Is a School Psychologist? · National Association of School Psychologists: National Certification · O*NET OnLine: School Psychologists
Industrial-Organizational Psychologists Often Start With a Master’s
Industrial-organizational psychology is the specialty where O*NET respondents most often report a master’s degree for new hires, at 58 percent, with 31 percent reporting a doctorate. SIOP describes the core competencies typically covered in both its master’s and doctoral programs, so you can compare the two levels before you apply.
Expect a small field. The BLS wage survey counts 790 industrial-organizational psychologists nationally, far fewer than the other psychologist categories.
Sources: O*NET OnLine: Industrial-Organizational Psychologists · Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology: Graduate Training Program Resources
What a Psychology Bachelor’s Opens Up Before Graduate School
A psychology bachelor’s is the usual first step toward every route above, and it also leads to work now. The American Psychological Association says the degree qualifies a person for a large number of jobs, though it does not uniquely qualify a person for any particular job. APA’s list of jobs held by psychology bachelor’s graduates includes research assistant, social services aide, and personnel recruiter.
Our psychology degree jobs guide compares those bachelor’s-level jobs with their pay. If you plan to continue, an online or on-campus program that gives you statistics, research methods, and an internship will help you apply to graduate schools later.
Sources: American Psychological Association: What Can You Do With a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology? · American Psychological Association: Working in Psychological Science
How to Become a Psychologist
Earn a Psychology Bachelor’s Degree
Choose a program that teaches statistics and research methods, and look for lab, internship, or fieldwork options. Graduate programs in every specialty ask for this foundation.
Pick a Specialty Before You Apply
Clinical and counseling psychology, school psychology, and industrial-organizational psychology have different degrees and different credentials. Read each program’s outcomes and the licensing rules in the state where you want to work.
Choose an Accredited Graduate Program
Confirm that the program meets your state’s licensing requirements. For school psychology, check whether it is NASP approved. For clinical practice, APA advises an accredited institution.
Complete Supervised Experience and Licensing Exams
Most jurisdictions ask for supervised experience and require the EPPP for psychologists. School psychologists apply for a state credential and may add the NCSP. Check your state board for the current steps.
Questions About This Career
Can You Be a Psychologist With a Bachelor’s Degree?
No. Independent practice as a psychologist requires graduate training and a state license. A psychology bachelor’s does prepare you for research, human services, and business jobs, and it is the first degree on the route to graduate study.
How Long Does It Take to Become a Psychologist?
APA says doctoral degrees in psychology take about five to seven years to earn. ASPPB reports that a majority of jurisdictions also require two years of supervised experience, one during the doctoral program and one after it.
How Much Do Psychologists Make?
In May 2025, BLS reported a national median of $100,580 for clinical and counseling psychologists, $95,990 for school psychologists, and $110,840 for psychologists in the all other category. Industrial-organizational psychologists had a $193,950 median, based on a much smaller group of 790 workers.
Do School Psychologists Need a Doctorate?
Not always. NASP says most school psychologists hold at least a specialist-level degree, and many also earn doctoral degrees. You do need state certification or licensure, and the exact credential depends on the state.
Can You Practice Psychology With a Master’s Degree?
Sometimes. ASPPB says about half of the jurisdictions allow people with a master’s degree in psychology to practice under the supervision of a licensed doctoral-level psychologist. O*NET respondents most often report a master’s degree for new industrial-organizational psychologists.
Sources
Preparation advice connects these requirements to coursework and projects you can evaluate.
- ASPPB: Psychologist Requirements to Practice: Doctoral degree, supervised experience, and exam requirements for psychologist licensure across U.S. and Canadian jurisdictions.
- American Psychological Association: Working in Psychological Science: Doctoral degree types in psychology, how long they take, and the advice to attend an accredited institution for health services.
- American Psychological Association: What Can You Do With a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology?: Why a psychology bachelor’s qualifies you for many jobs without uniquely qualifying you for any one of them.
- National Association of School Psychologists: What Is a School Psychologist?: School psychologist duties, specialist-level and doctoral training, and state certification or licensure.
- National Association of School Psychologists: National Certification: The NCSP credential and the streamlined route for graduates of NASP-approved programs.
- American Psychological Association: Industrial and Organizational Psychology: Problems industrial-organizational psychologists address and the skills they use.
- Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology: Graduate Training Program Resources: Core competencies typically covered in master’s and doctoral industrial-organizational programs.
- O*NET OnLine: Clinical and Counseling Psychologists: Occupation description and the education new hires are reported to need.
- O*NET OnLine: School Psychologists: Occupation description and reported education for new hires.
- O*NET OnLine: Industrial-Organizational Psychologists: Occupation description and reported education for new hires.
