Earning a Clinical Psychology Master’s degree can be the first step towards earning a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology. A Masters in Clinical Psychology involves study in diagnosing and treating patients with psychological disorders. Picking the right program that fits you best can be a challenging task. That’s why we found you the top Masters in Clinical Psychology programs and what makes them stand out from other programs. Additionally, we’ll be discussing different factors that will help you pick the right program for you, including key performance indicators (KPIs) for each program, costs, requisites, information for international students, the percentage of students who get employed right after completing their degree, and Masters in Clinical Psychology salary.
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Average Salary for Masters in Clinical Psychology Jobs
Graduates that earn a Masters in Clinical Psychology degree can pursue a variety of careers whose salaries vary. Different positions can have different salary ranges for graduates with masters in clinical psychology, with annual earnings reported ranging between $53,000 and $119,000. A mental health therapist’s average salary is $44,754, a licensed marriage and family therapist’s average salary is $64,119, and a clinical director’s average salary is $80,868.
5 Best Masters in Clinical Psychology Programs in the U.S.
Here are the top 5 Masters in Clinical Psychology Programs in the U.S:
Northwestern Clinical Psychology Masters of Arts (MA) Program
The Northwestern Clinical Psychology Masters of Arts Program is provided by the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine. It is meant for students that want to pursue a career in academic clinical psychology. Students attending this program will be exposed at a graduate level to the foundations of academic clinical psychology while also researching major areas of study within the program, like Adult Psychopathology or Clinical Neuropsychology.
Costs and Timeline
Costs and Timeline
Costs and Timeline
The Northwestern Clinical Psychology Masters of Arts program is a 15 months program that is supposed to prepare students for academic clinical psychology, but it doesn’t include clinical training for students, which means the program doesn’t prepare them for clinical practice. However, the program can be considered a great preparation for students that plan to apply to the PhD program in the future. Also, the MA program is embedded in the Clinical Psychology PhD program at Northwestern University. The MA program is divided into 5 quarters with each quarter’s tuition and fees amounting to about $20,721. All the students that are admitted to the program receive a graduate scholarship that gives them a 45% tuition remission for each quarter in the program.
Requisites and Admissions
Requisites and Admissions
Requisites and Admissions
To be successful in the program, students applying are expected to have a GPA of 3.2 or above. Also, prospective students need to submit an essay that demonstrates their interest and preparation for the program in addition to submitting three letters of recommendation. The program is considered to be a good fit for students that want to pursue the PhD program in the future or who aim to work in the field of academic clinical psychology.
Northwestern Clinical Psychology Masters of Arts (MA) Program for International Students
International Students whose first language isn’t English are required to prove their proficiency in English in one of the following ways: by submitting scores for either the TOEFL or IELTS exams, providing an official transcript that verifies an undergraduate degree from a four-year institution or its equivalent where the language used in instruction is English, or providing an official transcript that verifies a graduate degree where the language of instruction is English.
Post-Graduation Employment Opportunities and Starting Salaries
Students that complete the program are expected to pursue a career in academic clinical psychology or continue to apply to a PhD program.
Pepperdine University Online Master’s of Art in Clinical Psychology
Pepperdine University offers an Online Master’s of Art in Clinical Psychology, which gives participating students exceptional flexibility to attend the program from anywhere they want. This program offers a unique opportunity for students to retain professional licenses by completing the program. Students that are admitted in the Program can pursue one of two paths: licensure as a licensed professional counselor (LPC) or a licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT). During the program, students receive clinical training by licensed therapists or counselors, increasing their practical, real-world experience.
Costs and Timeline
Costs and Timeline
Costs and Timeline
In about 27 months, students enrolled in the program can earn their LPC or LMFT licensure. While the foundational courses for both paths are the same, students in each path take different electives that prepare them for their license. Admitted students are required to complete from 62 to 68 units to complete the program and earn their degree. Meanwhile, the program tuition for a single unit in the 2022-2023 academic year was $1,770.
Requisites and Admissions
Requisites and Admissions
Requisites and Admissions
The Pepperdine University Online Master’s of Art in Clinical Psychology program selects students that want to have a profound understanding of human behavior while aiming to use their knowledge and skills by helping others in need. To apply to the program, aspiring students must have a Bachelor’s degree or its equivalent. In addition, they must submit their official transcripts, two letters of recommendation, and a statement of purpose.
Pepperdine University Online Master’s of Art in Clinical Psychology for International Students
The Online Master’s of Art in Clinical Psychology programs with paths to retain LMFT or LPC licenses is only available for U.S. citizens that live in approved states. However, students that are living abroad can only apply to the Pepperdine University M.A. in Psychology program. International students applying to that program must submit TOEFL scores if their native language is not English. International students who attended a U.S. four year undergraduate or graduate in which the main language of instruction was English don’t need to submit TOEFL scores.
University of Central Florida Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology
The University of Central Florida Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology program consists of two tracks: Applied Pre-Licensure/Non-Thesis track and Research/Thesis track. Students can pursue either track depending on their career goals. The Applied Pre-Licensure/Non-Thesis track prepares students to be licensed clinicals at a master’s level. Graduates from this track are eligible for master-level licensure in most states, and they are qualified to become Licensed Mental Health Counselors (LMHCs) in the state of Florida. On the other hand, The Research/Thesis track is made for students that are interested in research or that are interested in joining a doctoral program.
Costs and Timeline
Costs and Timeline
Costs and Timeline
The Pre-Licensure/Non-Thesis track includes a full course load of 9-12 credits per semester for 2 years. Alternatively, the Research/Thesis track has a reduced course load compared to the other track because students are expected to use that extra time to engage in research. A single in state credit hour costs $369.65 while an out-of-state credit hour costs $1,194.05. Unfortunately, there is limited financial aid for the masters programs.
Requisites and Admissions
Requisites and Admissions
Requisites and Admissions
Most applicants are expected to have an undergraduate degree in psychology or at least 15 credit hours of psychology coursework to be considered competitive. For applicants to be considered, they should have a minimum GPA of 3.0, and a much higher GPA is required for an applicant to be considered competitive.
University of Central Florida Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology for International Students
All international applicants must have earned a U.S. Bachelor’s degree or its equivalent, and a TOEFL or IELTS exam score must be sent to the university before the application deadline.
New York University Master of Arts in Psychology
New York University (NYU) has a very strong Master of Arts in Psychology program. Students accepted in the program are free to choose a path to focus their clinical psychology masters on. The available focuses available at New York University are Social Psychology, Cognition/Perception & Neuroscience, Clinical Neuroscience, Forensic Psychology, Social & Consumer Psychology, and Clinical Psychology. The Clinical Psychology focus prepares students for doctoral studies in clinical or counseling psychology, but graduates that receive their Master of Arts with a focus in clinical psychology aren’t eligible to receive a license to practice at an M.A. level.
Costs and Timeline
Costs and Timeline
Costs and Timeline
Full-time students at NYU receiving a Master of Arts in Psychology degree can take three courses per semester and finish the program in two years (four semesters). A part-time option is also available as long as students complete all coursework and either a comprehensive exam or thesis in five years or less. Tuition for one credit is $2,074. Master’s students at NYU are eligible for fellowship awards. Additionally, students can apply for federal or private loans to finance their education.
Requisites and Admissions
Requisites and Admissions
Requisites and Admissions
All admitted students must complete two foundation courses which are equal to 6 credits and earn a grade of B or higher. Similarly, all admitted students must complete 3 core courses which equal 9 credits and earn a grade of B or higher. In addition to the foundation and core courses, all students must complete 7 elective courses, equaling 21 credits.
New York University Master of Arts in Psychology for International Students
International students applying must have received an U.S. baccalaureate undergraduate degree or its equivalent before enrolling in the program. If students’ transcripts are not written in English, they need to be translated and NYU must receive a copy of the transcript in the original language and in English.
Boston University Masters of Arts in Psychology
Boston University’s Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences offers a great Masters in Psychology program for students that wish to pursue different areas of psychology. Several students take the program as their first step towards becoming part of a doctoral program. Although completing the program doesn’t qualify students to practice psychology professionally, it can satisfy most of the non-clinical relative substance requirements specified by the Council for the National Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology. Also, graduates from the program can pursue careers in research, mental health and human services, and business.
Costs and Timeline
Costs and Timeline
Costs and Timeline
Students that are participating in the Master in Psychology Program are required to complete eight four credit courses and the duration of the program is 12 months. Although students can have part-time enrollment to the program, they should have a flexible schedule since the program doesn’t offer evening classes. While the Tuition for the program is about $63,798, the expected total expenses add up to about $85,838. The total expenses include the cost for room and board, estimated cost for books and supplies, and estimated cost for incidentals. The Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences doesn’t offer financial assistance to students. However, students can connect with the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences at Boston University to find potential fellowships, scholarships and loans.
Requisites and Admissions
Three recommendation letters are required by the program as part of the application process. Luckily for students applying, a GRE exam isn’t required to apply to the program. Additionally, students are expected to have taken some coursework in psychology, but they aren’t required to have received a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology.
Boston University Masters of Arts in Psychology for International Students
International students are expected to demonstrate proficiency in the English language by submitting scores for either a TOEFL exam or an IELTS exam. Also, all academic records, including the transcript, are supposed to be submitted in English. If the academic records aren’t written in English and the issuing institution doesn’t offer an English translation, then the documents must be translated by a third party.
Conclusion
In conclusion, pursuing a masters is a crucial step towards earning a career in the field of clinical psychology. The five programs highlighted above, Northwestern Clinical Psychology Masters of Arts Program, Pepperdine University Online Master’s of Art in Clinical Psychology, University of Central Florida Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology, New York University Master of Arts in Psychology, and Boston University Masters of Arts in Psychology, offer great opportunities for students to gain the knowledge and skills to excel in their careers.
