by our College Data Analytics TeamA 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. Read on to learn the key facts every clinical psychology student should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering clinical psychology programs.
Nationwide, clinical psychology is a popular field of study, with 6,059 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Clinical Psychology Schools ranking analyzes these 202 schools to determine the best overall colleges for clinical psychology students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of clinical psychology programs later in this article.
Programs in Clinical Psychology emphasize a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations clinical psychology graduates commonly enter.
Skills emphasized by a clinical psychology program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Per O*NET surveys, a clinical psychology major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several clinical psychology degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 8 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 4 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 285 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 3,324 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 2,438 |
People currently working in careers related to clinical psychology tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| 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% |
View the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in clinical psychology careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Majoring in clinical psychology opens doors to numerous career paths. Here are some of the most common occupations related to clinical psychology.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to clinical psychology.
| 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% |
College Scorecard reports median earnings of clinical psychology graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $54,756 |
| 4 years | $59,892 |
| 5 years | $67,036 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for clinical psychology graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers clinical psychology grads often go into.
| 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 |
With 202 different clinical psychology programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased clinical psychology school rankings to help you.
Students interested in clinical psychology, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Counseling Psychology | 11,691 |
| Applied Behavior Analysis | 6,914 |
| School Psychology | 3,685 |
| Applied Psychology | 2,998 |
| Industrial and Organizational Psychology | 2,898 |
| Forensic Psychology | 2,667 |
| Educational Psychology | 1,979 |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology, Other | 577 |
| Community Psychology | 520 |
| Health/Medical Psychology | 447 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
