by our College Data Analytics TeamA major in Health/Medical Psychology explores Health/medical Psychology. A Program That Focuses On The Psychological Study Of Health And Illness, And Recovery, From The Perspective That These Phenomena Arise From A Combination Of Physical, Behavioral, And Social Conditions. Includes Instruction In Abnormal And Social Psychology, Psychophysiology, Psychopharmacology, Learning Processes, Clinical And Behavioral Therapies, Biopsychosocial Modeling, Clinical Procedures And Assessment, Preventive Education, Psychotherapy, Rehabilitation Processes, And Research Methods. Read on to learn the key facts every health/medical psychology major should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering health/medical psychology programs.
Across the country, health/medical psychology draws strong interest, with 447 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Health/Medical Psychology Schools ranking analyzes these 23 schools to determine the best overall colleges for health/medical psychology students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of health/medical psychology programs later in this article.
Studies in Health/Medical Psychology develop a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations health/medical psychology graduates commonly enter.
The skill set developed in a health/medical psychology program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Per O*NET surveys, a health/medical psychology major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several health/medical 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 215 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 196 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 36 |
People currently working in careers related to health/medical psychology tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 31.8% |
| Post-doctoral training | 26.0% |
| Doctoral degree | 18.5% |
| Master’s degree | 8.4% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 5.2% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 3.9% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 2.5% |
| Some college courses | 2.0% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 1.6% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 0.2% |
See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in health/medical psychology careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Majoring in health/medical psychology opens doors to many career paths. These are some of the most common occupations related to health/medical psychology.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to health/medical 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% |
| Clinical Neuropsychologists | 216,013 | 8.9% |
| Regulatory Affairs Managers | 206,415 | 9.9% |
| Neuropsychologists | 186,493 | 6.5% |
| Wind Energy Operations Managers | 128,884 | 5.2% |
The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of health/medical 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 health/medical psychology graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers health/medical 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 |
| Neuropsychologists | $83,690 |
With 23 different health/medical psychology programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased health/medical psychology school rankings to help you.
If you are interested in health/medical 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 |
| Clinical Psychology | 6,059 |
| 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 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
