by our College Data Analytics TeamStudying School Psychology involves the study of School Psychology. A Program That Prepares Individuals To Apply Clinical And Counseling Psychology Principles To The Diagnosis And Treatment Of Student Behavioral Problems. Includes Instruction In Child And/or Adolescent Development; Learning Theory; Testing, Observation And Other Procedures For Assessing Educational, Personality, Intelligence And Motor Skill Development; Therapeutic Intervention Strategies For Students And Families; Identification And Classification Of Disabilities And Disorders Affecting Learning; School Psychological Services Planning; Supervised Counseling Practice; Ethical Standards; And Applicable Regulations. Continue reading for the essential details every school psychology student should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering school psychology programs.
Nationwide, school psychology is a popular field of study, with 3,685 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best School Psychology Schools ranking analyzes these 200 schools to determine the best overall colleges for school psychology students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of school psychology programs later in this article.
Coursework for School Psychology build a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations school psychology graduates commonly enter.
The skill set built by a school psychology program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Based on O*NET data, a school psychology major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several school 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 | 1 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 3,282 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 402 |
People currently working in careers related to school psychology tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 38.8% |
| Master’s degree | 16.5% |
| Doctoral degree | 15.3% |
| Post-doctoral training | 8.4% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 5.6% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 4.9% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 4.0% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 2.6% |
| Some college courses | 2.0% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 1.7% |
| First professional degree | 0.1% |
View the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in school psychology careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Majoring in school psychology opens doors to a variety of career paths. Here are some of the most common occupations related to school psychology.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to school 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% |
| Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors | 204,799 | 5.9% |
| School Psychologists | 190,660 | 12.0% |
| Wind Energy Operations Managers | 128,884 | 5.2% |
College Scorecard reports median earnings of school psychology graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb 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 school psychology graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers school 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 |
| School Psychologists | $108,275 |
| Brownfield Redevelopment Specialists and Site Managers | $99,321 |
| Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary | $98,479 |
| Managers, All Other | $95,684 |
With 200 different school psychology programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased school psychology school rankings to help you.
Students interested in school 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 |
| 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.
