Reviewed by Sean Jackson, B.A. Psychology; M.S. Counseling
Choosing a doctor of psychology (PsyD) program isn’t as simple as pointing to a program in a Google results list and saying, “That’ll do.” Instead, you want your PsyD training from a well-regarded, accredited program. It’s also a good idea to get your degree from an affordable school with a track record of success in producing graduates who get a license to practice psychology.
Fortunately, many PsyD programs in the US meet all of these criteria. However, searching for the right program can still feel like sifting through a maze of information. That’s where this guide comes in!
This valuable resource will help simplify your school selection process and offer insights into some of the best programs across the country. Whether you are just beginning your collegiate journey and planning ahead or a professional who wants to add to your existing skills, the schools we’ve ranked below will help you meet your goals.
Methodology for Choosing the Top Doctor of Psychology Programs
The methodology for developing these PsyD program rankings includes three basic steps:
- Explore the National Center for Education Statistics to identify schools that offer the PsyD program.
- Narrow the list of PsyD programs to only those accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA).
- Use information about student admissions, student outcomes, and American Psychological Association or Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) internship placement rates to narrow the focus of the ranking. We also examined the program’s in-state tuition costs and the percentage of graduates who obtained licensure within 10 years of graduation.
How Points are Assessed
Most Recent 1st-Year Cohort Tuition Cost
Less than $30,000/year – 3 points
$30,000/year to $40,000/year – 2 points
Greater than $40,000/year – 1 point
Percentage of Students Who Obtain APA/CPA-Accredited Internships
Greater than 97% – 3 points
90% to 97% – 2 points
Less than 90% – 1 point
Percentage of Graduates Who Obtain Licensure
Greater than 95% – 3 points
Between 90% and 95% – 2 points
Less than 90% – 1 point
Ranking Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) Degree Programs
1. Georgia Southern University – Statesboro, Georgia
PsyD (Generalist)
Unique Feature: This program is specifically designed for students who wish to work in rural areas.
Program Format: On campus
Cost: $7,479/year
Percentage of Students With an APA/CPA-Accredited Internship: 100%
Percentage of Students to Obtain Licensure: 98.3%
Points: 9/10
Georgia Southern University is a top choice for a PsyD degree because of its extremely low cost, high internship placement rate, and large number of students who get a license. Moreover, the program serves the rural South’s unique and often unmet needs, which is a particular mission of Georgia Southern University.
Once admitted, you will participate in a full-time residential program with courses taken during the day. The program’s curriculum follows the practitioner-scholar model, meaning you will become a psychology generalist with a high degree of academic understanding of critical psychology topics and techniques. Moreover, you’ll also have the skills to put your expertise into practice as a competent psychology practitioner. You’ll get real-world experience during a 2,000-hour internship during the program’s fifth and final year.
More specifically, you will develop a deep understanding of the following areas of psychology:
- Behavioral psychology
- Existential psychology
- Humanistic psychology
- Cognitive psychology
- Family systems
This integrative program also explores psychotherapy, psychological assessments, and the psychologist’s role in providing services to rural populations.
2. Indiana State University – Terre Haute, Indiana
PsyD (Clinical Psychology)
Unique Feature: This program is based on the practitioner-scientist model and emphasizes research more than most PsyD programs.
Program Format: On campus
Cost: $8,760/year
Percentage of Students With an APA/CPA-Accredited Internship: 100%
Percentage of Students to Obtain Licensure: 98%
Points: 9/10
Indiana State University offers an APA-accredited PsyD program that provides you with rigorous clinical training and research opportunities. The program follows a practitioner-scientist model and prepares you to become a professional psychologist who can also contribute to the body of psychological research knowledge. Recent research conducted by students and faculty includes the following:
- Race bias in the diagnosis of schizophrenia
- Gender self-esteem and sexual prejudice
- Dimensions of religiousness that influence parenting
This top PsyD requires you to complete a dissertation during the program’s fifth year, thus placing a stronger emphasis on research than many other comparable programs. You must also complete a clinical dissertation during your fifth year in the program. Most graduates are employed in primary health care settings, although an increasing number are finding opportunities in academic settings, health care administration, and the military.
3. University of Hartford – West Hartford, Connecticut
PsyD (Clinical Psychology)
Unique Feature: You can specialize your studies in a Child and Adolescent Proficiency Track.
Program Format: On campus
Cost: $29,815/year
Percentage of Students With an APA/CPA-Accredited Internship: 97%
Percentage of Students to Obtain Licensure: 97%
Points: 8/10
The PsyD offered by the University of Hartford is a full-time cohort program. You’ll take three years of academic courses on campus with the same group of classmates. The benefit of the cohort model is that you develop strong ties with your student colleagues and graduate with a built-in network of other professionals who can provide you with insights and feedback.
You can specialize in child and adolescent psychology by choosing the Child and Adolescent Proficiency track. This unique opportunity allows you to take targeted coursework and complete a child-adolescent-specific practicum experience. Apart from traditional core studies, this track includes detailed examinations of topics like:
- Child psychotherapy
- Clinical child development
- Child assessment
- Psychological interventions for children
This program includes three years of academic studies, a dissertation, and an internship. You must also pass a qualifying examination (QE) during the second year. The QE follows the treatment case model, in which you provide a clinical work sample to be evaluated by a committee of two faculty members.
4. Xavier University – Cincinnati, Ohio
PsyD (Clinical Psychology)
Unique Feature: You can choose from three interest areas: Children and Adolescents, Individuals With Severe and Chronic Psychopathology, and Health Care Psychology in Medical Settings.
Program Format: On campus
Cost: $30,485/year
Percentage of Students With an APA/CPA-Accredited Internship: 100%
Percentage of Students to Obtain Licensure: 97%
Points: 8/10
The clinical psychology PsyD program at Xavier University aligns with Xavier’s commitment to serving others. The comprehensive curriculum prepares you to work as a service provider in many settings, including mental health centers, medical centers, and correctional agencies.
This five-year program includes four academic years and one internship year. You can choose from three specialization areas:
- Children and Adolescents
- Individuals With Severe and Chronic Psychopathology
- Health Care Psychology in Medical Settings
These interest areas expose you to the issues and methodologies in serving these underserved populations. If you’re interested in health care delivery in the US, you can use your remaining elective credit hours to complete a Certificate in the Foundations of Health Sciences Administration as well.
5. Roosevelt University – Chicago, Illinois
PsyD (Clinical Psychology)
Unique Feature: Diverse training opportunities are available including with military and VA populations, outpatient and inpatient hospitals, and forensic settings.
Program Format: On campus
Cost: $33,701/year
Percentage of Students With an APA/CPA-Accredited Internship: 100%
Percentage of Students to Obtain Licensure: 95%
Points: 8/10
This PsyD program prepares you to work in a variety of settings and with diverse and multicultural populations. Course options are diverse, too, and include:
- Psychopharmacology
- Community Psychology and Social Justice
- Clinical Supervision and Consultation
- Multicultural Psychology
- Evidence-Based Practice
You can also specialize in your coursework. Roosevelt offers two clinical specializations: neuropsychology and psychotherapy with children, adolescents, and families.
Like other programs on this list, Roosevelt’s PsyD adheres to the practitioner-scholar model. Therefore, you will complete independent research and a doctoral project in addition to your doctoral coursework. You will work closely with your professors each step of the way, too: Only 25 students are admitted to the program each year, which fosters a close-knit community between students and faculty.
6. Loyola University Maryland – Baltimore, Maryland
PsyD (Clinical Psychology)
Unique Feature: You will gain clinical experience on campus at the Loyola Clinical Centers. In addition, there are more than 100 externship sites in the greater Washington, D.C. area.
Program Format: On campus
Cost: $34,920/year
Percentage of Students With an APA/CPA-Accredited Internship: 100%
Percentage of Students to Obtain Licensure: 97%
Points: 8/10
Loyola University is one of the best PsyD schools and features one of the top PsyD in psychology programs. It is a five-year APA-accredited PsyD in Clinical Psychology that offers you one-of-a-kind learning opportunities. You will complete the first part of your clinical training at the Loyola Clinical Centers. LCC features state-of-the-art facilities and treatment methods for individuals with challenges in:
- Mental health
- Relationships
- Literacy
- Language
- Speech
- Hearing
First and second-year students complete full-year supervised clinical experiences at the Loyola Clinic, while third and fourth-year students complete field placements with outside organizations. These clinical placements and elective course offerings allow you to customize your education.
7. Rutgers University – Piscataway, New Jersey
PsyD (Clinical Psychology)
Unique Feature: You will train in specialty clinics to learn how to use cutting-edge, evidence-based treatments with your clients.
Program Format: On campus
Cost: $11,820/year
Percentage of Students With an APA/CPA-Accredited Internship: 100%
Percentage of Students to Obtain Licensure: 80%
Points: 7/10
The clinical PsyD degree offered through the Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology at Rutgers University is an innovative program that does not adhere to a single training model. On the one hand, the curriculum is based on the practitioner-scholar model, so you’ll have ample opportunities to gain practical clinical knowledge and flex your psychology research skills. On the other hand, your coursework will explore three central psychology orientations, including systems theory, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and the psychodynamic approach.
Rutgers’ broad didactic training includes working with faculty on applied community-based research. This research revolves around culturally specific treatment strategies designed to be effective in treating mental health issues in marginalized populations. This working relationship with the program faculty begins on the first day of classes and extends throughout the program.
8. Florida Institute of Technology – Melbourne, Florida
PsyD (Clinical Psychology)
Unique Feature: Your clinical training starts at the Scott Center for Autism Treatment, a state-of-the-art facility for children with autism and behavioral disorders.
Program Format: On campus
Cost: $30,300/year
Percentage of Students With an APA/CPA-Accredited Internship: 100%
Percentage of Students to Obtain Licensure: 94%
Points: 7/10
Florida Tech became the first university in the southeastern United States to offer a PsyD program using the Vail model of training when it began in 1983. The program has been APA accredited continuously since 1984 and offers you many different learning opportunities, including in the following areas:
- Psychological testing
- Diagnosis
- Counseling and therapy
- Psychological research
Your coursework is completed alongside extensive research. Your research can focus on any number of areas, including forensic psychology, integrated behavioral health, or neuropsychology. Child and family psychology is yet another available concentration area.
Clinical experience is gained first on campus in a two-semester internship at the Scott Center for Autism Treatment. After that, you’ll move on to complete a series of off-campus practicum experiences that build your competency and expand your clinical psychology skills. These externship sites are diverse, giving you the opportunity to work in jails and courts, community mental health centers, and military bases, to name but three.
9. Marshall University – Huntington, West Virginia
PsyD (Clinical Psychology)
Unique Feature: There is a special emphasis on the roles that prejudice, oppression, and trauma have had on the mental health of rural and underserved communities.
Program Format: On campus
Cost: $11,259/year
Percentage of Students With an APA/CPA-Accredited Internship: 86%
Percentage of Students to Obtain Licensure: 93%
Points: 6/10
Marshall University offers a doctoral-level clinical psychology program that trains you to be a highly skilled clinical psychologist. It is a five-year, full-time program with coursework and graded practicum experiences. During the fifth year, you complete a year-long (or two-year if working part-time) approved internship. Courses cover areas like:
- Child and Family Diagnosis/Therapy
- Advanced Psychotherapy
- Psychopharmacology
- Group Therapy
- Rural and Community Psychology
Professional research training is also integrated throughout the program; you will complete a doctoral research project to fulfill this requirement. Additionally, this program promotes advocacy and social justice principles. You’ll learn how to incorporate both as cornerstones of your psychology practice.
10. Immaculata University – Malvern, Pennsylvania
PsyD (Clinical Psychology)
Unique Feature: Courses are offered in the evenings to accommodate your work and family obligations.
Program Format: On campus
Cost: $25,470/year
Percentage of Students With an APA/CPA-Accredited Internship: 95%
Percentage of Students to Obtain Licensure: 72%
Points: 6/10
The APA-accredited PsyD offered by Immaculata University is grounded in the practitioner-scholar training model of professional psychology. As such, you will take a broad range of psychology courses and seminars in conjunction with conducting psychological research. Potential areas of research include multicultural counseling, neuropsychology, and trauma, to name a few.
Courses are offered during the evening hours, making it a great choice if you have other obligations during the day. Another degree of flexibility is that a master’s degree in clinical psychology is part of the PsyD curriculum, allowing you to start your doctorate with a bachelor’s degree. Furthermore, you can concentrate your studies in one of the following “Certificates of Emphasis”:
- Neuropsychology
- Psychological Testing
- Integrative Psychotherapy
- Psychodynamic Psychotherapy
- Forensic Psychology
- Human and Cultural Diversity
A small number of assistantships are available to clinical students. An assistantship provides a stipend and tuition remission, making this program even more affordable.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Are My Career Options With a Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) Degree?
A PsyD degree can open many career paths for you, including, but not limited to, the following:
- Clinical Psychologist – As a clinical psychologist, you can diagnose and treat mental health disorders ranging from depression and anxiety to dissociative disorders and schizophrenia. Clinical psychologists work in many different settings, including private practice, community mental health clinics, residential psychiatric centers, and hospitals.
- Industrial-Organizational Psychologist – IO psychologists study and apply psychology in workplace settings. If you work in this field, you’ll likely focus on factors such as worker satisfaction, worker-manager communication, and organizational structures. Other areas of practice might focus on improving productivity, developing employee training programs, and devising new methods of evaluating employees.
- School Psychologist – As a school psychologist, your work would focus on developmental, academic, social, and emotional issues of school-aged children. You might provide one-on-one and group counseling to students, offer psychoeducational training for parents, and work with classroom teachers and administrators to address the behavioral concerns of students.
- Counseling Psychologist – Counseling psychologists typically work with individual clients, couples, and families, though some also do group counseling work. The types of issues you might address with clients run the gamut, from working through feelings of loneliness after a divorce to helping a client explore a new career pathway to devising behavioral interventions for someone who has an obsessive-compulsive disorder.
- Forensic Psychologist – As a forensic psychologist, you will apply your knowledge and understanding of psychology in the context of the criminal justice system. Some forensic psychologists are criminal profilers for law enforcement agencies. However, most forensic psychologists provide expert testimony in court, help prepare witnesses for testimony in court, and provide psychological training to law enforcement agencies.
See Also: What Areas of Employment Can I Pursue With a PsyD Degree?
Do You Need a Doctorate to Work in Psychology?
You do not need a doctorate to work in the psychology field. However, in most states, you cannot call yourself a “psychologist” without a doctoral degree in psychology. See this guide about the educational requirements for psychologists in this detailed guide.
Are Practicums and Internships Necessary for a PsyD?
Practicum and internship placements are hands-on learning experiences in the PsyD curriculum that provide you with an opportunity to work directly with clients in a clinical setting. Depending on the PsyD program, you might have practicum and internship experiences in a community mental health agency, school, or hospital, to name a few.
These field experiences are arguably the most important part of the degree program because you can gain real-world experience. Moreover, these experiences enable you to face challenges while still under the supervision of your educators and mentors. In addition, fieldwork provides experience working with different populations. Not only does this help you practice your skills with clients from all walks of life, but it also helps you make well-informed decisions about your career path. Many people enter a program with the assumption that they will choose one path, only to learn of a better option during their field experiences.
What is the Difference Between a PsyD and a Ph.D.?
The primary difference between a PsyD and a Ph.D. in psychology is that a PsyD focuses more on clinical training. A Ph.D., on the other hand, focuses more on academic and research applications of psychology. Our guide, “Eight Benefits of Pursuing a PsyD Vs. PhD in Psychology,” identifies various other ways a PsyD and Ph.D. differ.