How To Become a Psychologist in Louisiana 2025

Psychology is a field focused on human behavior. Psychologists may work with patients in clinical settings or may work in research or academia.

How to become a psychologist varies by state. For example, most states require a license to practice psychology professionally, but Louisiana requires applicants to take three exams for licensure instead of just one. Keep reading to learn more about how to become a psychologist in Louisiana.

What Does a Psychologist Do?

Psychology is a field of study dedicated to understanding how the mind works. Psychologists are experts who work to further psychology research and knowledge, as well as help clients dealing with psychological conditions.

There are several different types of psychologists, including:

• Clinical and counseling psychologists: These psychologists meet with patients to help resolve emotional, behavioral, and mental disorders. They may work in private practice or within a healthcare facility.
• Industrial-organizational psychologist: Industrial-organizational (I-O) psychology looks at the psychology of workplaces. These psychologists may focus on boosting productivity or organizational dynamics.
• Neuropsychologists: These psychologists study how damage to the brain can affect behavior.
• School psychologists: These psychologists work in school settings, helping diagnose students with developmental or behavioral delays and creating plans to help them succeed in school.

If you're pursuing licensure, the educational requirements to become a psychologist are about the same for all types of psychologists. However, how long it takes to get a psychology degree can vary slightly between specializations.

7 Steps To Become a Psychologist in Louisiana

Practicing psychologists in Louisiana need to be licensed through the Louisiana State Board of Examiners of Psychologists (LSBEP). Licensing requirements include a doctoral degree, supervised experience, and passing a licensure exam. We've broken down the steps to become a licensed psychologist in Louisiana below.

Step 1: Earn a Bachelor's Degree

Before you can enter into a graduate program, you need to complete a bachelor's degree. Bachelor's degrees are undergraduate degrees that take about four years to complete.

Many students who want to pursue a graduate degree in psychology choose to major in psychology for their undergrad program. This provides a solid foundation in psychology, and there are several accredited psychology programs online at the bachelor's level.

However, most graduate psychology programs do not require a specific undergraduate major. Make sure to choose something that aligns with the type of psychological services you want to provide. That could be a psychology degree or even an education degree, if you want to be a school psychologist.

Step 2: Earn a Master's Degree

Some students choose to earn a master's degree before they earn their doctoral degree. Master's degrees usually take around two years of full-time study, although some schools offer accelerated psychology degrees online that allow you to finish faster.

Many doctoral degrees in psychology do not require applicants to have master's degrees. However, some will reduce the overall credits you need if you already have a master's, which can be one of the fastest ways to become a psychologist.

On the other hand, some psychology-related careers require a master's but not a doctorate. For example, if you want to become a mental health or substance abuse counselor, or work in another area of human services, you'll generally just need to complete a master's program.

Step 3: Complete a Doctoral Program

To earn a psychology license in Louisiana, you need to complete a doctoral program, either a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in psychology or a Doctor of Psychology (PsyD). A post-master's educational specialist (EdS) program is sufficient for school psychology.

PhDs focus on both research and clinical practice, while PsyDs are more heavily focused on clinical and counseling practice. Both typically include courses in your chosen field of psychology, research projects, and a supervised internship.

PhDs and PsyDs lead to psychology licensure in Louisiana as long as the program is accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA) or otherwise approved by the LSBEP.

Educational specialist programs in school psychology prepare you to work in educational settings and on education-focused research. These will qualify you for a licensed specialist in school psychology credential in Louisiana.

Step 4: Fulfill Supervised Experience Requirements

Licensure requirements in Louisiana also require two years of supervised experience. Up to one year can be earned through your doctoral internship.

The second year must be completed through postdoctoral supervised practice. You'll need to apply for and be approved for provisional licensure by the state psychology board to complete this practice. The application for provisional licensure requires passing a criminal background check and taking the state jurisprudence exam.

Step 5: Pass the Required Licensure Exams

Louisiana requires three licensure exams. The first is the jurisprudence exam, a state-specific exam. You can take this exam online and will need to receive a passing score to qualify for your provisional license.

The second is the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP). This is a national exam offered by the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB). You'll be eligible to take this exam once you've received your provisional license.

Note that if, for whatever reason, you did not receive a provisional license, you will then need to take the jurisprudence exam after passing the EPPP. Louisiana also requires candidates for licensure to take an oral exam in front of the board.

Step 6: Obtain and Maintain Licensure

To obtain your license in Louisiana, you'll need to submit documentation of your doctoral program, doctoral internship, and postdoctoral supervised practice, as well as pay an application fee and complete a criminal background check. If you've submitted everything accurately and passed all your tests, you'll receive your license the day you complete the oral exam.

The Louisiana Psychology Board requires psychologists to renew their state license every two years. To qualify, you'll need to complete 40 hours of continuing professional development (CPD) within that time period. These continuing education requirements must be earned through an approved provider.

Step 7: Consider Additional Licensure

Louisiana offers a few opportunities for licensed psychologists to further their careers.

The first is by adding a neuropsychology specialization to their license. To qualify, candidates must complete postdoctoral graduate training in neuropsychology and pass an additional oral exam.

The Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners also allows licensed psychologists to earn a medical psychology license. To qualify for this license, candidates must have completed a postdoctoral master's degree or another type of approved training program in psychopharmacology and passed a national psychopharmacology exam.

What Are the Best Degrees for a Psychologist?

The best degrees to practice as a professional psychologist in Louisiana are doctoral degrees. PhDs in psychology and PsyDs both lead to licensure and allow you to provide psychological services. Additionally, an EdS in school psychology will qualify you for a license in school psychology.

If you're interested in counseling or a similar human services role, you can earn a master's degree in a field like counseling, marriage and family therapy, or social work.

Top Psychology Degree Programs

A few Louisiana universities offer psychology degrees. We've featured some of the best PsyD programs, PhDs in psychology, and EdS in school psychology below.

1. Louisiana State University

Louisiana State University is a public research institution in Baton Rouge, LA. It offers two APA-accredited PhDs: a PhD in clinical psychology and a PhD in school psychology.

The clinical psychology program trains students to both conduct research and provide clinical services. The school psychology trains students to become leaders in education and psychology and make positive changes in the lives of children and their families.

• Estimated tuition cost: $9,132 per year (in-state); $20,830 per year (out-of-state)
• Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) and APA

2. Tulane University

Tulane University offers a PhD in school psychology. This program aims to prepare professionals who are sensitive to the complex interplay of biological, cultural, economic, social, and psychological influences that contribute to child development.

Tulane, a private, nonprofit research institution, is located in New Orleans. It also offers a PhD in psychological sciences, though this is a research-focused program and not designed to lead to licensure.

• Estimated tuition cost: $67,004 per year (in-state and out-of-state)
• Accreditation: SACSCOC and APA

3. Louisiana Tech University

Louisiana Tech University offers an APA-accredited PhD in counseling psychology through its Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences. LA Tech is a public research university in Ruston, LA.

This program is designed to produce professional psychologists who are competent in both research and professional practice. Graduates are prepared to work in a variety of professional settings, including community health agencies, private practice, and academia.

• Estimated tuition cost: $5,416 per year (in-state); $10,147 per year (out-of-state)
• Accreditation: SACSCOC and APA

4. The Chicago School at Xavier University of Louisiana

The PsyD at The Chicago School allows students to tailor their coursework by focusing on cognitive-behavioral interventions or systems intervention orientation. Students can also develop a focus area in either behavioral medicine and health psychology or psychology in a diverse multicultural context.

The Chicago School is a private, nonprofit system of schools focused on psychological sciences. It's partnered with Xavier University of Louisiana, a private Catholic school in New Orleans, to offer this PsyD program.

• Estimated tuition cost: $19,353 per year (in-state and out-of-state)
• Accreditation: SACSCOC and APA

5. Louisiana State University Shreveport

Louisiana State University Shreveport is a public institution in Shreveport, LA. It offers a three-year Specialist in School Psychology (SSP) program.

This program prepares graduates to address academic and mental health challenges with children and adolescents across assessment and intervention-based service delivery. While it's not an APA-accredited program, it's accredited by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) and qualifies students for school psychology licensure in Louisiana.

• Estimated tuition cost: $6,196 per year (in-state and out-of-state)
• Accreditation: SACSCOC and NASP

Skills of a Psychologist

Psychologists need a strong understanding of psychological theory and research methods, as well as experience in clinical practice. However, there are also several soft skills they need, including:

• analytical thinking
• communication skills
• compassion and interpersonal skills
• critical thinking
• integrity
• observational skills
• problem-solving skills

Your degree programs will provide you with a firm foundation in these skills, but you'll develop them even further through practicums, internships, and other hands-on experiences.

Careers and Job Outlook for Psychologists

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), jobs for psychologists are expected to increase nationwide, with an estimated rise of 7% by 2033. Estimates in Louisiana are also positive but vary by career.

Jobs for clinical and counseling psychologists in Louisiana, for example, are expected to increase 11% in that same time frame, while jobs for school psychologists are only expected to increase by 3%. Jobs for other types of psychologists, including neuropsychologists, are expected to increase by 10% in Louisiana.

What Is the Average Salary of a Psychologist in Louisiana?

In general, psychologists in Louisiana make far less than the national average for their positions. For example:

• clinical and counseling psychologists in Louisiana have a median salary of $67,470 per year compared to the national median of $95,830 per year
• school psychologists in Louisiana earn a median annual salary of $65,290 per year compared to the national median salary of $86,930
• other psychologists in Louisiana have a median salary of $113,620 per year compared to the national median of $117,580 per year

To help maximize your salary, try to keep your costs low while in school. Look for some of the most affordable online psychology degrees and take advantage of financial aid opportunities.

Explore Psychology Degrees

Find the perfect psychology degree by exploring the programs featured on Learn.org. Reach out to individual schools to learn how they can help you reach your goals.