How To Become a Psychologist in Utah 2025

All states require a license to practice psychology professionally, but the licensure requirements vary by state. If you want to know how to become a psychologist in Utah, you'll need to learn these steps. There are different types of psychology licenses you can pursue in Utah with different requirements. Keep reading to learn more about how to become a psychologist and the steps required in Utah.

What Does a Psychologist Do?

Psychology is a field of study dedicated to understanding how the mind works and why people behave the way they do. Professional psychologists care for patients with mental health, behavioral, or other types of psychological conditions. Many also contribute to research in the field.

There are several different types of psychologists, including:

• clinical and counseling psychologists
• industrial-organizational psychologists
• neuropsychologists
• school psychologists

If you want to become a practicing psychologist, 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 Utah

In Utah, like in most states, practicing psychologists must hold a psychology license. The licensing requirements in Utah include a doctoral degree, supervised experience, and licensure exams. We've broken down the basic requirements to become a psychologist in Utah below.

Step 1: Earn a Bachelor's Degree

Bachelor's degrees are undergraduate degrees that take about four years to complete and are a requirement for entry into most graduate programs.

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.

Step 2: Consider a Master's Degree

Master's degrees are graduate degrees that usually take about two years of full-time study, although some schools offer accelerated psychology degrees online that allow you to finish faster.

Not all doctoral degrees require a master's program. Others will reduce the credit hours you need if you already have a master's, which can be one of the fastest ways to become a psychologist.

In Utah, you can become a school psychologist through a master's program. However, you're required to have at least 60 credit hours of school psychology education, and most master's degrees do not require that many credits. You'll have to choose a program geared for licensure or take additional college credits.

Step 3: Complete a Doctoral Degree

To qualify to become a licensed Utah psychologist, you'll need to complete a doctoral degree in psychology. You can earn either a Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) or a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in psychology.

PsyDs are specifically for those who want to go into clinical or counseling practice. PhDs in psychology are more common, and those that lead to licensure will cover both professional practice and research methods.

Both types will qualify you for licensure in Utah, so long as the program is accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA) or otherwise approved by the Utah Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing (DOPL).

Step 4: Fulfill Supervised Experience Requirements

In Utah, to show that you're qualified to engage in mental health therapy, one of the psychology licensure requirements is that you must have 4,000 hours of supervised training. This includes training from your doctoral program and postdoctoral training.

Pre-doctoral training, or training that you obtained during your doctoral program, must be at least 1,000 hours. The remaining work will need to be completed through an approved postdoctoral training program.

School psychologists will need to complete a one-year school psychology internship. They cannot receive a license until they've had five years of work experience as a school psychologist in the state.

Step 5: Pass Licensure Exams

Two licensure exams are required for a psychologist license in Utah. One is a national exam, and the other is a state-specific exam.

The national exam is the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP). It's administered by the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB) and tests your psychology knowledge.

The state-specific exam is the Utah Psychologist Law and Ethics Exam. It's designed to test your knowledge of the various rules and regulations governing the practice of psychology in Utah.

Step 6: Obtain and Maintain Licensure

Once you've earned a doctoral degree, completed the required supervised experience, and received a passing score on both licensure exams, you can apply for your psychologist license. You'll need to submit documentation of your qualifications, pass a background check, and pay the application fee.

Utah psychology licenses expire every two years. To maintain licensure, licensees in Utah must complete 48 hours of continuing education (CE) during those two years, including at least six hours of ethics training. This CE must be through an approved source, like the APA or Utah Psychological Association.

Step 7: Consider Becoming a Prescribing Psychologist

Utah is one of the few states that allows clinical psychologists to prescribe medication. To do so, you must have a prescribing psychologist license.

To earn this license, you'll need to be a licensed psychologist, then need to return to school to earn a master's degree in clinical psychopharmacology. You'll also need to pass the ASPPB's Psychopharmacology Examination for Psychologists (PEP).

What Are the Best Degrees for a Psychologist?

To be a licensed psychologist in Utah, you need a doctoral degree. As a result, the best option is a PhD in psychology or a PsyD.

A master's degree is sufficient if you want to be a school psychologist, counselor, or social worker. A postdoctoral master's degree in clinical pharmacology is also required for licensure as a prescribing psychologist.

Top Psychology Degree Programs

A few universities in Oregon offer psychology programs. We've featured some of the best PsyD programs and PhDs in psychology below.

1. University of Utah

The University of Utah is a public research institution in Salt Lake City. It offers three APA-accredited PhDs in clinical psychology, counseling psychology, and school psychology.

The clinical psychology program offers tracks in clinical child and family psychology, clinical health and behavioral medicine, and clinical neuropsychology. The counseling psychology and school psychology programs both prepare students for professional practice.

• Estimated tuition cost: $7,610 per year (in-state); $26,869 per year (out-of-state)
• Accreditation: Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) and APA

2. Utah State University

At Utah State University, students can earn a PhD in clinical and counseling psychology or a PhD in school psychology. Both programs train students to work with various clients in a range of settings.

USU, a public research university, is located in Logan, UT. It provides PhD students with full tuition coverage through assistantship opportunities.

• Estimated tuition cost: $6,982 per year (in-state); $23,927 per year (out-of-state)
• Accreditation: NWCCU and APA

3. Brigham Young University

Brigham Young University offers APA-accredited PhDs in clinical psychology and counseling psychology. BYU is a private Mormon research university in Provo, UT.

The clinical psychology program offers specializations in clinical child, adolescent, and family psychology, as well as clinical neuropsychology and clinical health psychology. The counseling psychology degree emphasizes the educational, developmental, and multicultural functions of counseling psychologists.

• Estimated tuition cost: $8,416 per year (in-state and out-of-state)
• Accreditation: NWCCU and APA

Other Psychology Degrees

While options are limited for PsyD and PhDs in psychology in Utah, several other institutions across the U.S. offer accredited programs. We've featured a few other APA-accredited schools located in bordering states.

University of Denver

Three psychology PhDs are available through the University of Denver in clinical psychology, counseling psychology, and school psychology. DU is a private, nonprofit research university in Denver.

The clinical psychology degree provides clinical experience from day one. It offers specializations such as military psychology, forensic psychology, and child/adolescent mental health.

The counseling psychology program prepares students to provide mental healthcare to patients across the lifespan, while the school psychology program trains students to work in various educational settings.

• Estimated tuition cost: $40,885 per year (in-state and out-of-state)
• Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and APA

Idaho State University

Idaho State University is a public research institution in Pocatello, ID. It offers an APA-accredited PhD in clinical psychology.

The program provides robust clinical training and education in psychological science, while emphasizing ethical and culturally aware practice. Comprehensive financial aid options are available to help students cover their costs.

• Estimated tuition cost: $9,016 per year (in-state); $28,126 per year (out-of-state)
• Accreditation: NWCCU and APA

Skills of a Psychologist

Degree programs are key for helping students develop knowledge in psychology, clinical practice, and research methods. They also help students with key soft skills needed by psychologists, including:

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

Additionally, students work to further hone these skills through practicum and internship experiences.

Careers and Job Outlook for Psychologists

Nationwide, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) expects jobs for psychologists to increase by 7% by 2033. However, the outlook in Utah far exceeds these numbers, although the specifics depend on the career.

Jobs for clinical and counseling psychologists in Utah are expected to increase by 50% in the same time frame. School psychologists, meanwhile, should see an increase of 17%. The expected outlook for other types of psychologists is also high, at 22%.

What Is the Average Salary of a Psychologist in Utah?

The median annual salary for psychologists in Utah also varies by career, as well as by where you work. In general, psychologists in Utah earn less than the national median.

For example, clinical and counseling psychologists in Utah earn a median annual salary of $88,990, compared to the national median of $95,830. The national median annual salary for school psychologists is $86,930 but in Utah, the median is $75,870.

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 program for you by exploring the options featured on Learn.org. Reach out to individual schools to learn more about how they can help you reach your psychology career goals.