How To Become a Psychologist in Alaska 2025

If you want to know how to become a psychologist, then we invite you to learn the basic structure of psychology licensing and education in your state. This involves attending college, gaining hands-on supervised practice in the field, and earning a psychology license approved by the state board of psychology. This article will show you a comprehensive strategy for how to become a psychologist and the requirements in Alaska.

What Does a Psychologist Do?

There are several educational requirements to become a psychologist or psychological associate because the responsibilities are diverse and involve intimate aspects of mental health care. Licensed psychologists treat behavioral and mental disorders, including serious traumas, substance abuse, and addiction, for clients of all ages.

To understand how long it takes to get a psychology degree, you must first know which degree you wish to obtain. The following section will go over the steps to earn a bachelor's degree and other advanced credentials through master's-level and doctoral-level training.

3 Steps To Become a Psychologist in Alaska

Follow these steps to obtain your psychologist license in Alaska. This includes ways to earn your credentials through on-campus instruction as well as accredited online psychology degrees.

Step 1: Get an Undergraduate Degree

The State of Alaska has multiple universities you can attend to earn a bachelor's degree while taking introductory courses in counseling psychology, behavioral health, family therapy, clinical psychology, and other important topics. If you prefer not to travel to a specific campus, you can earn your degree through distance education. You can get an education quicker with some of the fastest psychology degrees online, which allow you to graduate in about three years.

Step 2: Pursue a Master's Degree or Doctorate

Most high-paying psychologist roles require you to earn either a master's degree (for psychological associate licensing) or a doctorate (for an unsupervised psychologist license). The two most common doctoral degrees are the Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) and the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD).

Alaskan universities usually offer the Phd credential, but you can also pursue the best PsyD programs through distance learning.

Step 3: Finish Other Licensing Requirements

Federal and state laws require psychologists and psychological associates to sit for the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP) before receiving a license. The Alaska Board of Psychologists sets the guidelines for obtaining temporary licenses, permanent licenses, and license renewal.

You should familiarize yourself with the requirements for each specific license. The Alaska Board website lists all the license fees, professional experience requirements, continuing education requirements, and other application fees. Once you've finished doctoral education, postdoctoral supervised experience, and passed the national examination, you'll be ready to assume private practice as an Alaska psychologist.

What Are the Best Degrees for a Psychologist?

The best degrees will offer a variety of coursework and pre-doctoral internship opportunities. You should also consult with department faculty to identify clinical practicums, especially toward the end of your doctoral education. If you want the fastest way to become a psychologist in your state, then consider earning some credentials online through an accelerated program.

Top Psychology Degree Programs

Check some of the top psychology degree programs in Alaska. These receive approval from the American Psychological Association (APA) and include some of the most affordable online psychology degree programs.

1. University of Alaska - Anchorage

The University of Alaska - Anchorage allows students to begin their graduate education with a Master of Science (MS), concentrating on either clinical psychology or school psychology. It also offers a graduate certificate in children's mental health and a PhD degree in clinical community psychology.

Graduate students can get financial support, including tuition remission and health insurance, by taking roles as teaching or research assistants.

• Estimated tuition cost: $513 per credit hour (in-state); $1,079 per credit hour (out-of-state)
• Accreditation: APA

2. Alaska Pacific University

Alaska Pacific University offers both a master's degree and PsyD for students who wish to focus on counseling psychology exclusively. The PsyD option works well for working students who already hold a master's degree. It is a hybrid program where students take synchronous courses in the evening, along with on-campus courses every six weeks.

• Estimated tuition cost: $848 per credit hour (in-state and out-of-state)
• Accreditation: Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)

3. University of Alaska - Fairbanks

Although the University of Alaska - Fairbanks focuses more on undergraduate education in psychology, it also offers an interdisciplinary PhD program in collaboration with the University of Alaska - Anchorage. It focuses on multiple fields, including clinical community psychology. The PhD program involves a minimum of 36 credit hours in psychology, including nine credit hours devoted to thesis research.

• Estimated tuition cost: $555 per credit hour (in-state); $1,155 per credit hour (out-of-state)
• Accreditation: APA

Other Psychology Degrees

Alaska residents can also pursue graduate programs at online universities, such as Liberty University and Capella University. These programs permit graduate students to complete advanced coursework 100% online for accredited master's programs and PhD studies.

Liberty University

Liberty University's psychology PhD program claims to help its students ''understand the human experience from a biblical worldview.'' This accredited online college has a firm commitment to both Christian and former military students. The program also promises to develop a critical approach to psychiatric research and guide students through many forms of practical training in the field.

• Estimated tuition cost: $610 per credit hour (in-state and out-of-state)
• Accreditation: APA

Capella University

Capella University has four PhD programs in the field, focusing on general psychology, developmental psychology, educational psychology, and industrial/occupational psychology. The general psychology track is an 84-credit degree � with a maximum of 24 transfer credits allowed. It features four dissertation courses, three virtual residencies, seven core courses, and various other elective courses.

• Estimated tuition cost: $485 to $1,020 per credit hour (in-state and out-of-state)
• Accreditation: APA

Skills of a Psychologist

Psychologists must dedicate themselves to building numerous interpersonal and professional skills. They need soft skills, patience, and empathy to guide their interactions with patients. Research-focused psychologists must develop quantitative methodology skills to publish original research in the field.

Careers and Job Outlook for Psychologists

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) publishes job outlook and salary data for psychologists nationwide. It expects a 6% growth in psychologist jobs between 2023 and 2033, especially for clinical psychologists and school psychologists. In Alaska, you can expect more employment opportunities in urban areas, such as Anchorage, Juneau, and Fairbanks.

What Is the Average Salary of a Psychologist in Alaska?

The BLS also reports an average annual salary of $94,310. That assumes you would work full-time as a psychologist, but there are a minority of mental health professionals who earn per diem, per week, or per hour wages. The average hourly wage for psychologists is $45.34 per hour.

Explore Psychology Degrees

We hope this helps your research into accredited psychology degrees and licensure. You can use Learn.org anytime to find reputable online colleges for bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, doctoral programs, professional licensing, and more.