How To Become a Psychologist in Colorado 2025

Pursuing a psychology career in Colorado can be a great option for those interested in understanding the thoughts, behaviors, and motivations of those around them. Perhaps you'd like to know how to become a psychologist; in particular, you're curious about education and licensing requirements.

Keep reading as we discuss how to become a psychologist in Colorado. We'll take a look at some top training programs in the state, provide a step-by-step educational process you can follow, and answer various questions you may have.

What Does a Psychologist Do?

A psychologist is a mental health professional. Primary job duties involve conducting psychotherapy (talk therapy) and testing sessions to help patients work through various relationship and life issues, as well as to diagnose and determine appropriate treatments for underlying mental conditions.

If you're wondering how long it takes to get a psychology degree, the answer will depend on your level of education. Licensed psychologists must hold a doctoral degree, which typically takes between four and seven years to complete. Combined with other educational requirements, it typically takes about eight to 12 years to become a psychologist.

5 Steps To Become a Psychologist in Colorado

There are various educational requirements to become a psychologist in Colorado. Keep reading as we discuss each step you'll need to take on your path to licensure.

Step 1: Earn a Bachelor's Degree

The first step is to complete a bachelor's degree program. If you want, you can start by enrolling in an associate degree program before transferring and completing your bachelor's degree later.

Many colleges and universities offer accredited online psychology degrees. These programs allow students to complete coursework remotely, giving them added flexibility.

Though most students pursue bachelor's degrees in psychology, they can also choose related majors in fields such as social work, sociology, and counseling. These programs all provide a solid foundation of human behavior and thought patterns.

Those looking to speed up their educational paths can pursue accelerated psychology degrees online. These programs can typically be completed in three years or less. Traditional bachelor's degree programs take about four years for full-time learners to complete.

Step 2: Earn a Master's Degree (Optional)

The fastest way to become a psychologist is to skip the master's degree; many doctoral programs are designed as post-bachelor's degrees, so earning a master's degree isn't necessary. That said, there can be benefits to earning your master's before advancing to the doctoral stage.

If you majored in a field other than psychology, pursuing a graduate program in a psychology discipline can help you prepare for doctoral-level coursework. It also gives you an opportunity to explore different specializations in the field, such as clinical psychology, school psychology, and counseling psychology.

Master's degree programs in psychology typically take about two to three years to complete. Again, pursuing an accelerated option can help you speed up your studies and graduate sooner.

Step 3: Earn a Doctoral Degree

To earn a psychologist license in the state of Colorado, you will need to obtain a doctoral degree from an American Psychological Association (APA)-accredited institution. Most students choose between a Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) and a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in psychology.

These degree programs typically last from four to seven years and prepare students for different psychologist careers, depending on their specialization. These options prepare students for careers in healthcare, private practice, education, academia, research, and more.

Doctoral degrees can be expensive, so looking for the cheapest online psychology degrees can be beneficial by helping you attend school on a budget.

Step 4: Become a Psychologist Candidate and Gain Supervised Experience

After completing your education, you'll need to apply online for a psychologist candidate permit from the Colorado State Board of Psychologist Examiners. This requires an application, application fee, and submission of transcripts.

Once you've received this permit, you can complete the required supervised experience hours. Colorado requires aspiring psychologists to earn at least 1,500 hours of supervised postdoctoral experience and at least 75 hours of supervision experience.

Students typically gain the required supervised practice through working with patients in internships, fellowships, and other settings. However, they can also count up to 500 hours each of supervised teaching research activities toward the requirement.

Most of the hours must be supervised by a psychologist, but a certain amount can be supervised by a psychiatrist. All of your supervisors must complete forms documenting your experience, which you will submit to earn your psychology license later.

Step 5: Complete Licensing Requirements

After you've completed all of the necessary education and experience, you're ready to sit for the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP). This licensing exam consists of 225 multiple choice questions and is completed on-site at a local testing center.

Next, you'll need to complete the Colorado Mental Health Jurisprudence Examination, which tests your knowledge of state-specific laws and ethics related to mental healthcare. Once you've passed both the EPPP and the jurisprudence exam, you'll complete another application and receive your credentials as a fully licensed psychologist.

What Are the Best Degrees for a Psychologist?

You can earn psychology degrees at every level, but not all of these degrees lead directly to psychology licensure. Students in associate and bachelor's degree programs are prepared for entry-level careers in mental health and human services, but these degrees are designed for students to pursue advanced education.

Master's degree programs can lead to more advanced careers in areas such as school counseling, behavioral science, and family therapy. However, you still cannot get licensed as a psychologist in Colorado with a master's degree alone.

As such, the best degree for aspiring psychologists is a doctoral degree. This terminal level of education provides the necessary professional development, through research and experience, to help students meet licensure requirements.

Top Psychology Degree Programs

If you're ready to pursue graduate studies to become a licensed psychologist in Colorado, keep reading. Below, we'll look at some top master's programs and doctoral degrees in psychology, including the best PsyD programs, available in Colorado.

1. University of Colorado - Boulder

The University of Colorado - Boulder is the flagship campus of the University of Colorado System. Graduate students at the school can pursue a PhD degree in psychology.

This APA-accredited program offers five subplans, or areas of emphasis, so students can focus their studies on their professional and academic interests. Subplans include social psychology, behavioral neuroscience, and behavioral psychiatric and statistical genetics.

• Estimated tuition cost: $14,970 (in-state); $37,138 (out-of-state)
• Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC)

2. University of Colorado - Colorado Springs

The University of Colorado - Colorado Springs is another school in the University of Colorado System. This public university provides both Master of Arts and PhD programs in psychology.

Learners in the master's program can choose between psychological sciences and clinical psychology tracks, with subplans in areas like biopsychology, cognition, and developmental psychology. Those in the PhD programs study clinical psychology with available concentrations in geropsychology and trauma.

• Estimated tuition cost: $15,217 (in-state); $26,731 (out-of-state)
• Accreditation: HLC

3. University of Colorado - Denver

The University of Colorado - Denver is yet another public school in the University of Colorado System. It offers both PsyD and PhD programs in psychology.

The PhD program focuses on clinical health psychology, preparing students for careers in various clinical settings. The PsyD program focuses on school psychology and offers an optional bilingual concentration for learners interested in working with students who speak English or Spanish.

• Estimated tuition cost: $8,352 (in-state); $26,208 (out-of-state)
• Accreditation: HLC

4. Colorado State University

Colorado State University is located in Fort Collins. It provides Master of Science and PhD degrees in psychology.

Students in these programs can choose from five concentrations, including industrial organizational psychology, applied social psychology, and counseling psychology. Those planning to pursue a terminal master's degree can earn a major in addictions counseling.

• Estimated tuition cost: $11,494 (in-state); $28,182 (out-of-state)
• Accreditation: HLC

5. Colorado Christian University

Colorado Christian University is a private school located in Lakewood. It offers an online Master of Science in psychology that provides a flexible learning format for busy students.

Courses for this program are offered in five-week sessions, and students typically complete one course at a time to graduate in as little as 15 months. Students complete coursework on a schedule that works for them, allowing them to balance accelerated studies with work and other life commitments.

• Estimated tuition cost: $14,170 (in-state); $14,170 (out-of-state)
• Accreditation: HLC

Skills of a Psychologist

Psychologists require many specialized interpersonal skills to succeed in their chosen career path. These often subtle, soft skills include:

• problem-solving
• emotional stability
• communication
• empathy
• compassion
• organization
• ethics

Psychologists must also be excellent researchers so they can determine the best research-based methods to help their patients. They must be lifelong learners willing to continue improving and advancing their careers through continuing education.

Careers and Job Outlook for Psychologists

The field of psychology contains various specializations that lead to specialized career paths. Some specific job titles to consider include:

• school psychologist
• clinical psychologist
• counseling psychologist

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Colorado employs more than 1,500 psychologists in different specializations. Most of these are clinical and counseling psychologists.

What Is the Average Salary of a Psychologist in Colorado?

Average annual salaries for Colorado psychologists vary depending on their specialization. Clinical and counseling psychologists earn an average yearly salary of $99,690, while those in other undisclosed psychologist specializations earn an average of $108,040.

These salary expectations are higher than the national average, which is $94,310 for all psychologists. Those earning the highest salaries typically work for government agencies and ambulatory healthcare services.

Explore Psychology Degrees

If you're ready to start working toward your psychology degree, consider the schools featured here on Learn.org. Contact any of the schools today for more information about their psychology programs and to choose the right one for you.