How To Become a Psychologist in Georgia 2025

Psychology is a growing field in the healthcare sector. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects an average of 13,000 new job openings for psychologists each year for the next decade � the fastest-growing employment sector in the country.

This article explores how to become a psychologist in Georgia, from the required steps to licensure to the job outlook to reputable graduate programs across the state. Read on to learn how to become a psychologist and launch your career as a mental health professional.

What Does a Psychologist Do?

A psychologist studies how people process emotions and interact with their environments, using specialized evaluations and talk therapy to help improve behaviors and mental health conditions. A psychologist collects information, designs and evaluates research programs, and helps find treatments for behavioral and cognitive problems.

Psychologists work in private practices, hospitals, schools, outpatient clinics, counseling centers, and community mental health centers.

5 Steps To Become a Psychologist in Georgia

Becoming a psychologist is an investment in both time and money. How long it takes to get a psychology degree depends on your previous education experience and the length of your graduate program.

While licensed psychologists in Georgia must receive their doctorate from an in-person doctoral program, accelerated psychology degrees online are an option for master's degrees.

Step 1: Earn a Bachelor's Degree

Earn your bachelor's degree from an accredited program. A bachelor's degree is needed before you can move on to graduate studies.

Step 2: Earn a Doctoral Degree

To pursue licensure, you'll need a graduate-level degree. Doctoral programs typically take four to eight years to complete.

Step 3: Gain Experience

Complete 500 hours of supervised postdoctoral work experience. This is done under the supervision of a licensed psychologist and takes one to two years to complete.

Step 4: Take Necessary Exams

You'll need to pass your examinations. There are three exams: the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP), the Georgia Jurisprudence Examination, and the Oral Examination.

Step 5: Pursue Licensure

You can apply for your psychology license from the Georgia State Board of Examiners of Psychologists. You'll need to submit an application fee and undergo a background check to complete your license application.

What Are the Best Degrees for a Psychologist?

There are strict educational requirements to become a psychologist. To receive your psychology license in the state of Georgia, you'll need to earn your doctoral degree in psychology. Your Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) or Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) must be completed through a doctoral program accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA).

A master's degree is another graduate degree option. While you won't be eligible to operate as a licensed psychologist, you can work as a behavior analyst, school psychologist, social worker, and more. As you can earn your master's degree in less time than a doctorate, this is one of the fastest ways to become a psychologist.

If you are just starting your psychology degree journey, accredited psychology programs online offer bachelor's degree options.

Top Psychology Degree Programs

The following schools offer some of the best PsyD programs in Georgia. All doctoral programs have been APA-accredited and fulfill curriculum licensure requirements.

While these programs are mainly in-person, you can explore the most affordable online psychology degrees for more program options.

1. Georgia Southern University

Located in Statesboro, GA, Georgia Southern University offers a PsyD program with an emphasis on helping rural and traditionally underserved populations. The graduate program is relatively small, so doctoral students work closely with dedicated faculty supported by the large university.

Georgia Southern University offers graduate assistantships to eligible doctoral students, which can greatly offset tuition costs. Graduates of the program have a 100% placement rate in APA-accredited internships and a 96% licensure rate.

Estimated tuition cost: $5,610 (in-state); $20,250 (out-of-state)

Accreditation: APA

2. University of Georgia

The University of Georgia (UGA) is based in Athens, GA, and has three doctoral programs: behavioral and brain science, industrial-organizational, and clinical graduate programs. In addition to theory coursework, learning takes place in UGA's laboratories, clinics, and medical centers.

The UGA Department of Psychology was recently featured in U.S. News & World Report's top psychology programs.

Estimated tuition cost: $9,808 (in-state); $30,182 (out-of-state)

Accreditation: APA

3. Georgia State University

Georgia State University GSU is an Atlanta-based school with doctoral degree programs in clinical psychology, neuropsychology, community psychology, development psychology, and cognitive sciences. Students complete core classes, a thesis project, a dissertation project, and specialized coursework and training.

Recently, 91% of doctoral students at GSU secured APA-accredited internships and received their psychologist licensure.

Estimated tuition cost: $11,110 (in-state); $33,046 (out-of-state)

Accreditation: APA

4. Georgia Institute of Technology

Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) is a highly regarded research institute and university in Atlanta, GA. Georgia Tech offers PhD programs focusing on engineering psychology, cognition and brain science, cognitive aging psychology, and quantitative psychology. Coursework at George Teach is founded in general experimental psychology with individualized research in the doctoral students' concentrations.

While the vast majority of coursework is given in person, some courses may be taken online. You can also pursue a master's degree in psychology at Georgia Tech.

Estimated tuition cost: $12,058 (in-state); $34,484 (out-of-state)

Accreditation: APA

5. Augusta University

Located in its namesake city, Augusta University offers three master's degree program options. Students can earn their Master of Science (MS) with concentrations in applied experimental psychology, clinical/counseling, and general experimental psychology.

Students research and practice training in psychometric and clinical facilities and gain valuable work experience through internships with local partners. All students receive individual mentoring from a dedicated faculty member while working towards their master's degree.

Estimated tuition cost: $5,642 (in-state); $20,104 (out-of-state)

Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)

Skills of a Psychologist

Working in the field of psychology requires a wide range of skills, including the following:

• Analytical skills: Psychologists study individuals and groups and draw logical conclusions from the information collected from their studies.
• Communication skills: Psychologists spend a great deal of their time speaking with patients and research partners and must be able to communicate ideas both verbally and in writing.
• Interpersonal skills: Psychologists must build trust with their clients; they often coordinate healthcare information with other specialists.

Careers and Job Outlook for Psychologists

There are many different professional routes a psychologist can take: counseling and clinical psychology, school psychology, neuropsychology, social work, forensic psychology, and inter-organizational psychology are just some of the fields you can specialize in after earning your psychology licensure.

The BLS projects that psychologist job opportunities will increase by 7% each year for the next decade.

What Is the Average Salary of a Psychologist in Georgia?

According to the Economic Research Institute (ERI), annual salaries for Georgia psychologists range between $90,613 and $159,621. The average annual salary is $130,944.

This ranks higher than the national average salary for full-time psychologists, which is $94,310, according to the BLS.

Explore Psychology Degrees

Whether you want to become a social worker, delve into research, or serve as a clinical psychologist, there are many paths you can take with a psychology degree. Connect with our partner schools on Learn.org to discover which will best support your continuing education.