How To Become a Psychologist in Pennsylvania 2025

Whether you're working in clinical practice or are focused on research, being a psychologist can be an extremely rewarding career. However, it requires extensive education; most states, including Pennsylvania, require a doctoral degree.

If you're wondering how to become a psychologist, note that it can vary slightly between states. Pennsylvania, for example, requires two licensure exams instead of just one. Keep reading to learn more about how to become a psychologist in Pennsylvania.

What Does a Psychologist Do?

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

There are several different types of psychologists, each with a different focus. The educational requirements to become a psychologist vary slightly between the different types. Common types of psychologists include:

• Clinical and counseling psychologists: These psychologists assess, diagnose, and treat mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders. They typically work within their own practice, and often focus on specific types of populations or specific families of disorders.
• Forensic psychologists: These professionals study psychology within the context of the legal system. They may be called in to assess a suspect's mental state.
• Industrial-organizational psychologists: I-O psychologists study how people function in the workplace. They work with businesses to improve employee productivity and organizational dynamics. These types of psychologists do not usually need a license.
• Neuropsychologists: These psychologists analyze how damage to the nervous system and brain affects cognitive and behavioral processes.
• School psychologists: These professionals work in school settings and help address educational, emotional, or behavioral challenges that students may face.

How long it takes to get a psychology degree will depend on the type of psychologist you want to be and whether or not you need a license.

6 Steps To Become a Psychologist in Pennsylvania

To work as a professional psychologist in Pennsylvania, you need to obtain a license. Here, licensure requirements include earning a doctoral degree, completing supervised experience, and passing licensing exams. We've broken these steps down below.

Step 1: Earn a Bachelor's Degree

Before you can earn a doctoral degree, you must first earn a bachelor's degree, a four-year undergraduate degree that is typically required to progress to a graduate program.

There is typically no specific bachelor's major required for graduate psychology programs, but whatever you choose should provide you with a good foundation in social sciences. A bachelor's in psychology is an excellent choice, but you can also major in related fields like sociology or social work.

Your psychology coursework will cover topics like theories of personality, lifespan development, and social psychology. Many schools offer accredited psychology programs online at the bachelor's level.

Step 2: Earn a Master's Degree

Master's degrees are graduate degrees that take about two years of full-time study to complete, although some schools offer accelerated psychology degrees online that allow you to finish faster. However, a master's program may not be necessary, as not all doctoral programs require you to hold a master's degree.

Some allow you to earn a master's degree in the process of earning your doctoral degree. Others don't require a master's but will reduce the number of credits needed for the doctoral degree if you have one. This can be one of the fastest ways to become a psychologist.

If you're interested in becoming a counselor, such as a mental health counselor, or working in another field of human services, you'll need a master's degree but won't necessarily need a doctorate.

Step 3: Complete a Doctoral Program

To become a licensed psychologist in Pennsylvania, you need to hold a doctoral degree. There are two doctoral options for a psychology license: a Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) or a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in psychology.

PsyD programs are less common but are specifically for those who want to become practicing psychologists. PhDs are more focused on research, but many also train students for clinical practice.

Both options fulfill Pennsylvania's licensing requirements � as long as the program you choose is accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA) or the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA), if you're studying in Canada. You can find a full list of accredited programs in the U.S. on the APA website.

Step 4: Complete Supervised Experience Requirements

After graduating from an accredited institution, you'll need to complete supervised clinical experience. A total of two years is required.

Students can use the practicum or internship within their doctoral program for up to one year of experience. At least one year of supervised clinical experience, or roughly 1,750 clinical hours, must be done after you have completed your doctorate.

Your postdoctoral experience must be supervised and must take place in a setting that corresponds with your area of specialty. That is, if you specialized in clinical psychology, you can't do your postdoctoral experience as a school psychologist.

Step 5: Pass the Required Exams

The Pennsylvania State Board of Psychology requires two licensure exams: the Examination for Professional Practice In Psychology (EPPP) and the Pennsylvania Psychology Law Examination (PPLE).

The EPPP is a national exam developed by the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB). The PPLE is specific to Pennsylvania.

Step 6: Obtain and Maintain Licensure

After completing the examination requirements, you can continue the license application process. In addition to earning a doctorate degree, fulfilling supervised experience, and passing the exams, you'll also need to pay an application fee and pass a background check.

Part of this background check includes a child abuse history clearance. You must also have completed three hours of training in child abuse recognition and reporting.

Once you have your license, you'll need to renew it every two years. Within those two years, you must complete 30 hours of continuing education to keep your psychologist license in good standing.

This continuing education can come from an accredited college or university, the APA or an APA-approved sponsor, or a program approved by the American Medical Association (AMA) that relates to the practice of psychology.

What Are the Best Degrees for a Psychologist?

Those who want to go into clinical practice will need to earn either a PhD in psychology or a PsyD. A doctoral degree is required for licensure in Pennsylvania.

A master's degree in psychology is usually sufficient for counseling roles, such as family therapist or mental health counselor.

Top Psychology Degree Programs

Multiple colleges and universities in Illinois offer accredited doctorate degrees in psychology. We've highlighted some of the best PsyD programs and PhDs in psychology below.

1. University of Pittsburgh

The University of Pittsburgh is a public research university in Pittsburgh. It offers a PhD in clinical psychology that integrates comprehensive clinical training with research training.

The psychology department provides support for students in good standing for up to six years � and in some cases, longer. The university also offers PhDs in biological and health psychology, cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, and social psychology; however, these are not designed to lead to licensure.

Estimated tuition cost: $26,350 per year (in-state); $45,556 per year (out-of-state)

Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) and APA

2. Pennsylvania State University

At Pennsylvania State University, students can earn a PhD in clinical psychology that provides applied training in assessment and intervention. The program offers two tracks: adult clinical psychology and child clinical psychology.

Penn State, a public research university, is located in University Park, PA. Non-licensure PhDs in areas like cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, industrial-organizational psychology, and social psychology are also available.

Estimated tuition cost: $25,456 per year (in-state); $44,996 per year (out-of-state)

Accreditation: MSCHE and APA

3. Temple University

Temple University offers two accredited psychology PhDs: one in clinical psychology and another in school psychology. Temple is a public research university in Philadelphia.

The clinical psychology program provides rigorous training in both clinical and research methods, while the school psychology degree provides the expertise to promote student success through evidence-based research and clinical practice. Comprehensive funding packages are available to students in both programs.

Estimated tuition cost: $21,802 per year (in-state); $28,908 per year (out-of-state)

Accreditation: MSCHE and APA

4. Drexel University

The PhD in clinical psychology at Drexel University is fully accredited by the APA. It emphasizes clinical research, scientific principles, and psychological science and practice.

Drexel, located in Philadelphia, is a private research university. It offers four concentrations for this program: child psychology, forensic psychology, health psychology, and neuropsychology.

Estimated tuition cost: $38,421 per year (in-state and out-of-state)

Accreditation: MSCHE and APA

5. Lehigh University

Lehigh University is a private, nonprofit research institution in Bethlehem, PA. It offers two PhDs through its College of Education: a PhD in counseling psychology and a PhD in school psychology.

In the counseling psychology degree, students conduct significant peer-reviewed research and gain extensive clinical experience. The school psychology program provides a mix of practicums, internships, and experiences to help students develop their expertise.

Estimated tuition cost: $28,620 per year (in-state) and out-of-state)

Accreditation: MSCHE and APA

Skills of a Psychologist

Psychologists need to understand theories of personality and behavior, but a variety of soft skills are also necessary to properly serve their clients. These include:

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

While you'll start to develop many of these in your degree program, you'll sharpen these the most during hands-on practice.

Careers and Job Outlook for Psychologists

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that jobs for psychologists will increase by 7% by 2033 nationwide. Pennsylvania generally expects growth for psychologists as well, depending on the psychology career.

Clinical and counseling psychologists, for example, are expected to see a growth of 10% in the same time frame. Meanwhile, there is no growth expected for school psychologists, and a 6% growth for all other types of psychologists.

What Is the Average Salary of a Psychologist in Pennsylvania?

Generally speaking, psychologists in Pennsylvania earn less annually than the national average. However, it depends on the role and the location.

Clinical and counseling psychologists in Pennsylvania have a median annual salary of $90,450, which is less than the national average of $95,830. However, those in the Bethlehem, PA, area average $116,470 per year.

School psychologists earn slightly less than the national average, $86,050 per year, compared to $86,930 per year. Those in the New York metro, though, earn an average of $101,790 per year.

For other psychologists, including neuropsychologists and clinical neuropsychologists, those in Pennsylvania make more than average, $126,460 per year, compared to $117,580 per year. Workers in the Philadelphia area average $128,400 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

Start your journey toward reaching your psychology career goals by exploring the programs featured on Learn.org. Reach out to individual schools to learn more about their psychology degrees.