How To Become a Psychologist in Washington 2025

So, you live in Washington and want to know how to become a psychologist. It's important to ensure you follow the proper educational pathway, but what exactly does that involve?

Keep reading to find out how to become a psychologist. We'll take a closer look at state and national requirements, provide information on available degree programs, and answer a handful of relevant questions.

What Does a Psychologist Do?

Psychologists provide variousvarious mental health services. They are highly trained in psychotherapy (talk therapy) and testing methods to help patients discover underlying mental conditions and cope with various life and relationship problems.

Becoming a psychologist requires many years in school, but exactly how long it takes to get a psychology degree depends on the type of degree you're pursuing. Licensed psychologists typically need a doctoral degree, which means they will spend anywhere from eight to 12 years in school on average.

5 Steps To Become a Psychologist in Washington

There are many state and national educational requirements to become a psychologist in Washington. Keep reading to learn more about each requirement and to understand the step-by-step process you'll need to follow.

Step 1: Earn a Bachelor's Degree

Getting a bachelor's degree is a foundational prerequisite for working in the psychology field. Not only is it necessary for many entry-level careers, but it's also a requirement for the advanced levels of education psychologists need.

Students are encouraged to major in psychology, but other related degrees, such as social work, sociology, and human services, can also be beneficial. All of these degrees provide introductory coursework on human behaviors and motivations.

Many schools offer accredited online psychology degrees that provide flexibility in your study schedule. You could also consider pursuing an accelerated psychology degree online to get your degree more quickly.

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

The fastest way to become a psychologist is to skip this optional step, as many doctoral programs admit students holding only a bachelor's degree. That said, there can be perks to earning a master's degree first.

You can pursue various career paths in counseling, behavioral science, and more with a master's degree. This makes it possible to explore other options while working toward the ultimate goal of psychology licensure.

What's more, if you plan to enroll in a specific doctoral program that requires a master's degree, then completing this step becomes necessary.

Step 3: Earn a Doctoral Degree

Aspiring psychologists hoping to meet state licensing requirements must earn a doctoral degree. They typically choose a Doctor of Psychology (PsyD), which focuses on existing research, or a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in psychology, which focuses on conducting original research.

These programs typically last about five to seven years. They often offer specializations, allowing students to tailor their studies to the particular type of psychology career they want. Common specializations include:

• counseling psychology
• clinical psychology
• school psychology

Doctoral degrees can be expensive, but pursuing one of the cheapest online psychology degrees can help you attend school on a budget.

Step 4: Complete Supervised Experience

An important psychology training requirement is supervised experience. Prospective psychologists in Washington must earn at least 3,300 supervised hours to qualify for licensure.

Of the required hours, at least 300 must be completed as part of a doctoral practicum and 1,500 as part of a doctoral internship. The remaining hours can be made up through predoctoral and postdoctoral options.

Step 5: Get Licensed

After completing all supervised experience requirements, you'll need to submit an application and application fee to Washington's Department of Health. The department will review your application and, upon approval, will authorize you to take the required licensing exams.

You'll start by taking the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP). This exam consists of 225 multiple-choice questions and tests your overall knowledge of psychology practice.

After that, you'll complete the jurisprudence exam for Washington. It is completed online and tests your knowledge of state psychology laws and regulations.

Once you've passed both exams, the Department of Health will issue your state psychology license.

What Are the Best Degrees for a Psychologist?

Though you can get psychology degrees at every level, not all of them lead to careers as licensed psychologists. Associate degrees and bachelor's degrees are ideal for exploring the field of psychology and pursuing entry-level human services careers, but they don't lead to licensure.

Those who earn a master's degree in psychology can pursue careers in some fields, such as mental health counseling, behavioral health, and industrial-organizational psychology. They have more psychology-focused career options than those with lower degrees, but they still cannot pursue state licensure.

If you want to pursue the practice of psychology as a licensed psychologist, you'll need to earn a doctoral degree. With this in mind, a doctoral degree is typically the best degree for aspiring psychologists.

Top Psychology Degree Programs

If you're ready to start your psychology career, keep reading. Below, we'll look at some good schools in Washington offering psychology degrees, including the best PsyD programs and other top master's and doctoral degrees.

1. University of Washington

The University of Washington is headquartered in Seattle. Graduate students at this school can pursue various psychology degrees, including a Master of Arts in applied child and adolescent psychology and a PhD in psychology.

Graduate programs are mentor-based, meaning that students work directly with one or more faculty members with similar scholarly and professional interests. Students choose from among seven focus areas to tailor their studies to their career and academic goals.

Estimated tuition cost: $17,688 (in-state); $31,707 (out-of-state)

Accreditation: Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)

2. Washington State University

Washington State University is a public school located in Pullman. It offers two PhD degrees for aspiring psychologists, one in experimental psychology and one in clinical psychology.

The programs are offered in person on the Pullman campus. The school has been continually accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA) since 1956, indicating it meets the highest standards of psychology education.

Estimated tuition cost: $13,055 (in-state); $28,677 (out-of-state)

Accreditation: NWCCU

3. Seattle Pacific University

Seattle Pacific University is a private school in Seattle. It offers a PhD in clinical psychology that students complete within five to six years on campus.

The APA-accredited program is completed on a full-time basis. As part of the program, students complete two part-time, year-long practicums and a full-time, one-year internship.

Estimated tuition cost: $20,520 (in-state); $20,520 (out-of-state)

Accreditation: NWCCU

4. Northwest University

Northwest University is a private school located in Kirkland. It offers a top PsyD program in counseling psychology that students complete within five years.

The program features evening coursework two nights per week, allowing them to balance education with other life commitments. The program is designed as a post-bachelor's degree and provides a launching point to various psychology careers.

Estimated tuition cost: $20,012 (in-state); $20,012 (out-of-state)

Accreditation: NWCCU

5. The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology

The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology is a private school offering one of the only online psychology graduate degrees in Washington. It provides a Master of Arts in psychology that students complete mostly online.

The program offers both in-person and low-residency options so students can choose the program that works best for them. The low-residency option allows them to complete the majority of coursework online while participating in occasional campus-based residencies.

Estimated tuition cost: $16,324 (in-state); $16,324 (out-of-state)

Accreditation: NWCCU

Skills of a Psychologist

Psychologists must possess many essential skills to succeed in the profession. Many of these are soft skills that are developed over time through education and practice. These soft skills include:

• patience
• empathy
• compassion
• problem-solving
• communication
• listening
• emotional stability
• organization

Psychologists should also be good researchers to find the best methods for treating their patients' individual needs. They must have a thirst for knowledge and be committed to continual learning.

Careers and Job Outlook for Psychologists

There are various specialized career paths within the field of psychology. Some specific job titles to consider as a Washington psychologist include:

• school psychologist
• clinical psychologist
• counseling psychologist

Washington employs around 1,000 clinical and counseling psychologists, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). It's likely that many other psychologists in other specializations are also employed throughout the state.

Specific information regarding the psychology job outlook in Washington is not available, but national data indicates the need for psychologists will increase by 7% by 2033. This is faster than average for all professions, suggesting better than the average job security for psychologists going forward.

What Is the Average Salary of a Psychologist in Washington?

The median annual salary for clinical and counseling psychologists in Washington is $108,650. These mental health professionals typically earn $52.24 per hour.

Nationally, the average salary for all psychologists is $45.34 per hour and $94,310. Those earning the highest pay are typically employed by ambulatory healthcare services and government agencies.

Explore Psychology Degrees

If you're ready to begin your psychology journey, check out the schools featured here on Learn.org. Contact any of the schools directly for additional information on their programs and find the right one for you.