Psychology in Montana: Learn About Becoming a Psychologist in MT

Updated August 17, 2022 · 1 Min Read

Considering a psychology career in Montana? Learn about typical Montana psychologist salary ranges and how to get your psychologist license in Montana.

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Montana has a high unmet need for mental health professionals, especially for behavioral health providers. This guide explains how to earn a psychologist license in Montana, outlines typical Montana psychologist salary ranges, and details high-need areas.

Keep reading for more about practicing psychology in Montana.

Psychologist Salaries in Montana
Job Title Lowest 10% Median Annual Salary Highest 10%
Clinical and counseling psychologists $50,510 $81,590 $126,040
School psychologists $39,630 $62,080 $81,430
Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary $18,980 $58,950 $95,370

Source: BLS

Online Doctorate Programs in Psychology

Psychologist Licensing in Montana

The state Board of Psychologists is part of the Montana Department of Labor and Industry Boards and oversees psychologist licensing in the state. Montana's psychologist license requirements include a doctorate in psychology, an internship and supervised post-doctoral experience, and a clean background check, including a clear professional record without substantiated claims of misconduct.

There is no reciprocity for psychologist licensing in Montana. However, a professional with at least 20 years of experience in another state who has clinical experience in 10 of the last 15 years does not need to pass the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP). Professional continuing education requirements include two hours in ethics and one hour in suicide prevention.

License Requirements

  • A doctorate (Psy.D. or Ph.D.) from an American Psychology Association (APA)-approved program or equivalent, such as a doctorate plus an APA-approved graduate retraining program
  • Transcripts of all graduate-level education
  • At least 3,200 hours of supervised experience. At least 1,600 of these hours must be postdoctoral and may not include more than six months of research and/or teaching.
  • A passing score on the EPPP
  • A passing score on the state jurisprudence examination
  • Good moral character

Demand for Psychology in Montana

Montana has the fourth-highest Native American population in the country, requiring culturally competent care. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), only 25.1% of the need for mental health professionals in Montana is met. Almost 1 million Montanans live in a designated mental health services professional shortage area. In addition, Mental Health America ranks Montana 39th among all states for overall mental health care access, based on the proportion of residents with mental health conditions and the level of unmet needs. It ranks 45th for youth mental health care access.

In Montana, 47.6% of adults experiencing any mental illness received mental health services between 2017 and 2019. Among residents ages 12-17, 44.8% of those experiencing depression received treatment. While these are comparable to national rates (43.6% for adults and 41.8% for youth), they still indicate the high levels of unmet need, especially given the impact of COVID-19 on mental health care needs.

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