Key Takeaways
Psychology degree holders can earn average salaries of about $55,000 with an associate degree to more than $150,000 with a doctorate.
You can study psychology fully online at any degree level, with online doctoral degrees focused mainly on non-clinical career paths in business, research or public policy.
While the projected growth rate for psychologists overall is already high at 6%, some specialist careers are projected to grow much faster, at 11-20%.
Psychology is a wide field with plenty of professional opportunities available, from clinical care or research to business applications. You can study psychology online at the associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral levels.
While many graduate psychology programs will require in-person supervised experience, you can still pursue most of your degree online, depending on your career goals. Below, we'll discuss the different degree levels, the pros and cons of studying online, licensure requirements, and career outcomes to help you choose the right path for you.
Types of Online Psychology Degrees
The degree you choose will ultimately depend on your goals, and whether you're leaning more towards human services or a science focus.
It's important to first determine which area interests you the most, whether that's counseling, applications in business or the justice system, or research. If you're looking to treat patients you'll need to earn a doctoral degree in psychology, with an in-person clinical component, to obtain your licensure. While there are fully online doctoral programs, their focus is geared towards non-clinical areas.
Associate's Degree
An online associate degree in psychology consists of a 2-year undergraduate program of around 60 credits that focuses on foundational courses, the same as an in-person or hybrid track. They're usually offered either as an Associate of Arts (AA), focused on liberal arts or transfer pathways; or an Associate of Science (AS), emphasizing scientific research and electives.
This degree can prepare students for non-clinical or frontline support roles in hospitals, clinics and community organizations.
| Career Path Examples | Psychiatric Technician, Human Resources Assistant, Social Services Assistant, Residential Counselor Aide |
| Time | Typically consists of 60 credits over two semesters |
| Cost | $4,000 to +$17k, depending on whether the program is public or private, and online or on-campus |
Source: NCES
Bachelor's Degree
Online bachelor's degrees in psychology are offered as Bachelor in Arts (BA) or Bachelor in Science (BSc). BAs emphasize the study of human behavior, social structures, and counseling theory. Bachelors in Science, on the other hand, are focused on the biological/neurological bases of behavior, laboratory research and statistical analysis.
Having said that, if your goal is to have a clinical practice, you will need to have at least a master's degree, and most likely a doctorate – in fact, almost 40% of 2025 bachelor's degree holders in psychology went on to graduate school. However, bachelor's degrees will prepare you for entry-level roles in the field.
Specializations/Concentrations
Many bachelor's degrees in psychology will allow you to declare a concentration built around your choice of electives. Common options include child and adolescent development, addiction or substance abuse, forensic psychology, and cognitive or experimental psychology.
| Career Path Examples | Case Manager/Social Services Specialist, Registered Behavior Technician, Human Resources Specialist, Consumer Insights Analyst |
| Time | Approximately 120 credit hours, over four years |
| Cost | $12,000 to +$60,000, depending on whether the program is public or private, and online or on-campus |
Source: NCES
Master's Degree
Master's programs in psychology are divided into master of arts (M.A.) or master of science (M.S.). While an M.A. in psychology leans towards the humanities, social sciences, and applied/counseling perspectives, the latter is focused more on research, academic preparation, or applied fields like industrial/organizational psychology.
Both typically take between 2-3 years of full-time study, comprising 36 to 48+ credits, though this can be shortened to as little as 1.5 years if the program is accelerated or self-paced.
If counseling is your goal, look for programs that prepare you for specific licensure such as master's in counseling (LPC, LMHC), master of social work (LCSW), or marriage and family therapy (LMFT).
Note that master's degrees in psychology with a non-clinical focus can prepare you for careers in human resources, organizational consulting, community non-profits, market research and more.
Specializations/Concentrations
There's a wide range of subfields you can focus on when you're completing your master's. These are some of the most common:
Clinical or Counseling: You'll learn how to conduct mental health assessments, provide talk therapy and diagnose patients. If you'd like to counsel patients without pursuing a doctorate, you'll need to look for a specific track like Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT), an MA or MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC), or Master of Social Work (MSW).
Industrial-Organizational (I-O) Psychology: This deals with behavior in the workplace, employee productivity, human resources, and leadership. This tends to lead to lucrative career outcomes, though positions are competitive.
Developmental and Educational Psychology: Focuses on human growth throughout an individual's lifespan, optimizes learning methods and student support in school settings, for work as a student support specialist or child and youth support worker.
Forensic Psychology: Studies psychology in the context of the legal and criminal justice system, often working with law enforcement, corrections, or the courts.
Brain Science and Cognitive Psychology: Commonly used as a stepping stone towards doctoral studies geared towards research, this specialization examines how the human mind thinks, remembers and learns.
| Career Path Examples | Substance Abuse or Addictions Counselor, School Psychologist or School Counselor, Human Resources Manager or Specialist, Research Associate, Forensic Specialist |
| Time | Typically takes 2 years of full-time study |
| Cost | $10,000 to +$60,000, depending on whether the program is public or private, and online or on-campus |
Source: NCES
Doctorate or Doctoral Degree
Doctorates in psychology are meant to prepare students for research, academia or licensed clinical practice.
They usually take between 4-7 years, depending on whether the program is geared towards research or clinical practice (which adds a year or so, thanks to a full-time clinical internship).
Many PhD programs in psychology are fully funded via tuition waivers, stipends, and work-study (including clinical, counseling, and experimental/experimental-adjacent subfields), though this is most often true for in-person modalities rather than online. Conversely, Doctor of Psychology programs have much less institutional funding, and students often cover their costs out of pocket or through student loans.
However, note that fully online doctoral programs in psychology are generally not geared towards preparing students for clinical settings, but rather to work in business, research, or public policy contexts.
There are three main types of degrees:
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Psychology: Heavily focused on guiding students towards producing original research, honing their data analysis, and preparing them for university-level teaching. They provide clinical training if the focus is on counseling. Programs are often fully funded via tuition waivers and stipends.
Doctor of Psychology (PsyD): Focuses on direct clinical practice and training, emphasizing real-world therapeutic applications. Typically has higher out-of-pocket costs and less institutional funding.
Doctor of Education (EdD) in Psychology: Examines where education and psychological practice intersect and overlap, often with the aim of preparing school psychologists or leaders in education.
Admission Requirements
To get admitted into a doctoral program in psychology, students must have an undergraduate degree, though not necessarily in psychology. Non-majors can complete specific pre-requisites to bolster their record. While many schools waive the GRE, there are usually minimum GPA requirements.
Prospective candidates will also be expected to come in with some hands-on experience, and may weigh this more than a GPA. Most schools will also ask for a statement of purpose, curriculum vitae (CV), academic transcripts, letters of recommendation, and occasionally a writing sample.
Specializations/Concentrations
Some of the main core clinical and applied specialties recognized by the American Psychological Association (APA) are:
Clinical Psychology: Specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of complex mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders.
Counseling Psychology: Works on a client's personal growth, life adjustments, and developmental or emotional challenges.
Couple and Family Psychology: Specializes on the emotions, thoughts and behaviors of individuals, couples and families, both in relationships and the broader environment.
School Psychology: Focuses on child and adolescent mental health, learning, and development.
Clinical Neuropsychology: Deals with the assessment and management of how the brain works, in situations such as traumatic brain injury or neurodegenerative disease.
Forensic Psychology: Psychology as applied within the legal, judicial and criminal justice systems.
Industrial/Organizational (I/O) Psychology: Studies workplace behavior, leadership, human resources, and organizational performance.
Clinical Health Psychology: Works on the intersection of psychological factors and physical illness, medical conditions, or the promotion of health.
Behavioral and Cognitive Psychology: Uses human learning and development principles, together with cognitive techniques to treat and manage problem behavior and emotional thinking.
| Career Path Examples | Clinical Psychologist, Neuropsychologist, School or Educational Psychologist, Industrial-Organizational (I/O) Psychologist |
| Time | 70 to +100 credits. 5 to 7 years, full-time, after a bachelor's degree. With a Master's degree, 3 to 4 years. To practice as a licensed clinical psychologist, plan on an additional 1-2 years of post-doctoral supervised hours. |
| Cost | $8,000 to +$34,000, depending on whether the program is public or private, online or on-campus, and a Ph.D. versus a Psy.D. |
Source: NCES
What To Know About Studying Psychology Online
Studying online can offer flexibility, lower costs, and access to a wider range of programs than what may be available in the schools nearest you.
There are several different modalities for online learning:
Asynchronous (self-paced): this provides maximum flexibility, since all coursework (lectures, readings, assignments, etc) is accessed on a learning management platform such as Blackboard or Canvas.
Synchronous: classes are offered in real-time at specific, scheduled days and times on apps like Zoom or Microsoft Teams. Students will be expected to participate in live lectures, digital breakout rooms, and class discussions.
Hybrid: this modality blends synchronous or asynchronous online coursework with in-person sessions, practicums, or lab requirements.
While it's possible to complete both an associate's and a bachelor's degree completely online, graduate studies in psychology – which lead to licensure – usually have an in-person component, whether a practicum or an internship.
Programs without that in-person portion, will generally focus on preparing students for research/theory or business roles, or be more of a stepping stone towards a PhD or a PsyD.
Program Length
The time investment you'll have to make will depend on the degree level you're interested in, and whether or not you can find accelerated pathways. Generally speaking, associate's degrees are the shortest, taking around two years to complete, and doctoral programs take the longest, between 4-7 years, counting the in-person clinical practice hours.
Accreditation
Accreditation is meant to evaluate a school or program and ensure that it meets standards for academic quality, governance, and student support. When it comes to psychology degrees, accrediting bodies depend on the degree level.
Undergraduate degrees in psychology (BA and BS) are accredited by regional agencies such as the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) or the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). Master's degrees, for their part, often have different program-level accreditations depending on the specialty.
Finally, doctoral degrees usually have programmatic accreditation by the American Psychological Association (APA), but only if they're hybrid or in-person. Like undergraduate degrees, fully online PhD or PsyD degrees are accredited at the institutional level by regional accreditation agencies. These programs are most often non-clinical and will not lead to psychologist licensure.
In-Person Components
While it's fully possible to complete an associate or bachelor's degree in psychology fully online, if your goal is to obtain therapist licensure, your master's will have to include in-person hours for your practicum or internship.
Practicums are generally shorter placements of 100 to 375 hours, depending on your program. They focus on skills-building, observation, and some client work. Internships are more in the vein of extended fieldwork, comprising approximately 600 hours or more.
Both are divided into direct service hours and indirect hours. The former refers to time spent working actively with clients (in group settings, on an individual basis, intakes, assessments, etc). The latter time is spent on support tasks such as taking case notes, completing administrative duties, and supervision hours.
Careers in Psychology
Below, you'll find some examples of the fastest-growing career paths for psychology majors, across all the degree levels discussed in this article.
| Career | Typical Degree Level | Median Salary | Projected Growth to 2035 | Requires Licensure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Human Services Assistant | High School, some employers prefer Associate's | $45,930 | 7% | No |
| Psychiatric Technician | Associate's, some employers prefer Bachelor's | $45,100 | 18% | Yes, in some states |
| Social and Community Service Managers (Case Manager) | Bachelor's | $80,390 | 7% | No |
| Peer Support Specialist | Bachelor's | $64,070 | 6% | Yes |
| Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors | Master's | $59,350 | 18% | Yes |
| Marriage and Family Therapists | Master's | $66,940 | 14% | Yes |
| Healthcare Social Workers | Master's | $62,940 | 6% to 8% | Yes |
| Industrial-Organizational Psychologists | Masters's/Doctorate | $147,420 | 6%, for psychologists, general | Generally, No |
| Forensic Psychologist | Doctorate | $117,750 for psychologists, all others | 6%, for psychologists, general | Yes |
| Clinical and Counseling Psychologists | Doctorate | $100,580 | 11% | Yes |
Source: BLS
Frequently Asked Questions About Online Psychology Degrees
Online degrees in psychology are just as respected as in-person ones, so long as they're issued by a regionally accredited, reputable institution. (Additionally, your degree won't mention that it was completed online.) Bear in mind, however, that employers and graduate schools may look unfavorably on institutions known for low selectivity or poor academic oversight – but this is true whether the degree is online or not.
