20 Best Master’s in Psychology

While the word â€Å"psychology† has a specific meaning — it’s the science of mind and behavior — its reach is too vast to summarize easily. Working in psychology could mean any number of careers in any number of places: research at a university, counselor at a school, expert for the court system, family therapist, human resources manager — the list goes on and on.   And that’s a good thing, because having more job possibilities means you can find the best career for you. The possibilities grow more numerous with an advanced degree, the kind you’d receive from one of the 20 best master’s in psychology programs. How do I apply for a master’s in psychology? Psychology programs vary significantly between universities. Some only include a master’s as a stepping stone on the way to a doctorate. Others offer it as a terminal degree. Some schools require students to choose a specialization within psychology. All of that is to say that the focus of the individual master’s program determines the application requirements. Some may require an undergraduate degree in psychology. Even the ones that don’t require it will usually require some undergraduate coursework in psychology, though they may also offer foundation courses as part of their curriculum.   In general, plan to take the GRE, have letters of recommendation, and write a personal statement as part of the application process. Many of the programs below are full time, though many offer part-time options, and some are delivered online. Almost all require practicums or internships for experience in the field. As far as cost goes, the average for the 20 programs on our list is $21,542 per academic year (calculated using tuition as a base and factoring in financial aid opportunities), and the median is $17,223. How much can I earn with a master’s in psychology? Remember that part about all the different jobs out there? That makes it difficult to offer a baseline figure, but count on the Bureau of Labor Statistics to take a whack at it. Using â€Å"psychologist† as a general term, it says they earn a median salary of $79,010. For more specific data, the BLS breaks them down into clinical, counseling, and school psychologists ($85,340 average salary); industrial-organizational psychologists ($109,030); and â€Å"psychologists, all other† ($95,610). On the macro level, the bureau estimates there are 181,700 psychologist jobs in the U.S., and it expects that number to grow by 14% by 2028 — much faster than the 5% national average job growth — adding another 26,100 jobs. We do the research so you don’t have to! That’s right, we get the hard work out of the way. We know that you have educational goals that you’re itching to pursue, but you may not know where to start. We’ve crafted a unique and proven ranking methodology that sets us apart. Our ranking score is based on the following three aspects: 40% potential salary after graduation 30% individual program accreditation 30% overall affordability Want to learn more about how we gather that information? Please feel free to visit our dedicated methodology page for a step-by-step breakdown. We’re an open book! If you’re interested in psychology, read on for our list of the 20 best master’s degrees in psychology.   1Harvard UniversityLocationCambridge, MassachusettsAverage Net Price$17,030More Information One of those â€Å"needs no introduction† schools, Harvard has been around since 1636 and has long been established as one of the finest universities in the world. U.S. News and World Report ranks it No. 2 in National Universities and No. 3 for graduate studies in psychology. A hybrid of online and on-campus study, Harvard’s master’s in psychology program is surprisingly approachable given the university’s stature. How approachable? It costs $17,030 significantly less than the average on our list. You don’t even have to apply (at first); just register and take three graduate-level courses in statistics, psychology, and a seminar called Introduction to Graduate Studies and Scholarly Writing in the Social Sciences. Finish them all with a B or better and a cumulative 3.0, then apply to the program. The master of liberal arts, psychology degree is built around 12 courses (48 credits), though the focus can be customized through elective choices. Students choose either a thesis or capstone track. Many courses can be taken online, though the school requires students take at least four of them (12 credits) on campus in Cambridge, MA. The course catalogue offers an array of options, from super specific (Dopamine) to more general (Introduction to Psychopharmacology).