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Mississippi Psychology Doctorate Programs

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Mississippi, like most of the rest of the U.S., is experiencing rising rates of anxiety, depression and mental illness. And like the rest of the country, the supply of behavioral health professionals in our state is likely inadequate to keep up with demand.

In Mississippi, licensed psychologists are empowered to diagnose and treat a host of emotional and mental health problems after they complete a rigorous doctoral program, such as a Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) or a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.). Let’s take a closer look at what that means for students here in Mississippi.

What’s On This Page

  • Quick Facts
  • Mississippi PsyD Programs
  • Other Psychology Doctorates
  • Mississippi Psychologist Requirements
  • Mississippi Doctorate Salary Outlook

Quick Facts

  • The highest graduation rate among colleges with psychology programs is Millsaps College, with 72 percent of its students graduating.
  • There are six schools in Mississippi that offer a psychology program that is master’s level or higher.
  • You will need to have a criminal background check to become a licensed psychologist in Mississippi, and not all states have that requirement.
  • An oral examination is required in this state, and it typically lasts from 45 minutes to an hour for most licensure candidates.
  • Licenses are renewed every April, and in odd-numbered years the license renewal must be accompanied by proof that you have completed 20 hours of continuing education credits in the previous two-year period.

List of PsyD Programs in Mississippi

There are currently no PsyD programs in the state of Mississippi.

SEE ALSO: Best Online Accredited PsyD in Degree Programs

Other Psychology Doctorates in Mississippi

So far, none of the colleges and universities in Mississippi offer the Psy.D. degree, which was designed to streamline the process from college to professional psychologist licensure. But students can pursue doctoral psychology training via Ph.D. programs at some of the state’s best institutions.

University of Mississippi

The Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology program at Ole Miss first earned APA accreditation in 1973, and the school also hosts a Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology, though that program isn’t explicitly accredited by the APA. A total of 60 students have earned their degrees since 2009, and 92% have gone on to earn professional licensure.

  • Institution type: Public
  • Campus: Oxford
  • Annual tuition: Students receive full tuition waiver and assistantship stipend
  • Degrees offered: PhD in Clinical Psychology (APA-accredited), PhD in Experimental Psychology
  • Accreditation: APA
  • Visit school: Click here

University of Southern Mississippi

A trio of APA-accredited Ph.D. degrees can be found at Southern Miss, with the school’s counseling and clinical programs earning the badge in 1979, followed by the school psychology program in 1983. Since 2009, 42 graduates have completed the clinical program, and 98% of them have earned professional licensure.

  • Institution type: Public
  • Campus: Hattiesburg
  • Annual tuition: Students receive full tuition waiver and annual stipend
  • Degrees offered: PhD in Clinical Psychology, PhD in Counseling Psychology, PhD in School Psychology
  • Accreditation: APA
  • Visit school: Click here

Mississippi State University

Mississippi State’s Ph.D. in School Psychology earned APA accreditation in 1996, and the university’s new clinical psychology program first became accredited in 2016. The school psychology program has seen a total of 25 students earn their degrees since 2009, and 52% have earned licensure, while the clinical program has been completed by a total of 11 students, all of whom have become licensed.

  • Institution type: Public
  • Campus: Starkville
  • Annual tuition: $8,910 in-state, $23,950 out-of-state; graduate assistants receive at least 70% tuition remission and waiver of out-of-state tuition costs (if applicable)
  • Degrees offered: PhD in School Psychology, PhD in Clinical Psychology
  • Accreditation: APA
  • Visit school: Click here

Jackson State University

Jackson State University, one of the largest HBCUs in the United States, first offered an APA-accredited Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology in 2001. A total of 50 graduates have completed the program since 2009, with 80% going on to earn professional licensure.

  • Institution type: Public
  • Campus: Jackson
  • Annual tuition: $11,292 in-state, $12,792 out-of-state; most students receive assistantships and other aid
  • Degrees offered: PhD in Clinical Psychology
  • Accreditation: APA
  • Visit school: Click here

How to Become a Psychologist in Mississippi

Becoming a psychologist in Mississippi is a long journey that begins with simply going to college, but let’s take a closer look at this several-step process that will take most people at least 10 years in total.

  1. Earn your bachelor’s in psychology. This is generally the easiest and best way to begin your educational journey to becoming a licensed psychologist, and many doctoral programs will, in fact, only consider applicants with psychology majors. But some schools may consider well-qualified applicants with degrees in social work or biology, though such individuals may need to complete remedial work down the road.
  2. Get your doctorate. The two main doctoral degrees that qualify an individual to apply for professional psychology licensure are the Ph.D. and Psy.D., though it may also be possible to become licensed after completing an Ed.D., but this is less common. The state of Mississippi requires applicants to earn their degrees from APA-accredited institutions unless their specialty area falls outside of APA accreditation.
  3. Meet state requirements. In addition to requiring a doctoral degree in psychology, the state of Mississippi requires applicants to complete at least 2,000 hours of postdoctoral supervised experience, submit to a background check and pass the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology and state jurisprudence exam.
  4. Maintain licensure. Psychologist licenses in Mississippi expire annually, and professionals must complete 20 hours of continuing education every two years.

Mississippi Clinical Psychologist Salary and Job Outlook

A typical worker in Mississippi makes just over $40,000 per year, but clinical, counseling and school psychologists in the state make an average of about $72,000, approaching double the average person in Mississippi, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

SEE ALSO: Mississippi Clinical Psychologist Salary

Their average annual salary is $111,750, and on the very highest end of the scale, they can expect to earn more than $195,000 per year.