New Jersey Psychology Doctorate Programs

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Quick Facts
New Jersey PsyD Programs
Other Psychology Doctorates
New Jersey Psychologist Requirements
New Jersey Doctorate Salary Outlook

Quick Facts

The highest graduation rate for a psychology program in New Jersey is Princeton, with 97 percent.
23 schools in the state offer a master’s or other advanced degree in psychology.
There are 31 not-for-profit schools in New Jersey with psychology programs.
New Jersey does not have full reciprocity if you’ve been licensed in another state, but there are options to get your license faster under certain circumstances.
A background check is required before you can become a licensed psychologist in this state.

List of PsyD Degree Programs in New Jersey

This list of schools have programs that can help you move toward a PysD in Psychology:

Below are the Psy.D. programs that you can attend in New Jersey. This is typically a four-year, clinically-focused degree. It is a good choice for the doctoral student who wants to practice as a clinical or counseling psychologist.

Rutgers University

Rutgers University offers a Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology that provides education for psychologists for direct practice in applied and clinical professional settings. It offers a solid foundation in clinical practice that is grounded in the evolving scientific understanding of behavior and mind. The didactic training in general and broad psychological principles is connected to practical, graduated courses covering various assessment and intervention modes. Infused into the training and educational experiences is an awareness of appropriate approaches to the differences of individuals, including those associated with ethnicity, age, culture, race, and religion. It also offers a Psy.D. in School Psychology. Both programs are APA-accredited.

Institution type: Public
Main campus: Piscataway
Annual tuition: Both programs: $13,032 in-state, $21,732 out-of-state
Degrees offered: Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology, Psy.D. in School Psychology
Accreditation: APA
Visit School: Clinical, School

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Saint Elizabeth University

The Saint Elizabeth University offers a four-year Psy.D. in Counseling Psychology that has 79 credit hours. Required courses include Recent and Advanced Theories of Personality; History and Systems of Psychology; Cognitive and Affective Aspects of Behavior; Physiological Psychology; Advanced Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy; and Applications of Social Justice in Psychological Treatment. The program is fully accredited by the APA.

Institution type: Private
Main campus: Morristown
Annual tuition: $19,720
Degrees offered: Psy.D. in Counseling Psychology
Accreditation: APA
Visit School: Click here

William Paterson University

William Paterson University offers a Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology that is a full-time, five-year program that is fully accredited by the APA. The program integrates academic coursework, clinical training under close supervision, and research experience through faculty mentoring. Students often choose this program because of the excellent sense of community among the faculty and students. The faculty are all highly distinguished and are active practitioners and scholars in the field, and support the training of each student in evidence-based assessment and intervention.

Institution type: Public
Main campus: Wayne
Tuition: $906 per credit in-state, $1,321 per credit out-of-state
Degrees offered: Psy.D. in Counseling Psychology
Accreditation: APA
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Kean University

Kean University offers a Psy.D. in School and Clinical Psychology prepares students in a four-year program to work as psychologists in schools, community healthcare facilities, medical centers, or university counseling centers. The program features rigorous academic coursework and clinical training experiences, as well as close mentorship of students by dedicated faculty. Each class is limited to 12 students per year, so students get more attention from faculty. There are many opportunities for clinical and research experiences, including several externship placements.

Institution type: Public
Main campus: Union
Annual tuition: $11,455 in-state, $14,506 out-of-state
Degrees offered: Psy.D. in School and Clinical Psychology
Accreditation: APA
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Felician University

Felician University has a Psy.D. in Counseling Psychology that consists of 73 credits and prepares students to be entry-level counseling psychologists. The training model of the four-year program follows the classic scholar/practitioner model. The training focuses on developing the counseling skills needed to work as a counseling psychologist and an independent practitioner. You also will develop skills so that you can be an informed consumer of the latest psychological research.

Institution type: Private
Main campus: Rutherford
Annual tuition: $29,960
Degrees offered: Psy.D. in Counseling Psychology
Accreditation: APA accreditation pending
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How to Become a Practicing Clinical Psychologist in New Jersey

If you want to get licensed and legally practice psychology in New Jersey, focus on first earning a bachelor’s degree. There are certificates and associate degrees available, but they won’t really help you get to your goals. Just make sure your bachelor’s degree is in psychology or a field related to it.

During the time you’re working toward your bachelor’s degree in New Jersey, look around for all the opportunities you have to gain good research experience. Most universities offer this, so undergraduates can work with psychology department professors as research assistants and get valuable work experience.

When you’ve completed your bachelor’s degree, it’s time to focus on earning your master’s in psychology. You may want to do that through a program listed above, or through a different school. Either way, completion of your master’s degree will set you up to move to earn your PsyD. That degree, including your internship, should take you approximately four to five years to complete.

The next step will be to get your license so you can practice psychology in New Jersey. Here are the steps to expect when you start the license application process:

You’ll need two years of supervised clinical experience (3,500 hours) in your training area. At least 1,750 of these hours have to be completed after you get your doctoral degree, but the rest can come from internships provided those internships meet the proper criteria.
Next you can submit a licensure application and request transcripts from the educational institutions you’ve attended. The Board will need the application filled out properly, and some areas require notarization. Additionally, you need to document supervised hours with the right forms in order to have those hours accepted.
Once your application has been reviewed and approved, you’ll get information about how to complete your background check. For that you’ll need to be fingerprinted. There is a fingerprinting fee, and you can pay that when you schedule your appointment.
The next step after the completed background check is taking the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPPP). This is a national exam, but in addition to it you also have to take the New Jersey jurisprudence exam. You’ll get instructions on how to take this test, and you’ll need to pay a fee for it.
Getting your license is the last step in the process. After you’ve done everything else, you’ll just wait to hear from the Board about the status of your license. Once it’s approved, you’ll be notified. Then you’ll pay your license fee, and the Board will issue your license and send it to you so you can start practicing psychology in the state of New Jersey. just remember to renew your license on the proper schedule and complete any continuing education credits that are required in each renewal period.

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New Jersey Clinical Psychologist Salary and Job Outlook

New Jersey offers the number-one highest average salary for clinical and counseling psychologists in the nation at $148,370 annually, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

While the state’s average job growth forecast between 2022 and 2032 is 5%, on par with the nation’s 4%, clinical and counseling psychologists in New Jersey are projected to

That’s encouraging news for anyone who wants a career in this field in the state of New Jersey.

2023 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary figures shown here for Psychologists. Job growth projections are from the US Department of Labor-sponsored resource, CareerOneStop. Figures are based on state data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed December 2024.