South Carolina Psychology Doctorate Programs

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Quick Facts
South Carolina PsyD Programs
Other Soth Carolina Doctorate Programs
South Carolina Psychologist Requirements
South Carolina Doctorate Salary Outlook

Quick Facts:

The University of South Carolina was founded in 1801.
Tuition at Clemson University is $15,554 per year for in-state students.
10 schools in South Carolina offer a graduate-level program in psychology
Clemson University sports an acceptance rate of 38% for new student applicants.
The University of South Carolina has a campus that spans 444 total acres of urban area in the heart of Columbia, SC.

Top PsyD Programs In South Carolina

Currently there are no PsyD programs in South Carolina.

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Other Psychology Doctorates in South Carolina

If you want to earn your Ph.D. in psychology with a focus on academic research, you have some solid options in South Carolina, which we list below.

University of South Carolina

The University of South Carolina offers a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and a Ph.D. in School Psychology, both of which hold APA accreditation. The clinical specialty is the most popular and provides high-level training in psychological science and training in health service psychology. The program bridges the fields of clinical and community psychology to consider vital health aspects at the individual, family, and community levels.

Institution type: Public
Main campus: Columbia
Annual tuition for both programs: Doctoral students in good standing receive full tuition and health insurance coverage; $13,734 in-state, $29,760 out-of-state
Degrees offered: Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, Ph.D. in School Psychology
Accreditation: APA
Visit School: Clinical, School

Clemson University

Clemson University offers a Ph.D. in Industrial and Organizational Psychology that applies vital psychological theories and principles to organizations. This degree is four-to-five years in length and is not APA-accredited. It will teach you important tools to increase workplace productivity and related issues, such as the mental and physical well-being of workers. The program is designed to teach students the necessary theoretical foundations, skills in quantitative techniques, research design, and practical problem-solving to deal with human problems in the workplace. Clemson’s Department of Psychology also offers two other non-APA-accredited Ph.D. programs: a Ph.D. in Health Psychology and a Ph.D. in Human Factors.

Institution type: Public
Main campus: Clemson
Annual tuition: $10,438 in-state, $22,030 out-of-state
Degrees offered: Ph.D. in Industrial and Organizational Psychology
Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Visit School: Click here

How To Become A Practicing Psychologist In South Carolina

Those who desire to become a licensed and practicing psychologist in the state of South Carolina will need to follow several fairly important steps in order to complete the process. This process spans up to seven years of education and a variety of different examinations administered by the South Carolina Board of Examiners in Psychology.

Starting out, you will be required to earn your bachelor’s degree in either psychology or a related field. Your BA or BS will require you to attend up to 120 total credit hours. Acquiring this degree will typically take around four years for full-time students. Some students will then go on to acquire their master’s degree in psychology or a closely related field. This stand-alone degree will take up to two years and consist of up to 40 credit hours of coursework.

After acquiring your master’s degree, you’ll begin working on your Doctor of Psychology or Doctor of Philosophy. Completion of your doctoral degree can take anywhere from four to seven total years to complete. You must attend a school that is compliant with the American Psychological Association’s standards. After acquiring your doctorate, you can begin looking toward licensing.

In order to become professionally licensed in South Carolina, you must achieve the following:

Submit a Preliminary Application for Licensure with the South Carolina Board of Examiners in Psychology. You’ll include a number of different documents with this application, as cited by the state Board. Among those documents will be included: transcripts showing graduate-level courses, a Curriculum Vitae and up to $500 in application fees.
Individuals pursuing a license must also surpass either two years of supervised professional work experience (SPE) or up to 3,000 total hours, whichever comes first. Half of those hours can be gained in a pre-doctoral internship while the other half must come after your doctoral degree has been earned. You’ll also be required to attend face-to-face supervised work for at least one hour per week in the area that you are pursuing.
Upon completing all pre-requisites listed above, you will move on to take your examinations as required by the Board. That exam is:

- Examination for the Professional Practice of Psychology (EPPP). Tests offered daily in Myrtle Beach, Greenville, Charleston and Columbia.

After taking the EPP test, you will submit your formal application to the South Carolina Board of Examiners in Psychology. Once your formal application is submitted, you’ll have to take an oral test presided over by the Board itself. This test can only be taken after you pass the EPPP and after your formal submission has been placed with the Board itself.
Assuming you pass your oral examination, you must then wait for your license to process.

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South Carolina Clinical Psychologist Salary and Job Outlook

According to data compiled by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the annual median wage of a clinical or counseling psychologist in South Carolina is $59,580, with the top 10% earning more than $129,210. According to that same report, the average hourly wage of a practicing clinical or counseling psychologist sits at $31.25 per hour.

Job growth in South Carolina for clinical and counseling psychologists is predicted to be nearly 23% between 2022 and 2032, putting it among the top-10 fastest rates in the nation.

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.