Wisconsin Psychology Doctorate Programs
Students who want to earn their PsyD degree in Wisconsin have several program options in the state. Below is comprehensive information about the programs available as well as the requirements you need to fulfill to practice as a licensed psychologist. Keep reading to learn more.
What’s On This Page
- Quick Facts
- Wisconsin PsyD Programs
- Other Wisconsin Doctorate Programs
- Wisconsin Psychologist Requirements
- Wisconsin Doctorate Salary Outlook
Quick Facts
- The University of Wisconsin is well known for its high retention rate as well as its solid support of military personnel.
- Annual graduate tuition at Marquette University is $23,845 though 98% of their students qualify for some form of financial aid or tuition assistance.
- There are 16 schools in the state of Wisconsin that offer advanced degrees in psychology.
- Of those, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and the Wisconsin School of Professional Psychology all made US News and World Report’s 2022 list of best graduate psychology programs in the nation.
- Among the 16 schools in Wisconsin offering graduate education in psychology, Marquette and the University of Wisconsin-Madison made the Princeton Review’s 2025 list of the best colleges in the nation.
List of PsyD Programs in Wisconsin
The PsyD degree is a fairly new doctoral degree in the psychology field. It often is a good fit for the student who wants to focus their psychology career on clinical practice instead of academia and research. There’s currently one school in the state that offers an APA-accredited PsyD.
SEE ALSO: 5+ Affordable Online PsyD Programs
Wisconsin School of Professional Psychology
The Wisconsin School of Professional Psychology offers a PsyD in Clinical Psychology with specializations in child and adult clinical psychology. This doctoral degree is based on a five-year, full-time course load beyond your bachelor’s degree. The first four years feature practicum and academic course work, and the fifth year is for your full-time clinical internship and dissertation. This doctoral program has been designed around the fundamental principles of the Vail Conference but also features values that are unique to the school’s identity as a small and independent graduate program. These principles are applied to a diverse clinical population by integrating practicum, didactic, and service experiences through personalized mentor relationships.
- Institution type: Private
- Main campus: Milwaukee
- Annual tuition: $48,750 in/out-of-state
- Degrees offered: Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology with a Child or Adult specialization
- Accreditation: APA
- Visit School: Click here
Other Psychology Doctorates in Wisconsin
While many students choose the Psy.D. route to earn their doctorate, another option is to obtain your Ph.D. in psychology. The universities below offer excellent Ph.D. in psychology programs in Wisconsin.
Marquette University
Marquette University offers a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology that will prepare students for successful careers as scientists and practitioners in clinical psychology. The faculty work to create an educational environment that encourages scholarly productivity. All doctoral students are encouraged during the five-year program with 81 credit hours to apply for psychological research funding, present at psychological conferences, and publish articles in scientific journals. Each student also will complete a one-year internship at the conclusion of their Ph.D. program. Marquette also offers an APA-accredited Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology.
- Institution type: Public
- Main campus: Milwaukee
- Annual tuition: Clinical: Students routinely receive fellowship and assistantship support that covers all associated costs; Counseling: $16,740 in/out-of-state
- Degrees offered: Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology
- Accreditation: APA
- Visit School: Clinical, Counseling
The University of Wisconsin – Madison
The University of Wisconsin – Madison offers an APA-accredited Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology that takes five years to earn. The Department of Psychology has focused on excellence in scholarship and research for more than a century. The department provides graduate students with the best possible training to ready them for psychology careers in clinical, research, academic, and other settings. There is an emphasis on academic training in general psychology as well as intensive research and experimental design. All students participate in a first-year research project and show the results to the full department during the second year. This project allows students to collect data, run analyses, and write research reports that will prepare you for working in the real world. Many Ph.D. students are published in major psychological journals before earning their doctoral degree in psychology. UW-Madison also offers APA-accredited Ph.D. programs in Counseling Psychology and School Psychology.
- Institution type: Public
- Main campus: Madison
- Annual tuition: Clinical: All full-time first year doctoral students receive full tuition remittance and a five-year guaranteed teaching assistantship; Counseling: $12,324 in-state, $25,651 out-of-state; School: $10,728 in-state, $20,544 out-of-state
- Degrees offered: Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology, Ph.D. in School Psychology
- Accreditation: APA
- Visit School: Clinical, Counseling, School
How to Become a Practicing Clinical Psychologist in Wisconsin
The first step to becoming a practicing psychologist in the state of Wisconsin is obtaining a bachelor’s degree in general psychology or a related field. After obtaining a BA or BS, many students will move onto their master’s degree program. While this is not required, it can be useful to provide you with the additional experience you will need to apply to a doctorate program.
The next step is to earn your PsyD or Ph.D. in psychology which can take anywhere from 5 to 7 years depending on your field of study and the university you attend. This program will often include at least a one-year internship to help you can on the job experience. To qualify for licensure in the state, you must receive your PsyD degree from a program that is accredited by the organization that is approved by the Psychology Examining Board in Wisconsin, such as the Board of Educations.
Once you have graduated with your PsyD degree, there are still several steps to complete to obtain your license for the state.
- The first step to practice in Wisconsin is submitting your completed Application for Licensure to Practice Psychology. This application will need to be submitted fully completed and sent along with the $165 application and exam fee as well as the supplementary material requested on the first page of the application. One supplementary form that will need to be submitted with the application is the Affidavit of Applicant’s Post-Doctoral Supervised Experience form. This form will advise the licensing department of your supervised experience.
- After the application is approved by the licensing board, you will be required to take your Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology. The exam consists of multiple choice questions testing your knowledge of psychology and will require a score of 500 or higher to count as a pass. The cost of the exam is $687.50. In addition to the Professional Practice Exam, you will be required to take an online untimed test which will assess your knowledge on the laws of the state of Wisconsin that pertain to psychology. This must be completed within 90 days of receiving the invitation.
- Obtaining one year of post-doctorate supervised training in your field is the next step you will need to complete. This portion will include at least 2,000-hours of work that is completed after you have earned your doctoral degree. While 1300 hours must be spent on activities relating to services provided to patients, 500 hours of face-to-face interactions with patients. These hours will be recorded on your Affidavit of Applicant’s Post-Doctoral Supervised Experience.
Wisconsin Clinical Psychologist Salary and Job Outlook
Clinical and counseling psychologists in Wisconsin earn an average annual salary of $109,890. The top 10% salary range for Wisconsin clinical and counseling psychologists starts at $170,150 annually. That places Wisconsin among the top-10 best states for offering the highest average annual salaries in this profession.
SEE ALSO: Wisconsin Clinical Psychologist Salary Outlook
Over the decade leading up to 2032, the number of clinical and counseling psychologist jobs in Wisconsin is projected to increase by 9.1%.
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.
