University Headquarters (HQ) is an industry-leading, independent educational organization that provides independent college rankings using a proprietary formula to create first class, unbiased rankings. The team at University HQ strives to provide accurate and trustworthy rankings that highlight the best programs for a masters in psychology.
Why Earn a Master’s in Psychology?
Simply put for prospective students, an undergraduate degree may not be enough to seek employment in some positions. For graduate students completing a graduate degree in a psychology program with the intent of going into counseling, this is the point at which they begin to learn about the actual counseling process. The career opportunities of their psychology program begin opening into various counseling-related fields and psychology concentrations: general psychology counseling, marriage and family therapists psychology programs, addiction counseling psychology programs, licensed mental health counseling psychology programs, rehabilitation counseling psychology programs, clinical psychology programs, a psychologist who helps clients deal with mental health disorders, etc. At this level, graduate students also have the opportunity to consider whether they want to progress beyond a master's in psychology program into doctoral training.
A good master’s degree in psychology for those interested in counseling should include a psychology program with counseling practicum located within your area of interest. This brings up whether students should opt for full-time classes or part-time and whether to earn a traditional on-campus degree or pursue an online psychology degree at an accredited school. If they continue working, a part-time schedule will be more amenable to work; if they decide to attend classes full-time, then they will need to take extended leave or a sabbatical. Full-time attendance can be completed in two years.
Excellent psychology master’s programs are available throughout the country. Some are on-campus programs and others are online master programs. No matter how psychology students choose to take their master's program, their psychology coursework is likely to include courses that focus on the following subjects.
- Clinical Psychology
- Child and Development Psychology
- School Psychologist and Social Science
- Social Psychology
- Health Psychology, Mental Health Disorders and Human Behavior
- Industrial and Organizational Psychology
- Substance Abuse and Rehabilitation Counseling
- Research Methods in Psychology
- Forensic Psychology
- Ethical Practice
- And More
Top 25 Best Online Masters in Psychology Programs
Harvard University
Score: 92.71
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $59,076
- Out-of-State:$59,076
- Net Price: $19,491
- Acceptance Rate: 3%
- Retention Rate: 98%
- Graduation Rate: 98%
- Total Enrollment: 30,631
- Undergrad Students: 9,368
- Graduate Students: 21,263
- Grads Salary: $96,000
- Student-to-faculty: 7:1
University of Southern California
Score: 82.84
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $68,237
- Out-of-State:$68,237
- Net Price: $36,808
- Acceptance Rate: 12%
- Retention Rate: 97%
- Graduation Rate: 92%
- Total Enrollment: 48,945
- Undergrad Students: 20,699
- Graduate Students: 28,246
- Grads Salary: $92,000
- Student-to-faculty: 9:1
Virginia Tech
Score: 80.61
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $15,478
- Out-of-State:$36,694
- Net Price: $19,301
- Acceptance Rate: 57%
- Retention Rate: 91%
- Graduation Rate: 86%
- Total Enrollment: 38,170
- Undergrad Students: 30,434
- Graduate Students: 7,736
- Grads Salary: $83,000
- Student-to-faculty: 17:1
CUNY City College
Score: 75.89
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $7,340
- Out-of-State:$15,290
- Net Price: $5,181
- Acceptance Rate: 67%
- Retention Rate: 75%
- Graduation Rate: 59%
- Total Enrollment: 14,489
- Undergrad Students: 11,929
- Graduate Students: 2,560
- Grads Salary: $81,000
- Student-to-faculty: 14:1
Missouri University of Science and Technology
Score: 75.74
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $14,278
- Out-of-State:$31,678
- Net Price: $14,023
- Acceptance Rate: 81%
- Retention Rate: 86%
- Graduation Rate: 62%
- Total Enrollment: 7,080
- Undergrad Students: 5,498
- Graduate Students: 1,582
- Grads Salary: $86,000
- Student-to-faculty: 18:1
Florida International University
Score: 74.15
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $6,565
- Out-of-State:$18,963
- Net Price: $9,881
- Acceptance Rate: 64%
- Retention Rate: 91%
- Graduation Rate: 69%
- Total Enrollment: 55,609
- Undergrad Students: 45,688
- Graduate Students: 9,921
- Grads Salary: $71,000
- Student-to-faculty: 24:1
LeTourneau University
Score: 73.81
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $35,500
- Out-of-State:$35,500
- Net Price: $26,974
- Acceptance Rate: 49%
- Retention Rate: 77%
- Graduation Rate: 67%
- Total Enrollment: 3,536
- Undergrad Students: 3,350
- Graduate Students: 186
- Grads Salary: $87,000
- Student-to-faculty: 13:1
Arizona State University
Score: 72.56
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $12,051
- Out-of-State:$32,193
- Net Price: $14,808
- Acceptance Rate: 90%
- Retention Rate: 85%
- Graduation Rate: 67%
- Total Enrollment: 80,065
- Undergrad Students: 65,492
- Graduate Students: 14,573
- Grads Salary: $77,000
- Student-to-faculty: 19:1
American Public University System
Score: 71.34
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $8,400
- Out-of-State:$8,400
- Net Price: $11,172
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 90%
- Graduation Rate: 55%
- Total Enrollment: 48,668
- Undergrad Students: 39,206
- Graduate Students: 9,462
- Grads Salary: $79,000
- Student-to-faculty: 24:1
California State University-Sacramento
Score: 71.07
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $7,602
- Out-of-State:$19,482
- Net Price: $11,596
- Acceptance Rate: 93%
- Retention Rate: 80%
- Graduation Rate: 54%
- Total Enrollment: 31,818
- Undergrad Students: 28,921
- Graduate Students: 2,897
- Grads Salary: $81,000
- Student-to-faculty: 24:1
University of Idaho
Score: 70.82
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $8,816
- Out-of-State:$29,784
- Net Price: $14,954
- Acceptance Rate: 74%
- Retention Rate: 74%
- Graduation Rate: 61%
- Total Enrollment: 11,507
- Undergrad Students: 8,809
- Graduate Students: 2,698
- Grads Salary: $77,000
- Student-to-faculty: 16:1
Pepperdine University
Score: 70.75
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $66,742
- Out-of-State:$66,742
- Net Price: $47,804
- Acceptance Rate: 49%
- Retention Rate: 88%
- Graduation Rate: 84%
- Total Enrollment: 10,030
- Undergrad Students: 3,662
- Graduate Students: 6,368
- Grads Salary: $84,000
- Student-to-faculty: 13:1
California State University-Los Angeles
Score: 70.44
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $6,818
- Out-of-State:$18,698
- Net Price: $5,801
- Acceptance Rate: 87%
- Retention Rate: 73%
- Graduation Rate: 51%
- Total Enrollment: 26,460
- Undergrad Students: 22,737
- Graduate Students: 3,723
- Grads Salary: $77,000
- Student-to-faculty: 22:1
Kansas State University
Score: 70.35
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $10,942
- Out-of-State:$27,816
- Net Price: $18,855
- Acceptance Rate: 95%
- Retention Rate: 86%
- Graduation Rate: 69%
- Total Enrollment: 19,722
- Undergrad Students: 15,046
- Graduate Students: 4,676
- Grads Salary: $74,000
- Student-to-faculty: 18:1
Mississippi State University
Score: 70.26
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $9,815
- Out-of-State:$26,580
- Net Price: $15,364
- Acceptance Rate: 75%
- Retention Rate: 81%
- Graduation Rate: 63%
- Total Enrollment: 22,649
- Undergrad Students: 18,305
- Graduate Students: 4,344
- Grads Salary: $73,000
- Student-to-faculty: 16:1
University of North Dakota
Score: 69.3
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $10,951
- Out-of-State:$15,570
- Net Price: $17,359
- Acceptance Rate: 83%
- Retention Rate: 79%
- Graduation Rate: 63%
- Total Enrollment: 13,876
- Undergrad Students: 9,928
- Graduate Students: 3,948
- Grads Salary: $74,000
- Student-to-faculty: 17:1
Indiana Wesleyan University
Score: 69.04
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $31,168
- Out-of-State:$31,168
- Net Price: $21,755
- Acceptance Rate: 87%
- Retention Rate: 78%
- Graduation Rate: 67%
- Total Enrollment: 2,603
- Undergrad Students: 2,236
- Graduate Students: 367
- Grads Salary: $75,000
- Student-to-faculty: 13:1
Aspen University
Score: 68.73
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $6,264
- Out-of-State:$6,264
- Net Price: $13,781
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 50%
- Graduation Rate: 47%
- Total Enrollment: 7,386
- Undergrad Students: 4,086
- Graduate Students: 3,300
- Grads Salary: $88,000
- Student-to-faculty: 5:1
Ball State University
Score: 68.65
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $10,758
- Out-of-State:$28,766
- Net Price: $12,615
- Acceptance Rate: 69%
- Retention Rate: 73%
- Graduation Rate: 64%
- Total Enrollment: 19,777
- Undergrad Students: 14,416
- Graduate Students: 5,361
- Grads Salary: $67,000
- Student-to-faculty: 15:1
McNeese State University
Score: 67.4
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $8,460
- Out-of-State:$9,960
- Net Price: $10,154
- Acceptance Rate: 71%
- Retention Rate: 69%
- Graduation Rate: 46%
- Total Enrollment: 6,230
- Undergrad Students: 5,696
- Graduate Students: 534
- Grads Salary: $75,000
- Student-to-faculty: 19:1
Nova Southeastern University
Score: 67.37
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $37,080
- Out-of-State:$37,080
- Net Price: $29,589
- Acceptance Rate: 76%
- Retention Rate: 78%
- Graduation Rate: 62%
- Total Enrollment: 20,948
- Undergrad Students: 6,971
- Graduate Students: 13,977
- Grads Salary: $80,000
- Student-to-faculty: 17:1
Eastern Kentucky University
Score: 66.87
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $10,130
- Out-of-State:$20,820
- Net Price: $10,806
- Acceptance Rate: 64%
- Retention Rate: 77%
- Graduation Rate: 49%
- Total Enrollment: 14,324
- Undergrad Students: 12,072
- Graduate Students: 2,252
- Grads Salary: $69,000
- Student-to-faculty: 16:1
Albizu University-Miami
Score: 66.22
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $13,128
- Out-of-State:$13,128
- Net Price: $28,273
- Acceptance Rate: 89%
- Retention Rate: 67%
- Graduation Rate: 67%
- Total Enrollment: 864
- Undergrad Students: 217
- Graduate Students: 647
- Grads Salary: $77,000
- Student-to-faculty: 15:1
University of Nevada-Las Vegas
Score: 65.94
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $9,142
- Out-of-State:$26,098
- Net Price: $13,159
- Acceptance Rate: 85%
- Retention Rate: 77%
- Graduation Rate: 47%
- Total Enrollment: 30,660
- Undergrad Students: 25,365
- Graduate Students: 5,295
- Grads Salary: $73,000
- Student-to-faculty: 18:1
Angelo State University
Score: 65.22
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $8,319
- Out-of-State:$18,399
- Net Price: $12,838
- Acceptance Rate: 79%
- Retention Rate: 73%
- Graduation Rate: 41%
- Total Enrollment: 10,599
- Undergrad Students: 9,066
- Graduate Students: 1,533
- Grads Salary: $75,000
- Student-to-faculty: 18:1
