Best Accredited Online Master’s in Psychology Programs

You don’t need to quit your job to earn an online master’s in psychology degree. Going to college while balancing family and work life is never easy. However, online learning makes it possible with flexible courses, asynchronous assignments, and internship options in your community.

With a master’s in psychology, you can advance careers in clinical counseling or academia — and make more money. Learn about potential college costs and career options with an online master’s in psychology degree in this guide.

Popular Online Psychology Programs

Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.

Best Accredited Online Master’s in Psychology Programs

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Why Earn Your Master’s in Psychology Online?

• You can qualify for many in-demand psychology jobs in counseling, social work, and human services.
• A master’s degree in psychology can make you eligible for leadership roles in human resources and social and human services and higher pay.
• Online master’s in psychology programs are flexible, making it easier to balance school, work, and family commitments.
• You can apply for a doctorate, which can lead to research, clinical, and lecturer positions.
• Master’s degree holders can generally make more money than bachelor’s degree holders.
• You can gain specialized knowledge in psychology by completing concentrations such as child and development psychology or forensic psychology.

Does Accreditation Matter for Master’s in Psychology Programs?

Accreditation matters for all degrees, including psychology degrees. It’s important to ensure your college is accredited. Currently, the APA only accredits doctoral psychology programs.

If you want to go on to earn a doctorate and become a licensed psychologist, many states require you to graduate from an APA-accredited doctoral program. Similarly, accredited on-campus or online psychology master’s degree programs will not accept transfer credits from unaccredited schools.

The accreditation process is also as close as you can get to a guarantee that your investment of time and money will give you results. Accreditation means that a school or program meets academic or industry standards.

Because accreditation is so vital, this guide only lists master’s in psychology online degrees from accredited colleges and universities.

How Much Does a Master’s Degree in Psychology Cost?

For the 2020-21 school year, graduate students paid a median of $9,950 per year to earn a master’s of science in psychology and $11,070 per year to earn a master’s of arts (MA) in psychology, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

Tuition fluctuates depending on different variables, such as:

• How long it takes to graduate (most master’s in psychology programs take 1-3 years)
• Whether you’re an in-state or out-of-state student
• Whether you attend a private or public school
• Your financial aid amount, such as loans and grants

Scholarships can help offset college expenses and don’t need to be repaid. You can learn of scholarship opportunities by visiting your school’s financial aid office.

Concentrations with an Online Master’s in Psychology

These concentrations can prepare you for counseling licensure, or to prepare for a doctorate to become a psychologist. You can also work in applied psychology with an online master’s in psychology, but cannot call yourself a licensed psychologist. Check your state licensing guidelines for counselors, therapists, or related careers to explore requirements in more detail./

Industrial-Organizational Psychology

Industrial-organizational psychology studies the psychology of behavior within organizations. This concentration can prepare you to work in HR, as a consultant, in training design, labor relations, or other areas of applied psychology.

School Psychology

School psychology focuses on improving student mental health outcomes, at the personal level or by addressing the overall school climate. After you earn an online master’s in psychology with a concentration in school psychology, you can become a school counselor or earn an Ed.S. to become a school psychologist.

Forensic Psychology

Forensic psychology addresses the psychological aspects of the legal system and how psychology affects law and law practice. While only forensic psychologists are licensed to diagnose patients, an online psychology master’s degree with a specialty in forensic psychology could also prepare you to work in a law firm or the justice or legal system.

Addictions Psychology

Addictions psychology studies the nature of addiction, how to prevent it, and how to help people recover. You can become a substance use disorder counselor with an on-campus or online master’s in psychology, or earn a doctorate to become an addiction psychologist.

Clinical Mental Health Psychology

Clinical mental health psychology emphasizes the diagnosis and treatment of mental health. Many graduates of master’s in psychology online programs who focus on clinical mental health go on to earn a doctorate. However, you can also apply to become an LPC in most states with a master’s, supervised experience, and passing the clinical licensing examination.

What Can You Do With a Master’s in Psychology?

If you wish to become a licensed psychologist, you’ll need a doctorate degree. An online master’s in psychology program, however, can prepare you for many other in-demand careers in counseling, psychology, and human services.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), mental health counselors rank as one of the fastest-growing psychology careers. The BLS projects 18% job growth for mental health counselors between 2022–2032, which is 9 percentage points higher than the projected job growth for all counselors, social workers, and other community and social service specialists.

Human resources managers and industrial-organizational psychologists earn the two highest median salaries. Human resources managers make a median of $130,000 per year and industrial-organizational psychologists earn a median of over $145,000 per year. Yet, mental health counselors earn the lowest median salary of less than $60,000 per year.

Explore the job growth and median salaries of some common roles for graduates of online master’s in psychology programs.

Popular Jobs for Master’s in Psychology Graduates

Job	Median Annual Salary (May 2023)	Job Growth Rate (2022-2032)
Human Resources Managers	$136,350	+5%
Industrial-Organizational Psychologists	$147,420	+6%
Social and Community Service Managers	$77,030	+9%
School and Career Counselors	$61,710	+5%
Marriage and Family Therapists	$58,510	+15%
Mental Health Counselors	$53,710	+18%

Is an Online Master’s in Psychology Worth It?

Will an online master’s in psychology be a worthwhile pursuit? Only you can answer that question. What degree or program you choose depends on your learning style, work and life schedule, your timeline, your career goals, and your budget.

Learn what you should consider before choosing whether to earn your master’s in psychology online or on campus.

Frequently Asked Questions About Master’s in Psychology

Can you become a psychologist with a master’s degree?

You typically need a doctorate in psychology, supervised experience, and licensure to become a psychologist in the U.S.

In some states, some psychologist roles, like industrial-organizational psychologists and school psychologists, may be open to those with only a master’s degree.

Does a master’s degree in psychology pay well?

A master’s degree in psychology generally pays the same as the median salary for all occupations in the U.S. The median annual salary for counselors is $53,710 compared to $65,470 for all occupations, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Your salary will depend on your career, location, experience, specialty, and other factors.

What’s the highest-paying job in psychology?

The highest-paying job in psychology is a psychologist, with a median annual salary of $106,600, according to the BLS. Nationally, the highest-paid psychologists earn more than $168,870 per year. The highest-earning specialty is industrial-organizational psychology, with a median salary of $147,420.

Which is better: an MA or an MS in psychology?

Whether you choose a master of arts (MA) or master of science (MS) in psychology depends on your career goals and interests. Most MA degrees have an arts and humanities focus, while MS degrees emphasize scientific methods. Students looking to pursue a Ph.D. might prefer an MS degree, especially if they want a career focused on research or teaching.

Either an MA or MS degree would provide a good foundation for a Psy.D. degree, which focuses on the clinical application of scientific research.

Is a psychology master’s degree difficult?

Yes, a psychology master’s degree challenges students. Studying human behavior, contemporary theories in psychology, and group and individual counseling techniques is often challenging yet fascinating. At the same time, teaching practicums, directed research, and clinical rotations can be emotionally and physically strenuous but rewarding.

Next Steps

All rankings and school descriptions on this page were created and reviewed independently by the ASO Rankings Team.

The insights on this page — excluding school descriptions — were reviewed by an independent third party compensated for their time by Accredited Schools Online. Page last reviewed December 4th, 2023.