Online School Psychology Programs

Jobs in psychology are estimated to grow by 6% from 2021 to 2031. Meanwhile, unlicensed psychologists in the U.S. earn an average of $63,546 annually, while licensed ones make up to $168,790 annually. Students seeking licensure can flexibly pursue any online school psychology programs covered in this piece. We delve into each program, explaining their admission requirements, costs, and job prospects. Our psychology class experts can also take classes and online examinations to streamline your path to licensure.

Associate Degree in Psychology

Learners looking for an entry-level online school psychology program can begin their journey with an associate degree in psychology. Graduates with associate degrees earn a median salary of $47,000. This entry-level course introduces learners to the foundational aspects of psychology.

A typical admission requirement for an associate degree online is a GED or high school diploma. However, some schools also need a minimum GPA and standardized SAT or ACT scores. Once enrolled, students must choose one of the following: Associate of Arts, Applied Science, or an Associate in Science.

Course costs for associate degrees differ among colleges. Typical tuition fees for a virtual online associate degree range between $135 to $400 per credit hour. Put together, learners pay between $8,000 to $15,000 per year.

Holders of associate degrees have unlimited career opportunities. They can work as:

Youth Support Counselors
Applied Behavior Analysis Technician
In-take specialists for hospitals and clinics
Residential care aides
Autism support specialist
Mental Health Technician

An associate degree requires about 60 credit hours, depending on the college. Learners with an associate of science in nursing degrees can sit for the NCLEX-RN exam to practice as caregivers.

Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology

A bachelor’s degree in psychology is a 4-year program with three courses. The first category is introductory courses: Intro to Psychology, Research Methods, and Statistics for Behavioral Sciences. The second category is domain courses: cognitive psychology, biopsychology, sensory processes, and consciousness. The last category is applied psychology: personality, abnormal, developmental, and social psychology.

According to ZipRecruiter, graduates with a bachelor’s degree in psychology earn an average of $56,500. To join this program, learners must have a high school diploma or GED equivalent. Standardized ACT and SAT scores are a common requirement among most colleges offering the program. Holders of bachelor’s degrees in psychology work mainly as therapists and clinical psychologists. However, they can also work as:

Social workers
Market research analysts
Industrial-organizational psychologists
Forensic psychologists
Substance abuse counselor
Academic researchers.

To graduate, a learner must take the core and other psychology units totalling 120 credit hours. These units have PSY prefixes, including PSY 1010, 2110, 2120, 2310, 2410, 2510, and 2710. The PSY units contribute about 35 credit hours. The other three additional units are psychology courses at the 3000 level or higher. Learners can use their degree to enter preferred online school psychology programs at the graduate level.

Master’s Degree in Psychology

Approximately 14% of graduates with a bachelor’s in psychology pursue a master’s degree for specialization. The course also offers advanced training, opening doors to more career opportunities. A Master’s Degree in Psychology delves deeper into mental processes, cognition, human behaviour, and emotions. The program takes two to four years, preparing learners for the following designations:

Clinical psychologist
Forensic Psychologist
Mental Health Worker
Corporate Psychologist
Sports Psychologist
Human Resource Officer
Communication Officer
Social Worker
Counsellor

The cheapest online degree in masters of Psychology costs about $5,488. However, the average cost for a master’s degree in psychology, according to Education Data Initiative, is between $61,000 and $81,600, according to Fortune. The median salary of a master of psychology holder is $65,000.

Doctoral Degree in Psychology

According to Indeed.com, graduates with a Psychology PhD make $98,697 annually. This four to seven-year course covers qualitative and quantitative psychological research methodologies. Entry into the PhD psychology program mostly requires a bachelor’s or master’s degree in psychology. Some schools also take only those with the necessary coursework and experiential skills in psychology.

An online PhD in psychology prepares learners for the clinical psychologist role. Holders can also open their private practice. Other most common career paths for PhD holders in psychology include the following:

Clinical neuropsychologist
Psychiatrist
Experimental psychologist
Social psychologist
Forensic psychologist
Health psychologist
Evolutionary psychologist

The costs for a doctoral degree in psychology range between $50,000 to $200,000, as explained by Accredited Schools Online. The costs vary widely depending on the programs.