Home›Majors›Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology

DOCTORAL DEGREE · DEGREE PAYOFF · FEDERAL FIELD 4228

Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology: is this doctoral degree worth it?

National picture across 97 reporting college programs.

Personal baseline needed

$100,222 in median year-4 earnings

A credible return for this credential must start with what the student would otherwise earn. The federal data does not provide that personal baseline.

$100,222Median year-4 earnings

$23,884Average institution net-price context

Not availableMedian federal debt

Use your actual price and alternative earnings before evaluating return. Model your own starting point →

WHAT THIS DEGREE PAYS

Observed national outcomes

$100,222Median reported earnings · year 4

$92,282Average reported earnings · year 5

Not availableMedian federal debt

45thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential

97Reporting programs

97With year-4 earnings

COMPARE CREDENTIAL LEVELS

The same field can produce a different equation.

Keep the federal field fixed and compare observed outcomes at every reportable credential level. These are separate graduate cohorts—not a promise that more schooling causes the difference.

OPEN PROFILE

Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma

Year-4 earnings: Not available
Federal debt: $13,500
Reporting programs: 1

0 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Associate's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $41,767
Federal debt: $12,000
Reporting programs: 3

2 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Bachelor's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $51,727
Federal debt: $27,000
Reporting programs: 77

66 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Post-baccalaureate Certificate

Year-4 earnings: $72,081
Federal debt: $19,000
Reporting programs: 4

4 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Master's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $65,278
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 335

335 report earnings →CURRENT VIEW

Doctoral Degree

Year-4 earnings: $100,222
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 97

97 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

First Professional Degree

Year-4 earnings: $66,437
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 4

4 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Graduate/Professional Certificate

Year-4 earnings: $75,818
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 26

26 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Non-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification)

Year-4 earnings: $66,974
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 1

1 report earnings →

COLLEGE-TO-COLLEGE RANGE

Where the middle half of programs lands

Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.

Median

25th percentile$93,578National median$100,22275th percentile$108,938

97 programs report year‑4 earnings.

WHERE OUTCOMES ARE STRONGEST

See the spread, not just the national number.

1University of California, San Diego$130,000 2The New School$128,575 3Hofstra University$127,131 4Central Michigan University$125,201 5Adelphi University$124,820 6CUNY Graduate School and University Center$124,608 7University of St Thomas$123,235 8Palo Alto University$121,995 9University of Maryland-Baltimore County$121,493 10University of Kansas$119,800

Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking

WHERE THIS FIELD CAN LEAD

Related occupations

Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.

Psychology Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1066 · 18 crosswalk linksManagers, All OtherSOC 11-9199 · 15 crosswalk linksPsychologists, All OtherSOC 19-3039 · 13 crosswalk linksClinical and Counseling PsychologistsSOC 19-3033 · 7 crosswalk linksSchool PsychologistsSOC 19-3034 · 2 crosswalk linksCoaches and ScoutsSOC 27-2022 · 1 crosswalk linksCounselors, All OtherSOC 21-1019 · 1 crosswalk linksEducational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsSOC 21-1012 · 1 crosswalk linksHuman Resources ManagersSOC 11-3121 · 1 crosswalk linksHuman Resources SpecialistsSOC 13-1071 · 1 crosswalk linksIndustrial-Organizational PsychologistsSOC 19-3032 · 1 crosswalk linksManagement AnalystsSOC 13-1111 · 1 crosswalk links

BEST COLLEGES FOR CLINICAL, COUNSELING AND APPLIED PSYCHOLOGY

Same degree, different outcomes

Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. Automated ROI is withheld when an exact program price or personal earnings baseline is required.

#	College	Location	Earnings, year 4	Federal debt	ROI status	Cost context
1	University of California, San DiegoDoctoral Degree	La Jolla, CA	$130,000	Not available	Baseline needed	$12,470
2	The New SchoolDoctoral Degree	New York, NY	$128,575	Not available	Baseline needed	$58,741
3	Hofstra UniversityDoctoral Degree	Hempstead, NY	$127,131	Not available	Baseline needed	$34,176
4	Central Michigan UniversityDoctoral Degree	Mount Pleasant, MI	$125,201	Not available	Baseline needed	$17,597
5	Adelphi UniversityDoctoral Degree	Garden City, NY	$124,820	Not available	Baseline needed	$30,783
6	CUNY Graduate School and University CenterDoctoral Degree	New York, NY	$124,608	Not available	Baseline needed	Not available
7	University of St ThomasDoctoral Degree	Saint Paul, MN	$123,235	Not available	Baseline needed	$29,155
8	Palo Alto UniversityDoctoral Degree	Palo Alto, CA	$121,995	Not available	Baseline needed	Not available
9	University of Maryland-Baltimore CountyDoctoral Degree	Baltimore, MD	$121,493	Not available	Baseline needed	$16,467
10	University of KansasDoctoral Degree	Lawrence, KS	$119,800	Not available	Baseline needed	$18,059
11	Marquette UniversityDoctoral Degree	Milwaukee, WI	$119,078	Not available	Baseline needed	$31,487
12	Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and ScienceDoctoral Degree	North Chicago, IL	$117,675	Not available	Baseline needed	Not available
13	DePaul UniversityDoctoral Degree	Chicago, IL	$116,242	Not available	Baseline needed	$30,902
14	University of HoustonDoctoral Degree	Houston, TX	$114,813	Not available	Baseline needed	$14,276
15	Florida Institute of TechnologyDoctoral Degree	Melbourne, FL	$114,742	Not available	Baseline needed	$35,639
16	George Fox UniversityDoctoral Degree	Newberg, OR	$114,287	Not available	Baseline needed	$31,679
17	Wright State University-Main CampusDoctoral Degree	Dayton, OH	$113,593	Not available	Baseline needed	$15,415
18	La Salle UniversityDoctoral Degree	Philadelphia, PA	$113,093	Not available	Baseline needed	$19,409
19	Fordham UniversityDoctoral Degree	Bronx, NY	$112,494	Not available	Baseline needed	$44,338
20	University at BuffaloDoctoral Degree	Buffalo, NY	$112,025	Not available	Baseline needed	$20,995
21	University of MemphisDoctoral Degree	Memphis, TN	$110,977	Not available	Baseline needed	$12,397
22	Biola UniversityDoctoral Degree	La Mirada, CA	$110,375	Not available	Baseline needed	$31,495
23	Long Island UniversityDoctoral Degree	Brookville, NY	$109,668	Not available	Baseline needed	$33,062
24	Loyola University MarylandDoctoral Degree	Baltimore, MD	$109,532	Not available	Baseline needed	$30,574
25	University at AlbanyDoctoral Degree	Albany, NY	$108,938	Not available	Baseline needed	$17,167
26	Roosevelt UniversityDoctoral Degree	Chicago, IL	$108,933	Not available	Baseline needed	$20,194
27	Fielding Graduate UniversityDoctoral Degree	Santa Barbara, CA	$108,694	Not available	Baseline needed	Not available
28	Yeshiva UniversityDoctoral Degree	New York, NY	$108,399	Not available	Baseline needed	$49,965
29	Pacific UniversityDoctoral Degree	Forest Grove, OR	$108,345	Not available	Baseline needed	$35,273
30	University of HartfordDoctoral Degree	West Hartford, CT	$108,192	Not available	Baseline needed	$30,282
31	Fuller Theological SeminaryDoctoral Degree	Pasadena, CA	$106,857	Not available	Baseline needed	Not available
32	George Washington UniversityDoctoral Degree	Washington, DC	$106,137	Not available	Baseline needed	$36,586
33	Pace UniversityDoctoral Degree	New York, NY	$106,090	Not available	Baseline needed	$30,892
34	University of Nebraska-LincolnDoctoral Degree	Lincoln, NE	$105,900	Not available	Baseline needed	$17,747
35	Alliant International University-San DiegoDoctoral Degree	San Diego, CA	$105,796	Not available	Baseline needed	Not available
36	Pacifica Graduate InstituteDoctoral Degree	Santa Barbara CA, CA	$105,793	Not available	Baseline needed	Not available
37	University of Wisconsin-MadisonDoctoral Degree	Madison, WI	$104,681	Not available	Baseline needed	$17,354
38	Loyola University ChicagoDoctoral Degree	Chicago, IL	$104,629	Not available	Baseline needed	$36,079
39	Adler UniversityDoctoral Degree	Chicago, IL	$103,713	Not available	Baseline needed	Not available
40	Pepperdine UniversityDoctoral Degree	Malibu, CA	$103,432	Not available	Baseline needed	$58,098
41	The Wright InstituteDoctoral Degree	Berkeley, CA	$103,322	Not available	Baseline needed	Not available
42	University of North TexasDoctoral Degree	Denton, TX	$103,267	Not available	Baseline needed	$15,649
43	Auburn UniversityDoctoral Degree	Auburn, AL	$103,093	Not available	Baseline needed	$24,323
44	Philadelphia College of Osteopathic MedicineDoctoral Degree	Philadelphia, PA	$102,767	Not available	Baseline needed	Not available
45	Spalding UniversityDoctoral Degree	Louisville, KY	$101,833	Not available	Baseline needed	$25,491
46	Wichita State UniversityDoctoral Degree	Wichita, KS	$101,668	Not available	Baseline needed	$13,194
47	University of IndianapolisDoctoral Degree	Indianapolis, IN	$100,843	Not available	Baseline needed	$21,602
48	University of KentuckyDoctoral Degree	Lexington, KY	$100,533	Not available	Baseline needed	$18,851
49	University of the PacificDoctoral Degree	Stockton, CA	$100,222	Not available	Baseline needed	$25,447
50	Arizona State University Campus ImmersionDoctoral Degree	Tempe, AZ	$100,105	Not available	Baseline needed	$14,967
51	Arizona State University Digital ImmersionDoctoral Degree	Scottsdale, AZ	$100,105	Not available	Baseline needed	Not available
52	University of Akron Main CampusDoctoral Degree	Akron, OH	$100,099	Not available	Baseline needed	$13,946
53	University of North DakotaDoctoral Degree	Grand Forks, ND	$100,034	Not available	Baseline needed	$18,551
54	Midwestern University-Downers GroveDoctoral Degree	Downers Grove, IL	$99,770	Not available	Baseline needed	Not available
55	Nova Southeastern UniversityDoctoral Degree	Fort Lauderdale, FL	$99,428	Not available	Baseline needed	$30,371
56	University of Massachusetts-BostonDoctoral Degree	Boston, MA	$98,666	Not available	Baseline needed	$17,707
57	William James CollegeDoctoral Degree	Newton, MA	$98,466	Not available	Baseline needed	Not available
58	Ball State UniversityDoctoral Degree	Muncie, IN	$98,442	Not available	Baseline needed	$14,940
59	University of Rhode IslandDoctoral Degree	Kingston, RI	$98,161	Not available	Baseline needed	$21,440
60	University of FloridaDoctoral Degree	Gainesville, FL	$97,680	Not available	Baseline needed	$6,541
61	University of OregonDoctoral Degree	Eugene, OR	$97,549	Not available	Baseline needed	$22,182
62	St. John's University-New YorkDoctoral Degree	Queens, NY	$97,270	Not available	Baseline needed	$29,999
63	The Chicago School at ChicagoDoctoral Degree	Chicago, IL	$97,234	Not available	Baseline needed	Not available
64	The Chicago School at Los AngelesDoctoral Degree	Los Angeles, CA	$97,234	Not available	Baseline needed	Not available
65	The Chicago School at Washington DCDoctoral Degree	Washington, DC	$97,234	Not available	Baseline needed	Not available
66	Regent UniversityDoctoral Degree	Virginia Beach, VA	$97,165	Not available	Baseline needed	$19,923
67	Widener UniversityDoctoral Degree	Chester, PA	$96,854	Not available	Baseline needed	$25,759
68	The University of Texas at AustinDoctoral Degree	Austin, TX	$94,340	Not available	Baseline needed	$19,857
69	Western Michigan UniversityDoctoral Degree	Kalamazoo, MI	$94,135	Not available	Baseline needed	$15,273
70	Mercer UniversityDoctoral Degree	Macon, GA	$94,134	Not available	Baseline needed	$23,847
71	Albizu University-MiamiDoctoral Degree	Miami, FL	$93,578	Not available	Baseline needed	$19,849
72	Albizu University-San JuanDoctoral Degree	San Juan, PR	$93,578	Not available	Baseline needed	$9,732
73	Oklahoma State University-Main CampusDoctoral Degree	Stillwater, OK	$93,208	Not available	Baseline needed	$17,447
74	Howard UniversityDoctoral Degree	Washington, DC	$92,090	Not available	Baseline needed	$50,539
75	Michigan State UniversityDoctoral Degree	East Lansing, MI	$91,736	Not available	Baseline needed	$19,680
76	Texas A&M University-College StationDoctoral Degree	College Station, TX	$91,194	Not available	Baseline needed	$21,315
77	Immaculata UniversityDoctoral Degree	Immaculata, PA	$90,759	Not available	Baseline needed	$24,258
78	University of DenverDoctoral Degree	Denver, CO	$90,551	Not available	Baseline needed	$36,131
79	Texas Tech UniversityDoctoral Degree	Lubbock, TX	$89,918	Not available	Baseline needed	$19,070
80	Wheaton CollegeDoctoral Degree	Wheaton, IL	$89,362	Not available	Baseline needed	$26,975
81	University of IowaDoctoral Degree	Iowa City, IA	$89,186	Not available	Baseline needed	$22,531
82	Saint Mary's University of MinnesotaDoctoral Degree	Winona, MN	$89,093	Not available	Baseline needed	$11,704
83	Capella UniversityDoctoral Degree	Minneapolis, MN	$87,549	Not available	Baseline needed	$17,956
84	Antioch UniversityDoctoral Degree	Yellow Springs, OH	$86,442	Not available	Baseline needed	Not available
85	Duquesne UniversityDoctoral Degree	Pittsburgh, PA	$86,356	Not available	Baseline needed	$37,730
86	University of GeorgiaDoctoral Degree	Athens, GA	$83,158	Not available	Baseline needed	$13,936
87	University of Phoenix-ArizonaDoctoral Degree	Phoenix, AZ	$82,522	Not available	Baseline needed	$13,520
88	National Louis UniversityDoctoral Degree	Chicago, IL	$80,648	Not available	Baseline needed	$12,641
89	Walden UniversityDoctoral Degree	Minneapolis, MN	$77,515	Not available	Baseline needed	$33,817
90	University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical CampusDoctoral Degree	Denver, CO	$74,497	Not available	Baseline needed	$11,900
91	University of ArizonaDoctoral Degree	Tucson, AZ	$74,268	Not available	Baseline needed	$16,674
92	University of Northern ColoradoDoctoral Degree	Greeley, CO	$73,007	Not available	Baseline needed	$17,760
93	Kent State University at KentDoctoral Degree	Kent, OH	$67,929	Not available	Baseline needed	$20,787
94	Chestnut Hill CollegeDoctoral Degree	Philadelphia, PA	$65,756	Not available	Baseline needed	$27,970
95	Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-AreciboDoctoral Degree	Arecibo, PR	$33,204	Not available	Baseline needed	$11,117
96	Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-PonceDoctoral Degree	Ponce, PR	$33,204	Not available	Baseline needed	$13,192
97	The Chicago School at DallasDoctoral Degree	,	$97,234	Not available	Baseline needed	Not available

This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.