Psychology Schools in California
Learn about psychology degrees in California and find out how you can have a career in the Golden State.
Finding Psychology Schools in California
By Kimberly Ross
Those who want to work towards a psychology degree in California should be pleased with its impressive list of options.
In Southern California, Santa Barbara has excellent psychology programs at Antioch University and Fielding Graduate University. Antioch University offers a unique doctoral program in clinical psychology with an emphasis on family psychology. At Fielding Graduate University, the selections include highly innovative programs like Media Psychology, through which students explore the intricate relationships between media and human behavior.
Listing all of the great choices for earning your psychology degree in California is a tall task, but other noteworthy schools include Azusa Pacific University and the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology in Palo Alto. Additionally, if you are still undecided about where in California you want to attend school, Argosy University has convenient locations throughout the state.
California Job Market
Those who are using their psychology degree in California are likely to be paid higher salaries than in other states, which should help to counteract the state's higher cost of living. Below is a list of the average annual salaries* in California for common psychology-related professions:
| Psychology Career | Average Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Psychologist | $82,770 |
| Counselor | $46,380 |
| Marriage and Family Therapist | $46,620 |
| Social Worker | $59,870 |
Licensure Requirements in California
In order to use your psychology degree in California in a clinical setting, you will need to obtain licensure from the state. A criminal background check and passing scores on both the national examination and supplemental California examination for your area of study are all necessary components of any type of license. Read below for the additional requirements for each field.
Psychologist
- A doctoral degree in psychology
- Completion of a 3,000-hour work experience under supervision, half of which must be fulfilled post-degree
Professional Counselor
According to the California Coalition for Counselor Licensure, the state recently passed a law that went into effect on January 1, 2010. The new law requires professional counselors to be licensed, and California's Board of Behavioral Sciences is still developing the regulation procedures. Applicants who require licensing prior to 2012 and do not qualify for "grandparenting" must meet the following requirements:
- A master's degree in counseling or psychotherapy-related content
- Completion of 3,000 hours in a supervised work experience, of which 1,750 hours must be direct client contact and 150 hours must be in a hospital or community mental health setting
Marriage and Family Therapist
- A master's degree in marriage and family therapy
- Registration as a marriage and family therapist intern prior to post-degree work experience
- Fulfillment of 3,000 hours of supervised work experience
- Passing score on the MFT Written Clinical Vignette Examination upon passing the national examination
Clinical Social Worker
- A master's degree in social work
- Registration as an association clinical social worker prior to post-degree work experience
- Completion of 3,200 hours of supervised work experience
- Passing score on the LCSW Written Clinical Vignette Examination upon passing the national examination
*Salary data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Salary may vary according to geographic location, years of experience and employer type.
Psychology Degrees USA
Did You Know?
- One out of every eight U.S. residents lives in California.
- The Hollywood Bowl is the world's largest outdoor amphitheater.
- California produces more than 17 million gallons of wine each year.
- The highest and lowest points in the continental U.S., at Mount Whitney and Bad Water in Death Valley, are 100 miles from each other and both located in California.