Best institutions to study Clinical
Compare 739 U.S. colleges offering Clinical by graduate earnings, cost, and outcomes. Federal data across 53 states.
Clinical programs report a median of $34,506 one year after graduation (College Scorecard, 2024), and map to CIP 42.28 and the Clinical and Counseling Psychologists occupation (BLS SOC).
About Clinical programs
The Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology program focuses on understanding and addressing psychological, emotional, and behavioral issues. It is designed for students interested in pursuing careers in various areas of psychology, including clinical, community, and counseling settings. This program equips students with the necessary skills to support individuals and groups in overcoming challenges and improving mental health.
Students in this program will develop core skills in reading comprehension, critical thinking, and effective communication. Coursework typically covers essential knowledge areas such as therapy and counseling, psychology, and sociology, preparing graduates to assess and address mental health issues effectively.
Top 50 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings
Earnings = median 1 year after graduation (College Scorecard, predominant credential).
| # | Institution | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Completions | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Cincinnati - Main Campus Cincinnati, OH Public · Graduate degree | $61,980 | 273 | 75% | — | $19,000 |
| 2 | CUNY Bernard M Baruch College New York, NY Public · Bachelor's degree | $57,204 | 80 | 72% | — | — |
| 3 | Albright College Reading, PA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $48,838 | 35 | 51% | $21,906 | $39,762 |
| 4 | Thomas Jefferson University Philadelphia, PA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $43,964 | 56 | 69% | $26,034 | $47,976 |
| 5 | Saint Cloud State University Saint Cloud, MN Public · Bachelor's degree | $42,406 | 54 | 40% | — | $24,948 |
| 6 | Boston College Chestnut Hill, MA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $42,384 | 119 | 91% | $21,126 | $17,361 |
| 7 | Los Angeles Pacific University San Dimas, CA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $41,803 | 57 | 21% | $21,273 | $46,561 |
| 8 | Emmanuel College Boston, MA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $41,522 | 25 | 68% | $29,723 | $27,000 |
| 9 | Embry - Riddle Aeronautical University - Prescott Prescott, AZ Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $41,456 | 14 | 68% | $38,461 | $24,620 |
| 10 | Embry - Riddle Aeronautical University - Daytona Beach Daytona Beach, FL Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $41,456 | 69 | 67% | $38,899 | $24,620 |
| 11 | Embry - Riddle Aeronautical University - Worldwide Daytona Beach, FL Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $41,456 | 66 | 21% | $21,266 | $24,620 |
| 12 | University of Phoenix - Arizona Phoenix, AZ Private for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $41,118 | 1,084 | 21% | $15,478 | $40,687 |
| 13 | Indiana Wesleyan University - National & Global Marion, IN Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $40,706 | 64 | 35% | $18,316 | $38,759 |
| 14 | Pace University New York, NY Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $40,671 | 35 | 60% | $29,994 | $26,000 |
| 15 | California State University - San Bernardino San Bernardino, CA Public · Bachelor's degree | $40,316 | 35 | 55% | — | $14,958 |
| 16 | University of Chicago Chicago, IL Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $39,808 | 28 | 96% | $13,333 | $12,000 |
| 17 | Franklin University Columbus, OH Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $39,387 | 40 | 11% | $22,280 | $35,500 |
| 18 | Champlain College Burlington, VT Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $39,258 | 8 | 65% | $32,531 | $23,269 |
| 19 | Tiffin University Tiffin, OH Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $38,989 | 49 | 40% | $24,126 | $27,000 |
| 20 | Lesley University Cambridge, MA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $38,404 | 27 | 58% | $30,837 | $26,000 |
| 21 | SUNY College of Technology at Canton Canton, NY Public · Bachelor's degree | $36,254 | 58 | 38% | — | $26,000 |
| 22 | Tufts University Medford, MA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $35,806 | 71 | 94% | $23,570 | — |
| 23 | CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice New York, NY Public · Bachelor's degree | $35,656 | 638 | 56% | — | $13,421 |
| 24 | Middle Tennessee State University Murfreesboro, TN Public · Bachelor's degree | $35,159 | 9 | 54% | — | $23,375 |
| 25 | Purdue University Global West Lafayette, IN Public · Bachelor's degree | $35,086 | 475 | 50% | — | $42,443 |
| 26 | Thomas College Waterville, ME Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $35,065 | 8 | 54% | $18,192 | $27,000 |
| 27 | Wayne State College Wayne, NE Public · Bachelor's degree | $35,028 | 19 | 52% | — | $23,659 |
| 28 | Florida Institute of Technology Melbourne, FL Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $34,506 | 1,265 | 64% | $33,585 | $32,000 |
| 29 | Gardner - Webb University Boiling Springs, NC Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $34,491 | 44 | 55% | $22,863 | $29,166 |
| 30 | University of Mary Hardin - Baylor Belton, TX Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $33,805 | 58 | 49% | $27,869 | $27,000 |
| 31 | University of Washington - Seattle Campus Seattle, WA Public · Bachelor's degree | $33,192 | 30 | 85% | — | $14,259 |
| 32 | University of Washington - Bothell Campus Bothell, WA Public · Bachelor's degree | $33,192 | 9 | 65% | — | $14,259 |
| 33 | University of North Texas Denton, TX Public · Bachelor's degree | $32,553 | 191 | 61% | — | $19,583 |
| 34 | SUNY Morrisville Morrisville, NY Public · Bachelor's degree | $31,903 | 26 | 28% | — | $28,274 |
| 35 | Augsburg University Minneapolis, MN Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $31,211 | 23 | 52% | $23,585 | $29,625 |
| 36 | Oklahoma Baptist University Shawnee, OK Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $29,879 | 9 | 52% | $23,214 | $25,147 |
| 37 | California State University - Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA Public · Bachelor's degree | $29,457 | 8 | 53% | — | $12,500 |
| 38 | Delaware Valley University Doylestown, PA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $29,383 | 35 | 56% | $25,402 | $25,000 |
| 39 | Johnson & Wales University - Providence Providence, RI Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $29,314 | 1 | 55% | $31,634 | $27,000 |
| 40 | Johnson & Wales University - Online Providence, RI Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $29,314 | 14 | 0% | $21,981 | $27,000 |
| 41 | Farmingdale State College Farmingdale, NY Public · Bachelor's degree | $28,904 | 65 | 53% | — | $20,175 |
| 42 | Belhaven University Jackson, MS Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $28,316 | 10 | 49% | $22,476 | $41,825 |
| 43 | Western Michigan University Kalamazoo, MI Public · Bachelor's degree | $28,007 | 53 | 58% | — | $27,000 |
| 44 | Mississippi State University Mississippi State, MS Public · Bachelor's degree | $27,841 | 101 | 67% | — | $26,000 |
| 45 | Clayton State University Morrow, GA Public · Bachelor's degree | $27,532 | 105 | 40% | — | $35,448 |
| 46 | Faulkner University Montgomery, AL Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $26,988 | 33 | 37% | $25,801 | $27,691 |
| 47 | University of California - San Diego La Jolla, CA Public · Bachelor's degree | $26,953 | 262 | 86% | — | $15,000 |
| 48 | Oregon Institute of Technology Klamath Falls, OR Public · Bachelor's degree | $26,591 | 44 | 54% | — | $38,546 |
| 49 | University at Albany Albany, NY Public · Bachelor's degree | $26,245 | 63 | 61% | — | $22,430 |
| 50 | Keystone College La Plume, PA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $25,974 | 7 | 36% | $23,598 | $27,000 |
Offered across 53 states & territories
The same program, compared state by state. Pick a state for in-state earnings and institutions.
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 19-3033, Clinical and Counseling Psychologists, and its national outlook.
Graduates of the Clinical program can pursue careers in various psychology fields, with an outlook for job growth at 11.2% and approximately 4,800 annual openings. The median wage for professionals in this area is $95,830, and most positions require a doctoral or professional degree.
Top-paying metros
Related careers
CIP-to-SOC crosswalk for Clinical
The SOC occupations NCES officially maps to CIP 42.28.
Under the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk, CIP 42.28 (Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology) maps to 16 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) occupations, the jobs the U.S. Department of Labor links to this field of study.
| SOC code | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 11-3121 | Human Resources Managers |
| 11-3131 | Training and Development Managers |
| 11-9199 | Managers, All Other |
| 13-1071 | Human Resources Specialists |
| 13-1111 | Management Analysts |
| 13-1151 | Training and Development Specialists |
| 19-3032 | Industrial-Organizational Psychologists |
| 19-3033 | Clinical and Counseling Psychologistsprimary |
| 19-3034 | School Psychologists |
| 19-3039 | Psychologists, All Other |
| 21-1012 | Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors |
| 21-1014 | Mental Health Counselors |
| 21-1019 | Counselors, All Other |
| 25-1066 | Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary |
| 25-9043 | Teaching Assistants, Special Education |
| 27-2022 | Coaches and Scouts |
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk.
Skills & knowledge in Clinical programs
From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this program most leads to.
Skills you'll build
Knowledge areas
What graduates do on the job
- Conduct assessments of patients' risk for harm to self or others.
- Document patient information including session notes, progress notes, recommendations, and treatment plans.
- Identify psychological, emotional, or behavioral issues and diagnose disorders, using information obtained from interviews, tests, records, or reference materials.
- Write reports on clients and maintain required paperwork.
- Counsel individuals, groups, or families to help them understand problems, deal with crisis situations, define goals, and develop realistic action plans.
- Interact with clients to assist them in gaining insight, defining goals, and planning action to achieve effective personal, social, educational, or vocational development and adjustment.
Concentrations within Clinical
Specializations under this field (NCES CIP 2020).
- Clinical PsychologyCIP 42.2801
A program that prepares individuals for the independent professional practice of clinical psychology, involving the analysis, diagnosis, and clinical treatment of psychological disorders and behaviora
- Community PsychologyCIP 42.2802
A program that prepares individuals to apply psychological principles to the analysis of social problems, and the implementation of intervention strategies for addressing these problems
- Counseling PsychologyCIP 42.2803
A program that prepares individuals for the independent professional practice of psychological counseling, involving the rendering of therapeutic services to individuals and groups experiencing psycho
- Industrial and Organizational PsychologyCIP 42.2804
A program that focuses on the scientific study of individual and group behavior in institutional settings, applications to related problems of organization and industry, and that may prepare individua
- School PsychologyCIP 42.2805
A program that prepares individuals to apply clinical and counseling psychology principles to the diagnosis and treatment of student behavioral problems
- Educational PsychologyCIP 42.2806
A program that focuses on the application of psychology to the study of the behavior of individuals in the roles of teacher and learner, the nature and effects of learning environments, and the psycho
- Clinical Child PsychologyCIP 42.2807
A program that focuses on the developmental processes of children and associated disorders and that prepares individuals for the independent professional practice of clinical child psychology
- Environmental PsychologyCIP 42.2808
A program that focuses on the study of behavioral interactions between human beings and the environment in individual and group contexts, and ways to improve them
- GeropsychologyCIP 42.2809
A program that focuses on the psychology of aging and of elderly individuals and populations, with reference to growth and decline across the life span
- Health/Medical PsychologyCIP 42.2810
A program that focuses on the psychological study of health and illness, and recovery, from the perspective that these phenomena arise from a combination of physical, behavioral, and social condition
- Family PsychologyCIP 42.2811
A program that prepares individuals to provide therapeutic, evaluative, and research services to families and individuals in the family unit context
- Forensic PsychologyCIP 42.2812
A program that prepares individuals to apply clinical, counseling, school, and neuropsychology skills to the provision of psychological services within the criminal justice and civil legal systems, in
Common questions
What specializations are available in this program?+
Specializations include Clinical Psychology, Community Psychology, Counseling Psychology, and more.
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop skills in active listening, critical thinking, and effective communication.
What is the job outlook for graduates?+
The job outlook is much faster than average, with a growth rate of 11.2%.
What level of education is typically required?+
Most careers in this field require a doctoral or professional degree.
How much do Clinical graduates earn?+
Clinical graduates report median earnings of $34,506 one year after graduation, per College Scorecard (2024); the Clinical and Counseling Psychologists occupation pays about $112,750 on average nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025).
What is the CIP code for Clinical?+
Clinical maps to CIP 42.28 in the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP), the U.S. Department of Education taxonomy used for College Scorecard Field of Study earnings and IPEDS completions.
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
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