Best institutions to study Clinical Child Psychology
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.
9 U.S. institutions graduated 101 Clinical Child Psychology students in 2024–25 (IPEDS). It is CIP 42.2807, a specialization of Clinical (CIP 42.28), and leads most directly to the Clinical and Counseling Psychologists occupation (BLS SOC 19-3033).
About Clinical Child Psychology programs
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. Includes instruction in developmental neuropsychology, child psychopathology, testing of children and adolescents, pediatric psychology, psychosocial variables in child development, clinical skills, family therapy, behavioral assessment and intervention, clinical skills, consultation, professional standards and ethics, and applications to topics such as infancy, childhood, and adolescence.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020).
The Clinical Child Psychology program focuses on the developmental processes of children and associated disorders, preparing individuals for independent professional practice in clinical child psychology. This program is ideal for those interested in understanding and addressing the psychological needs of children and adolescents.
Students in this program gain knowledge in areas such as developmental neuropsychology, child psychopathology, and family therapy. Core skills developed include critical thinking, active listening, and effective communication, essential for assessing and treating young clients.
Credentials awarded
What Clinical Child Psychology graduates earned in 2024–25, by award level (IPEDS completions).
- Post-master's certificate41 graduates / yr · 3 institutions41%
- Master's degree37 graduates / yr · 4 institutions37%
- Doctor's degree - research/scholarship14 graduates / yr · 3 institutions14%
- Postbaccalaureate certificate9 graduates / yr · 2 institutions8.9%
Graduates over time
Clinical Child Psychology completions reported to IPEDS each year, all award levels combined.
| Year | Graduates |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 86 |
| 2013 | 94 |
| 2014 | 93 |
| 2015 | 105 |
| 2016 | 114 |
| 2017 | 156 |
| 2018 | 143 |
| 2019 | 109 |
| 2020 | 113 |
| 2021 | 114 |
| 2022 | 108 |
| 2023 | 125 |
| 2024 | 106 |
| 2025 | 101 |
Top 9 institutions for Clinical Child Psychology, ranked by graduates
Graduates (IPEDS completions), 2024–25. Award levels show which credentials each institution confers in this specialization.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Field earnings* (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MidAmerica Nazarene University Olathe, KSPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 28 | 54% | $28,845 | — |
| 2 | University of Washington - Seattle Campus Seattle, WAPublicMaster's | 25 | 85% | — | $33,192 |
| 3 | University of Denver Denver, COPrivate not-for-profitMaster'sDoctoralMaster's | 15 | 76% | $29,726 | — |
| 4 | University of Kansas Lawrence, KSPublicMaster'sDoctoral | 12 | 69% | — | — |
| 5 | St. John's University - New York Queens, NYPrivate not-for-profitDoctoral | 7 | 66% | $27,359 | — |
| 6 | Arkansas State University Jonesboro, ARPublicPost-degree cert. | 5 | 55% | — | — |
| 7 | Case Western Reserve University Cleveland, OHPrivate not-for-profitPost-degree cert. | 4 | 87% | $27,976 | — |
| 8 | Prairie View A & M University Prairie View, TXPublicMaster's | 3 | 43% | — | — |
| 9 | Regis University Denver, COPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 2 | 61% | $22,407 | — |
* Median earnings 1 year after graduation for the broader Clinical field (CIP 42.28) at these institutions; College Scorecard does not publish earnings at the 6-digit level.
Offered in 7 states
Where Clinical Child Psychology graduates come from. Each state links to all Clinical programs offered there.
| State | Institutions | Graduates / yr | Top institution by graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas | 2 | 40 | MidAmerica Nazarene University28 / yr |
| Washington | 1 | 25 | University of Washington - Seattle Campus25 / yr |
| Colorado | 2 | 17 | University of Denver15 / yr |
| New York | 1 | 7 | St. John's University - New York7 / yr |
| Arkansas | 1 | 5 | Arkansas State University5 / yr |
| Ohio | 1 | 4 | Case Western Reserve University4 / yr |
| Texas | 1 | 3 | Prairie View A & M University3 / yr |
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 19-3033, Clinical and Counseling Psychologists, and its national outlook.
Graduates of the Clinical Child Psychology program often pursue careers as Clinical and Counseling Psychologists. The job outlook is much faster than average, with an expected growth rate of 11.2% and approximately 4,800 annual openings. The median wage for these professionals is $95,830, typically requiring a doctoral or professional degree.
Top-paying metros
Career pathways for CIP 42.2807
The occupations the NCES crosswalk maps this 6-digit code to, with BLS pay and 10-year outlook.
| Occupation | US median pay | Growth | Openings / yr | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Clinical and Counseling Psychologistsprimary SOC 19-3033 | $100,580 | +11.2% Much faster than average | ~4,800 | Doctoral or professional degree |
Managers, All Other SOC 11-9199 | $141,900 | +4.5% About as fast as average | ~106,700 | Bachelor's degree |
Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary SOC 25-1066 | $80,340 | +3.6% About as fast as average | ~4,000 | Doctoral or professional degree |
Psychologists, All Other SOC 19-3039 | $110,840 | +4.3% About as fast as average | ~3,900 | Master's degree |
Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
- Education
- Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
- Experience
- Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
- Training
- Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
Related careers
Skills & knowledge in Clinical Child Psychology programs
From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this specialization most leads to.
Skills you'll build
Knowledge areas
Abilities that matter most
Day-to-day work activities
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.
Tools and technology used
Other Clinical specializations
The 17 other 6-digit CIP codes under Clinical (CIP 42.28).
- Counseling PsychologyCIP 42.280312,264 graduates / yr277 institutions
- Applied Behavior AnalysisCIP 42.28147,215 graduates / yr143 institutions
- Clinical PsychologyCIP 42.28016,396 graduates / yr205 institutions
- School PsychologyCIP 42.28053,734 graduates / yr205 institutions
- Industrial and Organizational PsychologyCIP 42.28043,169 graduates / yr127 institutions
- Applied PsychologyCIP 42.28132,999 graduates / yr96 institutions
- Forensic PsychologyCIP 42.28122,718 graduates / yr59 institutions
- Educational PsychologyCIP 42.28061,874 graduates / yr84 institutions
- ClinicalCIP 42.2899711 graduates / yr46 institutions
- Family PsychologyCIP 42.2811partial data630 graduates / yr6 institutions
- Community PsychologyCIP 42.2802464 graduates / yr34 institutions
- Health/CIP 42.2810
Medical Psychology 428 graduates / yr25 institutions - Performance and Sport PsychologyCIP 42.2815318 graduates / yr18 institutions
- Transpersonal/CIP 42.2817
Spiritual Psychology limited data40 graduates / yr1 institutions - Environmental PsychologyCIP 42.2808partial data22 graduates / yr3 institutions
- GeropsychologyCIP 42.2809limited data2 graduates / yr1 institutions
Show 1 more CIP codes with no U.S. programs reported+
- Somatic Psychology42.2816
No institution reported completions for these codes in the latest IPEDS year, so they have no page.
Common questions
What degrees are offered in this program?+
The program offers a Post-master's certificate, Master's degree, Doctor's degree - research/scholarship, and a Postbaccalaureate certificate.
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop skills in reading comprehension, critical thinking, active listening, and effective writing and speaking.
What careers can I pursue with this degree?+
You can work as a Clinical and Counseling Psychologist, among other roles such as Psychology Teacher or Manager.
What is the job outlook for Clinical Child Psychology?+
The job outlook is much faster than average, with a growth rate of 11.2% and about 4,800 annual job openings.
What is the CIP code for Clinical Child Psychology?+
Clinical Child Psychology is CIP 42.2807 in the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020), a 6-digit specialization within Clinical (CIP 42.28). NCES defines it as: 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. Includes instruction in developmental neuropsychology, child psychopathology, testing of children and adolescents, pediatric psychology, psychosocial variables in child development, clinical skills, family therapy, behavioral assessment and intervention, clinical skills, consultation, professional standards and ethics, and applications to topics such as infancy, childhood, and adolescence.
How many institutions offer Clinical Child Psychology programs?+
9 U.S. institutions reported Clinical Child Psychology graduates in IPEDS 2024–25, across 7 states, awarding 101 credentials in the year. That is 0.2% of all Clinical graduates.
How much do Clinical Child Psychology graduates earn?+
Earnings are not published at the 6-digit CIP level by any federal source. The Clinical and Counseling Psychologists occupation, which Clinical Child Psychology most directly leads to, pays a median of $100,580 a year nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025), and graduates of the broader Clinical field report median earnings of $33,192 one year after graduation (College Scorecard).
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.
Program definitions are from the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020). Skills, knowledge, abilities, work activities, tools, and job zones are from the O*NET database by the U.S. Department of Labor, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
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