Best institutions to study Forensic Psychology
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, including consultation, assessment, and interventions.
59 U.S. institutions graduated 2,718 Forensic Psychology students in 2024–25 (IPEDS). It is CIP 42.2812, a specialization of Clinical (CIP 42.28), and leads most directly to the Psychologists, All Other occupation (BLS SOC 19-3039).
About Forensic Psychology programs
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, including consultation, assessment, and interventions. Includes instruction in the epidemiology of mental/behavioral disorders, risk factors for violence and criminality, profiling and patterning, psychological testing, prediction and intervention measurement, forensic assessment, criminal and civil law and procedures, secure environments, forensic treatment and intervention skills, and professional standards and ethics.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020).
The Forensic Psychology (Clinical) program prepares individuals to apply psychological principles within the criminal justice and civil legal systems. This program is ideal for those interested in the intersection of psychology and law, focusing on providing psychological services through assessment, consultation, and intervention. It is suited for students aiming to work in various settings, including secure environments and legal institutions.
Students in this program will gain knowledge in mental and behavioral disorders, risk factors for violence, psychological testing, forensic assessment, and the legal standards that govern psychological practice. Coursework includes training in intervention measurement and forensic treatment skills.
Credentials awarded
What Forensic Psychology graduates earned in 2024–25, by award level (IPEDS completions).
- Master's degree1,645 graduates / yr · 29 institutions61%
- Bachelor's degree837 graduates / yr · 23 institutions31%
- Postbaccalaureate certificate93 graduates / yr · 4 institutions3.4%
- Award of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year86 graduates / yr · 7 institutions3.2%
- Doctor's degree - research/scholarship37 graduates / yr · 2 institutions1.4%
- Doctor's degree - professional practice15 graduates / yr · 3 institutions0.6%
- Post-master's certificate5 graduates / yr · 2 institutions0.2%
Graduates over time
Forensic Psychology completions reported to IPEDS each year, all award levels combined.
| Year | Graduates |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 1,405 |
| 2013 | 1,426 |
| 2014 | 1,681 |
| 2015 | 1,811 |
| 2016 | 1,785 |
| 2017 | 1,731 |
| 2018 | 1,681 |
| 2019 | 1,798 |
| 2020 | 2,083 |
| 2021 | 2,268 |
| 2022 | 2,468 |
| 2023 | 2,590 |
| 2024 | 2,659 |
| 2025 | 2,718 |
Top 50 institutions for Forensic 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 | CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice New York, NYPublicBachelor'sMaster'sPost-degree cert. | 638 | 56% | — | $35,656 |
| 2 | Arizona State University Digital Immersion Scottsdale, AZPublicMaster's | 401 | 0% | — | — |
| 3 | Walden University Minneapolis, MNPrivate for-profitMaster'sDoctoral | 248 | — | — | — |
| 4 | The Chicago School at Los Angeles Los Angeles, CAPrivate not-for-profitMaster'sDoctoral (prof.)Master's | 105 | 0% | — | — |
| 5 | Marymount University Arlington, VAPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 100 | 54% | $25,803 | — |
| 6 | Capella University Minneapolis, MNPrivate for-profitMaster's | 98 | 20% | $19,369 | — |
| 7 | University of Puerto Rico - Carolina Carolina, PRPublicBachelor's | 86 | 37% | — | — |
| 8 | Nova Southeastern University Fort Lauderdale, FLPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 76 | 63% | $31,672 | — |
| 9 | University of North Dakota Grand Forks, NDPublicMaster'sAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 73 | 60% | — | — |
| 10 | California State University - Fresno Fresno, CAPublicBachelor's | 69 | 57% | — | — |
| 11 | George Washington University Washington, DCPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 60 | 84% | $29,789 | — |
| 12 | The Chicago School at Chicago Chicago, ILPrivate not-for-profitMaster'sMaster's | 53 | — | — | — |
| 13 | University of California - Irvine Irvine, CAPublicMaster's | 50 | 87% | — | — |
| 14 | Tiffin University Tiffin, OHPrivate not-for-profitBachelor'sMaster's | 49 | 40% | $24,126 | $38,989 |
| 15 | California Baptist University Riverside, CAPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 44 | 62% | $26,940 | — |
| 16 | Northcentral University San Diego, CAPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 36 | — | — | — |
| 17 | Fairleigh Dickinson University - Metropolitan Campus Teaneck, NJPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 33 | 53% | $18,059 | — |
| 18 | University of Denver Denver, COPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 32 | 76% | $29,726 | — |
| 19 | University of Puerto Rico at Ponce Ponce, PRPublicBachelor's | 32 | 46% | — | $12,349 |
| 20 | Monroe University Bronx, NYPrivate for-profitMaster's | 29 | 57% | $12,028 | — |
| 21 | Kean University Union, NJPublicMaster's | 28 | 47% | — | — |
| 22 | Maryville University of Saint Louis Saint Louis, MOPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 26 | 66% | $24,921 | — |
| 23 | Temple University Philadelphia, PAPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 26 | 75% | — | — |
| 24 | Touro University Worldwide Los Alamitos, CAPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 24 | 29% | $17,026 | — |
| 25 | Bay Path University Longmeadow, MAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 22 | 44% | $16,859 | — |
| 26 | Florida Institute of Technology Melbourne, FLPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 18 | 64% | $33,585 | $34,506 |
| 27 | Missouri State University - Springfield Springfield, MOPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 16 | 58% | — | — |
| 28 | Saint Ambrose University Davenport, IAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 15 | 61% | $21,680 | — |
| 29 | Neumann University Aston, PAPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 15 | 54% | $28,753 | — |
| 30 | The Chicago School at Washington DC Washington, DCPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 15 | — | — | — |
| 31 | Alliant International University - San Diego San Diego, CAPrivate for-profitPost-degree cert.Doctoral (prof.) | 14 | — | — | — |
| 32 | Carlow University Pittsburgh, PAPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 14 | 60% | $19,953 | — |
| 33 | Texas A&M University - Victoria Victoria, TXPublicMaster's | 13 | 26% | — | — |
| 34 | Corban University Salem, ORPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 12 | 61% | $23,096 | — |
| 35 | American International College Springfield, MAPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 11 | 46% | $23,595 | — |
| 36 | Saint Mary's College of California Moraga, CAPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 10 | 70% | $25,578 | — |
| 37 | Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Albany, NYPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 10 | 68% | $23,207 | — |
| 38 | Embry - Riddle Aeronautical University - Prescott Prescott, AZPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 9 | 68% | $38,461 | $41,456 |
| 39 | Madonna University Livonia, MIPrivate not-for-profitAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 9 | 60% | $16,904 | — |
| 40 | Florida National University - Main Campus Hialeah, FLPrivate for-profitMaster's | 9 | 31% | $24,775 | — |
| 41 | Thomas College Waterville, MEPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 8 | 54% | $18,192 | $35,065 |
| 42 | The Chicago School at Anaheim Anaheim, CAPrivate not-for-profitMaster'sDoctoral (prof.) | 8 | — | — | — |
| 43 | Louisiana Tech University Ruston, LAPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 7 | 64% | — | — |
| 44 | Bushnell University Eugene, ORPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 7 | 56% | $22,143 | — |
| 45 | Seattle University Seattle, WAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 7 | 76% | $31,900 | — |
| 46 | CUNY Graduate School and University Center New York, NYPublicMaster'sDoctoral | 6 | — | — | — |
| 47 | Columbia College Columbia, SCPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 6 | 37% | $23,986 | — |
| 48 | Missouri Baptist University Saint Louis, MOPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 5 | 48% | $25,407 | — |
| 49 | Washington University in St Louis St. Louis, MOPrivate not-for-profitAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 5 | 94% | $14,126 | — |
| 50 | University of Central Oklahoma Edmond, OKPublicMaster's | 5 | 37% | — | — |
* 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 28 states & territories
Where Forensic Psychology graduates come from. Each state links to all Clinical programs offered there.
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 19-3039, Psychologists, All Other, and its national outlook.
Graduates of the Forensic Psychology (Clinical) program can pursue careers as psychologists, managers, or psychology teachers. The job outlook for this field is about as fast as average, with an annual growth rate of 4.3% and approximately 3,900 annual openings. The median wage for professionals in this area is $117,580, typically requiring a master's degree.
Top-paying metros
Career pathways for CIP 42.2812
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Psychologists, All Otherprimary SOC 19-3039 | $110,840 | +4.3% About as fast as average | ~3,900 | Master's 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 |
Related careers
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
- 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
- Clinical Child PsychologyCIP 42.2807partial data101 graduates / yr9 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 can I earn in this program?+
You can earn a Master's degree, Bachelor's degree, or a Postbaccalaureate certificate.
How many colleges offer this program in the U.S.?+
There are 59 colleges offering the Forensic Psychology (Clinical) program in the U.S.
What is the typical education required for a career in this field?+
A Master's degree is typically required for careers in forensic psychology.
What is the job outlook for forensic psychology graduates?+
The job outlook is about as fast as average, with an expected growth rate of 4.3%.
What is the CIP code for Forensic Psychology?+
Forensic Psychology is CIP 42.2812 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 prepares individuals to apply clinical, counseling, school, and neuropsychology skills to the provision of psychological services within the criminal justice and civil legal systems, including consultation, assessment, and interventions. Includes instruction in the epidemiology of mental/behavioral disorders, risk factors for violence and criminality, profiling and patterning, psychological testing, prediction and intervention measurement, forensic assessment, criminal and civil law and procedures, secure environments, forensic treatment and intervention skills, and professional standards and ethics.
How many institutions offer Forensic Psychology programs?+
59 U.S. institutions reported Forensic Psychology graduates in IPEDS 2024–25, across 28 states & territories, awarding 2,718 credentials in the year. That is 6.3% of all Clinical graduates.
How much do Forensic Psychology graduates earn?+
Earnings are not published at the 6-digit CIP level by any federal source. The Psychologists, All Other occupation, which Forensic Psychology most directly leads to, pays a median of $110,840 a year nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025), and graduates of the broader Clinical field report median earnings of $35,065 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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