School Psychologists: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of school psychologists about how they arrived at their current job, there's a good chance you would get several different answers about the paths and steps that each person took.
That said, there are still ways that you can develop a baseline understanding of the preparation that is necessary to become one.
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has gathered data to provide you with insight into the type of education that's commonly required for school psychologists to land a job. This page contains information, sourced from real job postings, that describes the experience levels and specific skills that employers of school psychologists expect candidates to have. In the end, this information will help you create an education or professional development plan that aligns with your career aspirations.
Keep reading to learn more about career steps for school psychologists.
What Education & Experience is Needed for School Psychologists?
Do school psychologists need a degree? What kind of experience do school psychologists typically need? Thanks to data sourced from Lightcast™ from real job postings, we can get some clarity on those questions, as well as the level of education that is commonly required for school psychologists to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for School Psychologists
Jobs Postings for School Psychologists By Education
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 13,138 (45%)
- Master's degree: 6,547 (22%)
- Bachelor's degree: 4,236 (14%)
- No Education Listed: 4,177 (14%)
- High School or GED: 1,155 (4%)
A ph.d. or professional degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of school psychologists. According to job data, a ph.d. or professional degree was required for 45% of positions. In 22% of job listings a master's degree was required and in 14% of postings a bachelor's degree was required.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for School Psychologists
Jobs Postings for School Psychologists By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 4,295 (42%)
- 2-3 Years: 4,918 (48%)
- 4-6 Years: 782 (8%)
- 7-9 Years: 70 (1%)
- 10+ Years: 164 (2%)
While the amount of required experience will vary based on the responsibility and seniority of the position, an aggregate view of job posting data can help paint a picture of the experience level sought for most job openings for school psychologists. In 48% of job postings for School Psychologists, employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience. In 42% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 0-1 years of experience, while 4-6 years of experience was sought in 8% of job postings for school psychologists.
What Kind of Degree Do School Psychologists Need?
So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for school psychologists, but what type of education or degree will help prepare you for a career in the field?
According to occupational data obtained through Lightcast,™ there are 24 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective school psychologists, and in 2023 a total of 190,188 of those programs were completed at institutions in the United States.
Check out the information below to learn more about the specific programs that should be considered by prospective school psychologists.
Top Degree Programs for School Psychologists
Top 5 Degree Programs for School Psychologists (2023)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Psychology, General. | 143,660 |
| Research and Experimental Psychology, Other. | 13,458 |
| Applied Behavior Analysis. | 6,780 |
| Behavioral Sciences. | 4,777 |
| Experimental Psychology. | 4,342 |
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Psychology, General. | 143,660 |
| Research and Experimental Psychology, Other. | 13,458 |
| Applied Behavior Analysis. | 6,780 |
| Behavioral Sciences. | 4,777 |
| Experimental Psychology. | 4,342 |
| Cognitive Science, General. | 2,955 |
| Psychology, Other. | 2,803 |
| Applied Psychology. | 2,536 |
| Forensic Psychology. | 2,506 |
| Educational Psychology. | 2,114 |
| Behavioral Neuroscience. | 1,427 |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology, Other. | 631 |
| Community Psychology. | 542 |
| Social Psychology. | 531 |
| Early Childhood and Family Studies. | 332 |
| Cognitive Psychology and Psycholinguistics. | 316 |
| Performance and Sport Psychology. | 210 |
| Psychometrics and Quantitative Psychology. | 105 |
| Family Psychology. | 56 |
| Psychopharmacology. | 34 |
| Transpersonal/Spiritual Psychology. | 28 |
| Personality Psychology. | 21 |
| Comparative Psychology. | 16 |
| Environmental Psychology. | 8 |
Top Online College For Working Adults
Franklin University is a top choice for adults who need to balance school with busy lives. Founded in 1902 in Columbus, Ohio, Franklin's main focus has been serving adult students and tailoring education to fit their needs. Nonprofit and accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org/800.621.7440), Franklin offers more than 50 affordable bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs — all available 100% online.
Degree Options for School Psychologists
Leverage advances in positive psychology and executive coaching to impact the development of individuals, teams, and communities.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Cost Per Credit: $398
What Skills Do School Psychologists Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by school psychologists to secure a job?
A good way to understand this is to examine actual job postings for skills commonly sought by employers. Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for school psychologists, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's School Psychologists
Based on 23,012 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for School Psychologists
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Psychology | 18,479 | 80% |
| Mental Health | 7,525 | 33% |
| Clinical Psychology | 5,822 | 25% |
| Psychotherapy | 5,808 | 25% |
| Psychological Evaluations | 5,360 | 23% |
Top 5 Common Skills for School Psychologists
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Research | 6,355 | 28% |
| Communication | 5,522 | 24% |
| Management | 4,872 | 21% |
| Writing | 3,848 | 17% |
| Ethical Standards And Conduct | 3,039 | 13% |
Based on 23,012 job postings related to school psychologists, psychology was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 80% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for mental health, clinical psychology, psychotherapy, psychological evaluations and treatment planning were also highly sought.
As for common skills, research was the most desired skill found in job postings for school psychologists, followed by communication, management, writing, ethical standards and conduct and teaching.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Psychology | 18,479 | 80% |
| Mental Health | 7,525 | 33% |
| Clinical Psychology | 5,822 | 25% |
| Psychotherapy | 5,808 | 25% |
| Psychological Evaluations | 5,360 | 23% |
| Treatment Planning | 5,334 | 23% |
| Behavioral Health | 5,127 | 22% |
| School Psychology | 4,910 | 21% |
| Psychiatry | 4,529 | 20% |
| Crisis Intervention | 3,451 | 15% |
| Clinical Supervision | 2,643 | 11% |
| Clinical Research | 2,550 | 11% |
| Social Work | 2,351 | 10% |
| Primary Care | 2,318 | 10% |
| Mental Diseases | 2,216 | 10% |
| Program Development | 2,192 | 10% |
| Behavioral Medicine | 1,807 | 8% |
| Health Psychology | 1,797 | 8% |
| Family Therapy | 1,724 | 7% |
| American Psychological Style (APA) | 1,718 | 7% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Research | 6,355 | 28% |
| Communication | 5,522 | 24% |
| Management | 4,872 | 21% |
| Writing | 3,848 | 17% |
| Ethical Standards And Conduct | 3,039 | 13% |
| Teaching | 2,741 | 12% |
| English Language | 2,652 | 12% |
| Leadership | 2,610 | 11% |
| Planning | 2,135 | 9% |
| Teamwork | 1,780 | 8% |
| Coordinating | 1,764 | 8% |
| Problem Solving | 1,712 | 7% |
| Scheduling | 1,703 | 7% |
| Presentations | 1,522 | 7% |
| Report Writing | 1,439 | 6% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 1,316 | 6% |
| Operations | 1,096 | 5% |
| Written English | 1,089 | 5% |
| Customer Service | 1,082 | 5% |
| Time Management | 974 | 4% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about school psychologists? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for school psychologists.
What do school psychologists do?
How much do school psychologists make?
All Occupations
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has compiled data for dozens of in-demand jobs. Explore our full catalog of occupation data by visiting the link below.