Best Online Master’s in Psychology

Find top-ranked online master’s in psychology degree programs for students wanting to qualify for positions like clinical manager, school counselor, educational program manager, and behavior analyst.

Featured Programs

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Top 10 Online Master's in Psychology Degrees

University of Southern California
Naropa University
William James College
Adler University
Nova Southeastern University
Roosevelt University
University of Idaho
Prescott College
National Louis University
Webster University

University of Southern California
University of Idaho
Naropa University
Liberty University
Roosevelt University
Webster University
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
Nova Southeastern University
College of Saint Rose
Southern New Hampshire University

Naropa University 100%
Southern New Hampshire University 100%
Liberty University 99%
University of the Incarnate Word 98%
West Liberty University 97%
Roosevelt University 97%
Troy University 96%
University of Houston–Victoria 96%
National Louis University 95%
Prescott College 95%

Purdue University Global 25 to 1
Southern New Hampshire University 24 to 1
California Baptist University 20 to 1
Regent University 20 to 1
Saint Leo University 20 to 1
Fayetteville State University 19 to 1
Cameron University 18 to 1
Angelo State University 18 to 1
Liberty University 18 to 1
Nova Southeastern University 17 to 1

University of Southern California $75,162
Lynn University $46,450
Saint Peter's University $43,170
California Baptist University $42,788
Nova Southeastern University $40,360
University of the Incarnate Word $38,650
LeTourneau University $38,290
Naropa University $37,700
Fisher College $36,724
College of Saint Rose $36,122

University of Southern California $66,640
Adler University $44,030
A.T. Still University $38,325
William James College $37,350
Fisher College $27,342
Medaille University $23,031
Nova Southeastern University $22,890
Roosevelt University $22,764
Naropa University $22,250
University of the Incarnate Word $19,800

Cardinal Stritch University
LeTourneau University
Brescia University
Fayetteville State University
Angelo State University
Southwestern Assemblies of God University
Saint Peter's University
Life University
Purdue University Global
PennWest Edinboro

Medaille University
PennWest Edinboro
University of Houston–Victoria
Life University
Brescia University
Amberton University
William James College
University of West Alabama
Adler University
Fisher College

University of Southern California 10%
Brescia University 35%
LeTourneau University 38%
Regent University 38%
University of West Alabama 43%
Medaille University 69%
Fisher College 71%
Nova Southeastern University 73%
College of Saint Rose 73%
Lynn University 73%

Adler University 1 to 1
William James College 4 to 1
Cardinal Stritch University 7 to 1
Brescia University 8 to 1
Amberton University 9 to 1
Naropa University 9 to 1
University of Southern California 9 to 1
Prescott College 9 to 1
Roosevelt University 11 to 1
Saint Peter's University 11 to 1

Fayetteville State University $4,412
Cameron University $7,095
University of Houston–Victoria $7,149
Angelo State University $8,460
West Liberty University $8,890
Amberton University $9,000
University of Idaho $9,400
William James College $10,000
Purdue University Global $10,095
Troy University $10,704

Fayetteville State University $3,438
Cameron University $3,888
Angelo State University $4,181
University of Houston–Victoria $6,618
University of West Alabama $6,678
Amberton University $7,200
Liberty University $7,740
University of Idaho $8,272
Southwestern Assemblies of God University $8,280
Troy University $8,550

Table of Contents

Frequently Asked Questions About Psychology Degrees

Students looking to gain the credentials needed for clinical counseling positions can earn their master’s in psychology. Online and on-campus programs prepare students in a number of concentrations, including clinical psychology, educational psychology, applied behavior analysis, and digital psychology.

About 30 to 45 credits are required, which typically takes two to three years to complete, though some programs offer accelerated tracks.

Students will typically take classes on psychopathology, experimental design and analysis of variance, and theories of counseling. Programs also require clinical and licensure hours that are usually built into the final credit load.

After graduation, some students will sit for licensure exams and apply for positions like clinical manager, school counselor, educational program manager, and behavior analyst.

Learn more about what you can do with a master’s in psychology.

How do we determine the best online psychology master's degree programs?

Methodology

Pursuing your degree online doesn’t mean you need to settle for an inferior school. Today, most universities and colleges offer online degrees, and many respected schools are seeing significant growth in their numbers of online students.

The people affiliated with a school are ultimately what make it great. This is why influence — i.e., the academic impact of faculty and alumni associated with a school — gets at the heart of what is truly best in education. The combined influence score of a college or university’s top academic influencers is the best indicator of academic excellence. For our online degree rankings, we focus on the academic influence of faculty and alumni in the specific disciplines we’re ranking.

If you are serious about finding the best online colleges, you should be asking where the most influential professors are teaching, and whether their graduates themselves are advancing the school’s reputation for academic excellence. Most ranking sites rely on an opaque combination of reputation surveys and arbitrary performance metrics. Influence, as measured by our InfluenceRanking engine, provides a ranking that is free from bias, insulated from manipulation, and reflective of real-world educational outcomes.

Best Online Master’s Psychology Degree Programs

Online Degree Frequently Asked Questions

If this is your first time taking an online course, the experience may require some adjustment. While you’ll generally learn the same content and take the same exams as your on-campus peers, the medium will likely require you to manage much of this experience independently. You’ll be accountable for your own time management, your ability to harness the technology at your fingertips, and your ability to focus on the lectures, lessons, and assignments at hand. This means you’ll need to create a suitable workspace for yourself, maintain a realistic schedule, and take it upon yourself to build relationships with your instructors and classmates. With online college, your goal is to find a balance between independence and engagement.

No. The only part of online education that’s easier is actually getting there. Taking the commute out of the equation means getting to class should be a lot more manageable. But that’s where it ends. In general, your online courses will incorporate the very same materials, concepts, and testing methods as would a traditional classroom.

And in many cases, you’ll even have the same instructors as your on-campus counterparts. In fact, if you are adjusting to the experience of independent learning or working with remote learning technology for the first time, online college may even be a little more challenging for you. For a few insights on how to manage this new experience, check out our 10 Tips for Adjusting to School Online.

Accreditation is especially important when it comes to online college. This is because the online education landscape is a mix of highly-reputable institutions and less-than-reputable for-profit schools. Accreditation gives you the power to differentiate between the two. Accreditation is a stamp of approval from an independent accrediting agency which indicates that a college or university is meeting standards of quality, credibility, and currency. School-wide accreditation falls into two major categories: regional and national accreditation. Regional accreditors generally hold jurisdiction only over schools in the states comprising their region, whereas national accreditors hold jurisdiction over schools in all states. Regional accreditation is widely regarded as a more rigorous standard of quality and credibility than national accreditation.

Attending a college or university which is not regionally accredited could limit your opportunities. When seeking an online education, we strongly recommend that students opt for regionally accredited schools. Regional accreditation ensures eligibility for federal loans and grants, ensures your college credits can be transferred between schools, and ensures that your degree credits can be accepted if you wish to earn an advanced degree.

As long as your online college degree is regionally accredited, you should have little difficulty transferring most of your credits or credentials to another regionally accredited undergraduate school. Every school carries its own standards and procedures for granting a transfer. In many cases, you will be required to navigate a bureaucracy in which some of your credits will be transferred and others will be jettisoned. However, provided that you have attended an online school with the proper regional accreditation, you should have plenty of options for transfer.

In most cases, as long you graduate from a well-regarded, regionally-accredited online college, prospective employers won’t look sideways at your degree. In fact, unless you attend an exclusively online college or university, there will likely be no specific indicator on your degree, transcript or resume differentiating your school from its brick-and-mortar counterpart. This means that your employer will likely only differentiate between an online and in-person degree if you mention this distinction.

While some employers may express concern about making the adjustment from online education to in-person workplace collaboration, many other employers will view your online degree as evidence of valuable 21st Century professional skills such as independence, self-motivation, time management, and tech savvy.

If you are a student who thrives on the dynamic energy of in-person discussion, who requires the physical surroundings of a classroom to feel engaged, or who considers the social aspects of education to be of equal importance to the actual content of your courses, online education will require some adjustment.

While there is much that can be supplanted or simulated through the online medium, some students may find that there is nothing which can replace the conversation, collaboration, and motivation that occur in an actual classroom setting. As you make the adjustment to online education, one of the biggest challenges you will likely face is overcoming this difference in order to the get the most out of your classes. Fortunately, we’ve got some great Tips for Online Education Beginners.

The advantages of online classes are many. First and foremost, online courses give you the freedom and flexibility to attend class from anywhere that works for you, whether you’re at home, in a coffee shop, or in a quiet conference room at work. In many cases, you’ll also enjoy the convenience of asynchronous learning opportunities-educational experiences that you can complete on your own schedule. This may include pre-taped lectures, ongoing chat-board discussions, and 24/7 access to digital materials. And of course, just as there are some learners who prefer the energy of a live classroom, there are those who learn best when working in their own personal space, free from distractions. If this sounds like you, you might find the solitude of online learning to be a major advantage.

Whether you’re just getting started on your college search, you’re looking for survival tips on your way to a bachelor’s degree, or you’re preparing for the transition into grad school, we’ve got guides, how to’s and tons of other valuable resources to keep you moving forward in your educational journey.

#16 Best Online Master's Programs in New York 2026

Online Degrees

MS in Educational Psychology

Required Credits: 30
Completion time: 2-3 years
Format: Online

Best Online Master’s in Psychology

Featured Programs

Will have to rework this ranking. It doesn’t seem right at all.

Top 10 Online Master's in Psychology Degrees

Frequently Asked Questions About Psychology Degrees

Why get a master’s in psychology?

How long does it take to get a master’s in psychology?

What kinds of classes are needed to get a master’s in psychololgy?

What can you do with a master’s in psychology?

Best Online Master’s Psychology Degree Programs

Career Outlook for Psychology degree at University of Southern California

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Psychology degree at Naropa University

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Concentrations

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Career Outlook for Psychology degree at Nova Southeastern University

Online Degrees

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Career Outlook for Psychology degree at Roosevelt University

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Psychology degree at University of Idaho

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Career Outlook for Psychology degree at Prescott College

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Psychology degree at National Louis University

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Psychology degree at Webster University

Online Degrees

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Career Outlook for Psychology degree at Southern New Hampshire University

Online Degrees

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Career Outlook for Psychology degree at Liberty University

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Psychology degree at Regent University

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Career Outlook for Psychology degree at Eastern Kentucky University

Online Degrees

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Career Outlook for Psychology degree at California Baptist University

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Psychology degree at Cameron University

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Career Outlook for Psychology degree at Troy University

Online Degrees

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Career Outlook for Psychology degree at University of Massachusetts Dartmouth

Online Degrees

Online Degrees

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Career Outlook for Psychology degree at University of West Alabama

Online Degrees

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Career Outlook for Psychology degree at Saint Leo University

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Psychology degree at Fisher College

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Career Outlook for Psychology degree at West Liberty University

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Career Outlook for Psychology degree at Lynn University

Online Degrees

Concentrations

Online Degree Frequently Asked Questions

What can I expect from an online college course?+

Is online college easier?+

Why does accreditation matter in online college?+

Will I be able to transfer my online college degree?+

Will employers respect my online degree?+

What are the disadvantages of online classes?+

What are the advantages of online classes?+

Resources for Prospective Grad Students

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Psychology degree at University of the Incarnate Word

Online Degrees

Concentrations