Online Psychology Degrees

• Home
• online colleges
• psychology degrees

Online Psychology Degree

Many online schools offer psychology degrees to meet its varied uses. Psych majors apply their skills in counseling, business, research, marketing and forensics. If human behavior interests you, it may be a perfect time to earn a psychology degree online. 

A psychology degree studies behavior and the mental processes that mold the way we act. It does this through the lens of science, research and testing. You may find online psychology degrees at all levels. Bachelor’s, master’s and PhD. At each stage, you are likely to study psychology as an applied profession and science.  

Bachelor’s in psychology introduce you to the field. You often find out how the brain works and develops through the lifespan. Many programs also prep you to continue your education. Master’s in psychology probe further into theory and practice. Some programs help you prep for a doctorate. And others deepen your applied skills for use in a career. A PhD in psychology may prep you to teach, consult and research. There is also the PsyD if you want a psychologist license. Most clinical, counseling and research psychologists have one or the other. 

Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology

Many online schools offer either a BA or BS in psychology. A Bachelor of Arts (BA) often entails more classes in humanities. And a Bachelor of Science (BS), more in statistics and testing. The BA or BS in psych is an entry level degree. It often has one of two aims. One is to help you gain skills and insights about behavior. This might allow you to move into another area, say sales or marketing.  

Another use is to prep you to pursue a grad degree. Jobs in psych and counseling need one, if this is your goal. Classes in an online bachelor’s program frames key terms, ideas and theories. They also take you through biology, history and life span. To get into an online college’s psychology degree program you need a high school diploma. Or its equal. Other standards may vary and include GPA, ACT and SAT scores. 

Another thing that varies is tuition. The cost at a public school averages $6,904. But if you pursue your degree out of state, a private college costs about $30,132.  

Master’s Degree in Psychology

Online grad level psychology degree programs award Master of Arts (MA) and Science (MS) degrees. Both forms allow you to refine expertise and deepen into an area of interest. There’s no hard and fast rule, but an MS may stress research and behavior sciences. And an MA may lean towards liberal arts and literature review. The classes for MS and MA degrees are often alike too. Most programs discuss the motivators that underlie actions. As such, you may study brain chemistry, anatomy, ailments and also, abnormality. 

While you study psych as a science, you often gain quality research skills. Things like learning to conduct an experiment and writing up findings.  At this point, an MS and MA may differ. Some will be terminal and stand on their own programs. So, they often prep you to pursue a career when you graduate. Yet other programs may entail a thesis and a lot of research. This work is to prep you for the rigors of a PhD or PsyD. And may hone your grasp of theory and method.  

To gain entry into a master’s program you need a bachelor’s degree. You may also need to support this with other material. Like GRE scores, a certain GPA, CV, and strong references. One other thing that varies is the cost of a master’s degree. If you choose a public school with an online program, it may cost about $11,617. 

PhD in Psychology

If you aim to become a psychologist, you need a doctorate degree. Many online schools confer either a PhD in psych or PsyD, and both are the highest awards. PhD and Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) each have a distinct focus. For the PhD it is research and academia. And for the PsyD it is clinical practice. 

Many who pursue a PhD strive to teach, consult, research and publish. So even an online program may ask you to visit your campus. To student teach, test lab skills or work with a mentor. To personalize your studies further you can choose an anchor point. This becomes the focus of the research you do. And so, defines your dissertation.  

Online PsyD programs may be harder to find than PhDs. If you do, keep in mind these may be license tracks. So, make sure you look for APA accredited programs. You might enroll in a PhD program with a bachelor’s and / or master’s degree. And this often needs to be in psychology or a related area. Many online schools set other standards also. GPA ranges and GRE scores for example. Often you need strong references and a goals statement too. This is your chance to explain about the research you want to do. And, how your interests line up with the program.  

What can I do with an Online Psychology Degree?

A psych degree may be the gateway to a range of high paying jobs in fields with high growth. Some of these are in counseling and others, in emerging areas like market research. There are 2.54 million people in the workforce now who have a psych degree. Since the field is evolving, there may be jobs for all levels of education. And ones that tap into diverse interests.  

1. Psychologists 

The work of a psychologist is to study the brain, behavior, mental and social processes. They observe, record and asses these things to help people make better choices. To become a clinical, counseling or research psychologist you need two things. A doctorate degree and state license. Many people also choose a niche, and this may entail other credentials.  

2. Market Research Analysts 

Skilled in analysis, market researchers study buyer behavior and market conditions. They do this to assess the potential for products and services to sell. In doing so, their clients learn valuable things. Like what products people want. Who to target in an Ad campaign and what price to charge. If this area if of interest to you, you may want to study two main things. Marketing analytics and consumer psychology. You also need to earn at least a bachelor’s degree if not a master’s or MBA. 

3. Marriage and Family Therapists 

A marriage and family therapist (MFT) studies relationships and family systems. They often work with couples and families to help them manage or overcome issues. To become an MFT, you need two things. A master’s degree and a license to practice. You might earn a master’s degree in psych. Or, marriage and family therapy or mental health counseling.   

4. School and Career Counselors 

As a school counselor your role is to help students grow social and learning skills. Career counselors nurture people so they develop skills for a certain job. They also help students map studies to line up with a certain career choice. Most school counselors need a few credentials. One is a master’s degree in school counseling or a related field. The other, a state issued credential. Career counselors also need a master’s degree and may need a state license.  

5. I/O Psychologists  

Industrial organizational psychologists apply their skills to the work place. They do this to improve quality, performance and productivity. Other tasks involve planning policy, screening new hires and employee training. Many also coach execs and solve labor conflicts. If this interests you, you need a master’s degree in I/O. 

6. Psychology Professors and Researchers 

Most (55%) psychology professors have a doctorate, and 31% have post doctoral training. With their degree they often lead research and publish findings. Many also teach in colleges. 

Is a Degree in Psychology worth it?

Psychology majors may gain skills that transfer to in demand areas with above average earning potential. In fact, most psychologists earn $79,010 per year, and up to $129,250. Jobs for psychologists are among the fastest growing too. Veterans, people with autism, trauma and mental health issues need help. As such 14% more opportunities are on the horizon for 2028.  

You might instead want to parlay your psych degree into a counseling career. Many jobs in this field call for a master’s degree and feature high growth. Marriage and family therapists are one. Due to integrated care, the forecast is 22% more jobs by 2028. It’s a lower growth rate for school counselors. But this area is still growing at a faster than average clip of 8%. 

Not all people with a psych degree stay in counseling though. Studying how people think and act has uses in many other settings too. Like business coaching, advertising, marketing and criminal justice. To that end, if you can break down big data, you might seek a job in market research. The field expects 20% more jobs by 2028. It also reports annual average salaries of $63,120.  

Psychology Degree Jobs & Salary

Top States for Jobs as a Clinical Psychologist

What classes will I take with an Online Psychology Degree?

The classes you take for an online psych degree depend on a few things. One is the level of the degree. Another is any focal point you add to tailor your studies. At each level, you are likely to study human behavior from all sides. You may learn about thoughts, feelings, actions and how they impact us. Understanding the motivators that underlie behavior is another goal. This insight may help to address pressing social problems. And, is often an aspect of applied psych programs.  

Bachelor’s Degree Courses 

A bachelor’s program aims to teach you to the terms, theory, history and research. It often helps you understand major approaches. And you may do this in about 120 credits. As you study these areas, you also learn about life span. How the brain develops, for instance. And how we learn to think, act and feel. 

Studying normal growth, you may also learn about abnormal patterns. This may shed more light on how people react to diverse contexts. Plus, what social factors impact deviance. Another mainstay of psychology is research. Things like how to conduct a lab experiment and present data. These are also common topics.

Apart from your classes, you may need to complete a capstone. This might allow you to combine theory and practice. If you have any gen ed classes, you must satisfy those credits too. 

Graduate Degree Courses

An online Master of Psychology may provide a solid base in two key areas. Research methods and psychological principles. These key points may help you learn how to affect change in people and business. And may nurture skills in critical analysis. You may learn how to intervene and counsel others as well. Classes like this may help you observe and come up with a therapeutic plan. Another mainstay of your study plan is your area of focus. These may cover theories and methods as well as how to apply them in real life.

Most PhD course plans stress research. As such, you are likely to learn how to test a theory, gather data and present it. Most people earn a PhD in a certain area of psychology. Like forensics, education, health or neuroscience. So you can also expect to land on an anchor point for your research too. This area of interest impacts the other classes you take. To give you a general idea though, here are a few common topics of study at this level.

Note that you may need to put in some time for field work or write a thesis. Also remember you may need to take classes for your dissertation. These may help you gain skills as a writer, researcher and presenter.

8 Popular Psychology Concentrations 

At many online schools you can tailor your psych degree to line up with career goals. These are some of the popular anchor points in psych to give you an idea.  

1. Media Psychology 

A focus in media psych may prep you to pursue a career in TV, radio, movie studios and broadcasting. As you study these areas, you may learn to create effective educational materials for them.  

2. Psychology 

One goal of educational psych is to make learning more effective. As such you may look closely at how people learn. And, ways to optimize the process.  

3. Health Psychology 

The area of health psych is about promoting healthy minds and bodies. You may learn ways to help people cope with stress, stop smoking and eat well.   

4. Forensic Psychology 

This area studies issues about the law, criminal acts and psych. It may help you work with related issues such as how to assist victims. And may deepen your grasp of the legal system.  

5. Industrial Organizational Psychology 

I/O psychology focuses on using skills to work in enterprise. You often learn how to improve employee training and assess internal problems. Then craft solutions to better productivity and employee relations.  

6. Sport Psychology 

Central to sport psychology is the science behind success and failure. As such, you may study athletes, coaching and behavior. All with an eye on optimal performance.   

7. Positive Psychology  

This area studies positive emotions and traits to see how they form. You may also learn how to coach and counsel others to help them flourish. 

8. Counseling Psychology  

If you want to counsel groups or work one to one, counseling psych may be ideal. As a focus, it may help you learn how to assess and treat others using diverse methods. 

How long does it take to get a Psychology Degree online?

You may need four years to earn a psych degree online. Shorter programs are for those who study full time and bring in transfer credits and may take about two years. For a master’s degree, you may need upwards of one year. And, for a PhD or PsyD at least three. 

15 Online Psychology Degrees

Many online schools offer psych degrees. We have ranked our top 15 schools based on the number of graduates from the program in 2019. Our process looks at 2019 data from the NCES. And, it may help you narrow your search down.

1. University of Central Florida
2. Barclay College
3. Bemidji College
4. Park University
5. Washington State Global Campus
6. University of Pennsylvania
7. Touro University Worldwide
8. University of Georgia Online
9. Golden State University
10. University of Southern California Online
11. The Chicago Schools of Professional Psychology
12. Michigan State University
13. Walden University
14. Capella University
15. Arizona State University

FIND AN ONLINE PSYCHOLOGY DEGREE

Let’s take a closer look at the online psychology degrees that these 15 schools have to offer. 

*Unemployment Earnings.  Sources for school stats and data include the NCES and IPEDS.