Why This Matters

  • THERE ARE 138K MORE JOBS EXPECTED BY 2026

    Job prospects are best for psychology majors with an interest in market research and analysis. Projected job growth for this field is 23% – much faster than the national average for all other occupations.

  • PSYCHOLOGIST JOBS WILL INCREASE BY 14%

    Thanks to greater demand for psychological services in a range of industries, the U.S. expects to add 23,000 clinical, school, counseling, and industrial/organizational psychologist jobs by 2026.

  • CAREERS AVAILABLE IN 11 DIFFERENT FIELDS

    Individuals with advanced degrees in psychology can go on to work in fields as diverse as healthcare, education, law, human resources, public relations, communications, and more.

Our Research

Because of the field’s versatility and reach, many schools offer master’s degrees in psychology. When evaluating programs for this list, we narrowed down the selections by only considered programs that are offered fully online. This ensures maximum flexibility for students who work or have other time or location restrictions. We also only reviewed programs at regionally accredited institutions, and eliminated any programs that are at for-profit colleges.

Once we selected programs at regionally accredited, not-for-profit schools, we did a thorough assessment of their reputation in the field, post-graduate job placement ratings, course strength, faculty, and flexibility. Using this information, we calculated the Intelligent Score of each degree on a scale from 0 to 100. Our top picks for the best online master’s degrees in psychology are affordable, respected, and flexible.(For a more extensive explanation, check out Our Ranking Methodology.)

  • 58 hours to write this article
  • 144 universities and colleges we assessed
  • 292 education programs we compared

The Top 33 Online Master’s Degree in Psychology

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What You Should Know About This Degree

Psychology is one of many social sciences rooted in exploring and understanding human behavior and helping others. While there are overlapping responsibilities between psychologists and social workers, mental health counselors, and therapists, psychology is its own distinct field. Psychologists can specialize in clinical, industrial/organizational, forensic, developmental or sports psychology, to name a few. At this stage, you should clarify what your career goals are, and decide if psychology, versus another related degree, is right for you.

Licensure is required for most types of psychologists to ensure that professionals are qualified to provide responsible mental health care. Each state sets its own licensure requirements and processes, and your ability to become licensed may be affected by the master’s program you attend. It’s very important to think about what state(s) you may want to be licensed in, and research their licensure requirements.

Also note that a master’s degree in psychology is not a terminal degree. Depending on your career goals, you may need to continue to a Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) or Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Psychology program, which can mean committing more time and money to your education. When considering career paths, keep in mind there are many good psychology-related jobs that only require a master’s degree.

What’s Next?

Here are some questions to ask when researching M.Psych programs:

  • Do I meet the admissions criteria? While most programs accept students from all educational and professional backgrounds, some programs require students to have previous coursework in psychology, taken either as part of an undergraduate degree, or independently prior to enrollment. Confirm prerequisites and how to complete them before applying.
  • Does this program offer the concentration I want? As an incredibly broad field, there are many different psychology concentrations available. However, not all programs offer these specializations. If there is a specific area of psychology you want to study, make sure the program you’re exploring offers coursework or a concentration in it.

Once you have identified the programs that interest you, research their application deadlines, processes and requirements, including work experience and standardized tests. This information is typically available on the program’s webpage; you can also contact the program directly if you have questions.

Funding your graduate education is another important consideration. Ask the schools you are applying to about scholarship and financial aid opportunities and deadlines. If you are currently employed, check with your employer to see if tuition remission/reimbursement benefits are available.