How to Become a Psychologist in Arizona
The “Grand Canyon State” is a wonderful place for young individuals to train and practice as psychologists. The largest sectors in the state are healthcare, transportation, and government, and psychology is a flourishing industry. The Arizona Commerce Authority expects the clinical and counseling psychology sector to grow 2.4% through the year 2031. This is fantastic news for future psychologists because increased demand leads to increased opportunities and salary offerings.
Before a person can become a psychologist within the state of Arizona, they must meet the strict requirements set forth by the state. This is to ensure the health and well-being of the patients being treated and ensure that they are given access only to highly qualified psychologists.
Education Requirements for Psychologist Licensing in Arizona
State law requires that all future psychologists earn a Doctorate’s degree in the field of psychology. The Arizona Board of Psychologist Examiners accepts schools or institutions that are approved by the American Psychological Association, but they have a list of core program requirements that must be met if the student attends a school that is not approved by the APA.
Students must also complete an internship that consists of at least 1500 hours, which will give them some of the required experience they need in order to be a qualified and competent psychologist.
Supervised Professional Experience Requirements for a Psychologist in Arizona
The state of Arizona requires that individuals complete at least 1500 hours of supervised professional experience before being issued a license. The board may require that individuals submit the Postdoctoral Professional Psychology Experience Verification form directly to the board after completing the experience required. With the supervised experience and the internship, individuals must have completed 3,000 hours of supervised professional experience in total.
Examination for the Psychologist License in Arizona
Arizona follows most other states in accepting passing scores from the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP), administered by the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB). The test is given via computer at Prometric Testing Centers within the state of Arizona. Applicants who are approved to take the examination by the Arizona Board of Psychologist Examiners will receive a packet in the mail regarding the examination and will provide the fee directly to the Professional Examination Service.
Note: To find out more about becoming a psychologist in the state of Arizona, please visit the Arizona Board of Psychologist Examiners.
Psychologist Career Outlook in Arizona
Within the state of Arizona in May of 2022, there were 1,910 clinical, counseling, school, and other types of psychologists employed, reports the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Future psychologists in the state will be happy to know that average salaries for these professionals ranged from $78,830 to $100,650 depending on specialty. Although this is slightly lower than the national average for this profession, this is still considered a high-quality salary.
Find information regarding tuition, financial aid, enrollment dates and curriculum by requesting information from the programs below:
Additional Psychology Resources for Arizona:
- Arizona Counselor Licensing
- Arizona Social Work Licensing
- Arizona Marriage and Family Therapist Licensing
- Explore Additional Psychologist Careers
2022 US Bureau of Labor Statistics and Arizona Commerce Authority job market trends and salary figures for clinical and counseling psychologists, school psychologists, and psychologists (all other) are based on national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed July 2023.
