How to Become a Psychologist in Mississippi
The state of Mississippi has a decent job market for psychologists. If you’re planning to learn and practice psychology in the state, you’ll be offered competitive pay and have a lot of opportunities available to you. The Mississippi Department of Employment Security estimates that psychology jobs will grow 17.2% through the year 2030.
Before you can practice psychology in the state of Mississippi, you will need to complete several educational, experience and examination requirements. The purpose of these requirements is to ensure that individuals are prepared to become psychologists and to handle the responsibility of the job. The state of Mississippi wants to ensure that licensed psychologists are properly qualified, hence the strict set of requirements.
Education Requirements for Psychologist Licensing in Mississippi
The first step to earning a psychology license in the state of Mississippi is to graduate from a doctoral program in psychology. The program should be accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the US Department of Education or authorized by Provincial Statute or Royal Charger to grand doctoral degrees. The only exception to the doctoral rule is if you plan to pursue a career in school psychology. These professionals need only graduate a NASP-approved specialist program and then fulfill the remainder of the requirements of the state of Mississippi.
A doctoral program will typically take an additional 2 to 4 years to complete, depending upon your current educational background and the program you choose. Many programs include internships or supervised residencies that allow you to earn experience that can be pulled on throughout your career as a psychologist. Read more about MS psychology degrees with our in depth outlook.
Supervised Professional Experience Requirements for a Psychologist
Another requirement of the state of Mississippi is that you gain some supervised professional experience before you’re granted a license to practice psychology. You will need to gather at least 2 years of experience, or 4,000 hours (2,000 hours per year). The experience can include direct service, training and supervisory time, and one of those years may be an internship that you take part in during your doctoral program. However, the remainder of the experience must be gained post-doctorally.
Note: To learn more about how to earn a psychology license in the state of Mississippi, please visit the Mississippi Psychology Board.
Examinations for the Psychologist License in Mississippi
Like most other states, Mississippi requires that you pass the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP) before being issued a license. This is the required test for most state psychology boards, and it consists of 225 multiple-choice questions covering a variety of topics. It is given at various locations throughout the country, and you must obtain board approval before sitting for the examination.
Psychology Career Outlook in Mississippi
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that there are approximately 450 clinical, counseling, school, and various types of other types of psychologists in the state of Mississippi. They earn an annual average wage between $61,460 and $76,460 depending on specialty.
Find information regarding tuition, financial aid, enrollment dates, and curriculum by requesting information from the programs below:
Additional Psychology Resources for Mississippi:
- Mississippi Counselor Licensing
- Mississippi Social Work Licensing
- Mississippi Marriage and Family Therapist Licensing
- Explore Additional Psychologist Careers
2022 US Bureau of Labor Statistics and Mississippi Department of Employment Statistics 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 August 2023.
