Psychology Programs in Florida

According to the Florida Board of Psychology, to start a career as a psychologist, candidates in the state must complete a doctoral degree program in psychology and acquire a certain level of experience on the job.

Thankfully, several high-quality training programs operate this kind of training arrangement in Florida.

These institutions provide comprehensive technical training and opportunities for real-world experience, and they also help students prepare as thoroughly as possible for their upcoming licensure examinations.

The comprehensive list below outlines some of these programs and the institutions responsible for them. We also explain why they are among the best in the area and what students can expect once their admission is made official.

Top Psychology Schools in Florida

The following are among the top psychology universities and colleges in Florida.

Licensure & Certification

In Florida, psychologists must be licensed before they can start practicing professionally. They may work under a licensed psychologist to receive practical experience, which ultimately contributes to their earning their licenses.

The Florida Board of Psychology regulates licensure requirements in the state and currently outlines a doctoral degree in psychology as a basic educational requirement. This degree must be earned at an institution accredited by the American Psychological Association.

Furthermore, candidates must accumulate at least 4,000 hours of supervised experience, 2000 of which must come from an internship and 2,000 from postdoctoral supervised experience.

From there, candidates may go on to officially apply for a psychological license from the board. During this process, an official transcript from their training program must be sent to the board.

Candidates must pass the national licensure exam (known as the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology) and the state’s Department of Health Psychology examination.

Those with bachelor’s degrees should be able to start working as human resources specialists, rehabilitation counselors, and research assistants. Those with master’s degrees can also secure roles in school psychology and marriage and family therapy.

Salary & Career Outlook

Florida psychologists are among the highest-paid in the country. Once they have made it to the top, they can earn an annual average salary as high as $150,380.

Naturally, those just starting their careers can expect to start with something lower. Those who start in the bottom 10% take home an annual average salary of $79,222, while those who are among the midpoint earners in the state earn around $109,148 in average salary at the end of the year.

Location is a prominent factor influencing a psychologist’s salary in Florida. In Gainesville, these professionals earn the most in the state, with an annual average salary of $328,729. Other notable locations include Boca Raton, where psychologists earn an annual average salary of $175,563, and Pensacola, with an annual average salary of $120,490.

Jacksonville and Tampa are also on the list, with annual average salaries of $112,127 and $111,880, respectively.

Job Outlook

The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a 6% increase in demand for psychologists nationwide. Florida is among the leading states where demand is expected to keep increasing from 2022 to 2032.

This will see at least 12,800 new job openings for psychologists per year.

Some factors responsible for the openings include replacing existing workers, demanding psychological services in schools and hospitals, and an aging population.