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How to Become A School Psychologist (2026)
Key takeaway: School Psychologists are the occupation this educational psychology guide treats as the primary outcome. The national median annual wage was $95,990, with the 10th percentile at $63,070 and the 90th at $142,330 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS). Employment was 67,200 in 2024, projected to grow 0.7 percent through 2034, with 3,800 openings per year (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-2034). Individual outcomes vary. IPEDS 2024 shows this CIP is overwhelmingly a graduate field. A bachelor's with this title is rare. If you need to work as a school psychologist, you want a specialist-level (EdS) or doctoral program with NASP approval and a supervised internship, not a general MA in educational psychology.
The BLS occupation used on this page is School Psychologists (SOC 19-3034). Job ads use other titles. Read the duties.
Step-by-step: how to become a school psychologist
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Confirm the occupation, not the vibe. Read a handful of live postings and match duties to school psychologists, not to the degree title.
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Check the real gate. NASP approves specialist-level school psychology programs. APA accredits doctoral psychology programs. A master’s in educational psychology that is not a specialist-level school psychology program will not make you eligible for school psychologist credentialing in most states. Read the catalog title, not the department name.
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Pick the degree level that the postings actually ask for. Compare the bachelor’s and master’s pages. In IPEDS 2024, 88 institutions reported bachelor’s-or-higher completions in the CIP codes used for this guide, and 87 of those institutions reported offering distance-education programs (IPEDS 2024).
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Build the portfolio, hours, clearance, or license the job uses. It does not license you as a therapist. Compare counseling and psychology for clinical paths. It does not, by itself, credential you as a school psychologist.
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Use the wage range, not the median, when you decide. The 10th percentile is $63,070 and the 90th is $142,330 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025 OEWS). Geography and employer type move this number more than the brand on the diploma.
View the data behind this chart
| Percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $63,070 |
| 25th percentile | $77,470 |
| Median | $95,990 |
| 75th percentile | $120,310 |
| 90th percentile | $142,330 |
See all careers for a educational psychology degree.
Data verified: September 7, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.
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