Dedicate your life to helping the next generation with one of the best child psychology degrees.
You probably don’t need statistics or research to understand that our childhood and adolescence are in the most volatile times in our lives. Think puberty, transitions, family conflict: Navigating our younger years can be challenging at best and miserable at worst.
Thankfully, child psychologists have come to the rescue. And if you want to join the rescue team, consider one of the 5 Best Masters in Child Psychology.
Child psychology is built on the same foundation as general psychology. There is a focus, though, on our adolescent development. How do children develop emotionally and mentally? What are the best ways to handle emotional and physical trauma? What are the ethical rules and nuanced practices that child psychologists must follow? These are some of the critical questions that child and adolescent psychologists try to answer.
This ranking will focus on the nature of:
- The program outcomes of master’s in child psychology degrees
- Career opportunities for child psychologists
- Salary potential for child psychologists
- The five best master’s degrees in the field of child psychology
What Are the Best Masters in Child Psychology Degrees?
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University of Washington-Seattle Campus
A beautiful campus, a better location, and one of the best public universities in America: There’s little not to like about the University of Washington. The same thing applies to the school’s Master of Arts in applied child and adolescent psychology: prevention and treatment program.
Students at the University of Washington:
- Learn from excellent professors
- Conduct cutting-edge research
- Make relationships that last forever
Some notable courses in the child psychology master’s degree program are:
- Principles of Assessment and Behavior Change
- Developmental Psychology
- Counseling Skills With Individuals and Families
- Social and Emotional Development
- Child and Adolescent Psychopathology: Assessment and Diagnosis
These courses will challenge you, update you on the latest practices in the field, and teach you about the foundations of the child development profession.
Are you interested in applying? If so, you’ll need:
- An undergraduate degree with a 3.0 or higher GPA, preferably in a closely related field
- Experience working with children
- A successful background check
- Three letters of recommendation
- A purpose statement
- Unofficial transcripts
- A resume
GRE scores are accepted but not required.
Florida State University
Are you as interested in human services as in becoming a child psychologist? If so, consider Florida State University’s master’s degree in family and child sciences. Rather than looking only at psychology practices and the psychologist-patient relationship, this psychology program puts more weight on action in human services, which include:
- Businesses
- Educational institutions
- Public agencies
Some core courses that Florida State University students in this master’s degree program include:
- Advanced Child Development
- Theories of Child Development
- Grant Writing in FCS
- Families in Crisis
- Developmental Psychology
- College Teaching in Family Sciences
Some students choose to write a thesis; those who don’t write a thesis focus more on instructing courses in the field.
This master’s degree in child psychology is an excellent choice for people who are torn between psychology and human services. With this degree, you can work in human services and still advance to a Ph.D. or Psy.D. doctoral degree in psychology. If you find that family and child sciences is the right profession for you, you can choose to enroll in FSU’s dual M.S.-to-Ph.D. option.
University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus
The University of Pittsburgh is a fantastic school. From an urban setting to an excellent on-campus life to some of the best academic programs in the world, students from near and far flock to Pitt. The university offers an excellent Master of Science in applied developmental psychology program, which is a two-year and 36-credit program.
Students in this program can choose concentrations in:
- Applied Research Methods for Child and Youth-serving Organizations
- Behavioral Health in Schools and Communities
- Children with Special Healthcare Needs
- Infant Mental Health
- Child Development
Some courses that all students must take are:
- Development: Conception Through Early Childhood
- Evidence-Based Interactions in Real-World Contexts
- Applied Developmental Psychology: Professional Identity and Leadership
- Human Development
- Developmental Psychology
To gain admission to this psychology program, you must have a 3.0 GPA from an accredited undergraduate institution. You don’t need to have majored in a specific field, but you do need to have completed prerequisite coursework in research methods and developmental psychology to gain admittance to this program. Finally, you should have experience working with children.
Montclair State University
Montclair State University offers an outstanding Master of Arts program in clinical psychology with an adolescent psychology concentration. This option is ideal for those who are sure they want to become psychologists but want to gain academic and real-world experience before beginning postgraduate school.
This psychology program is relatively affordable, and students who graduate from this school consistently find jobs and placements in the nation’s best postgraduate programs. Some courses that you can expect to take in this program are:
- Family Systems and Therapy
- Evidence-Based Psychological Interventions
- Multicultural Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
- Adolescent Development
- Cognitive Assessment
These classes range from general psychology courses that focus on theory to cutting-edge courses that detail best practices.
Montclair State University prefers admitting students with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. If that isn’t you, you may still gain admission as long as you have twelve undergraduate credits in psychology. If you still don’t meet those requirements, Montclair may still accept you, but you’ll have to complete prerequisite courses at the school.
The school requires students to have:
- A 2.7 or higher GPA
- GRE scores
- A personal statement
- Two letters of recommendation
- An admissions interview
Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University may be the most reputable university on this list. Vanderbilt alumni include:
- 53 current and former members of the United States Congress
- 18 U.S. Ambassadors
- 14 governors
- Ten billionaires
- Seven Nobel Prize laureates
- Two Vice Presidents of the United States
- Two U.S. Supreme Court Justices
Looking at these statistics, you can trust that Vanderbilt University’s Master of Education program in child studies will suit your needs.
Students in this child development program choose between a clinical and developmental research track or an applied professional track. Some courses in the former option are:
- Advanced Applied Child Studies
- Developmental Research Methods
- Statistical Inference
Some courses in the latter option are:
- Applied Child Studies
- Seminar in Social and Personality Development
- Child Development Practicum
Students can choose a concentration within their track. Some concentration options for the clinical and developmental research track are:
- Clinical Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
- Educational Psychology
Students in the applied professional track can concentrate in:
- Child and Family Services
- Gifted Education
- Educational Program Development
Frequently Asked Questions
Child psychology is a worthwhile masters to complete for many reasons. On the one hand, child psychology is a highly rewarding career that allows you to help children navigate life’s difficulties and emerge stronger people. On the other hand, a masters degree provides many avenues for building a career, be that in an educational, institutional, or community mental health setting. Furthermore, the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that the child psychology field will grow at a six percent rate in the coming years, which is faster than average. This means you’re likely to have more jobs to choose from when you graduate from your degree program.
The cost of a masters degree in child psychology varies greatly. The Education Data Initiative notes that the average Master of Arts degree costs nearly $79,000. The average Master of Science is $67,590. But you can expect to spend an average of $54,000 to $73,000 completing your program. The amount you pay depends on many different things, though: the length of program, the school you attend, the amount of financial aid you receive, and whether you get your degree in person or online.
Masters degrees in child psychology focus on the foundations, practices, and ethics of child and adolescent psychology. They take numerous forms, including Master of Arts, Master of Science, and Master of Education. You’ll take courses like Approaches to Child and Adolescent Treatment, Developmental Psychology, and Understanding Child Development. You’ll also gain therapeutic skills and practical skills that allow you to assess and diagnose mental disorders in children. Masters programs in this field have experiential components like practicum and internship opportunities as well.
A masters in child psychology can take anywhere from 18 months to three years to complete, depending on the program requirements. Shorter programs, like those requiring 30-36 credits, can be completed in about 18 months to two years, while longer programs, such as those requiring 46-50 or more credits, usually require two to three years to complete. The length of the program depends on if it’s a licensure or non-licensure track.
Admission requirements vary depending on the school; however, many require at least the following:
• A 3.0 or higher GPA in your undergraduate work
• Three letters of recommendation
• Official transcripts
• A well-written personal statement
Most child psychologists have a bachelor’s in general psychology, though undergraduate degrees in human development, education, social work, and other related areas are perfectly fine. A child psychology program at the graduate level is the most pertinent to working in this field. Usually, graduate-level degrees in child psychology are clinical in nature, with a specialization in child psychology, child and adolescent psychology, or child psychology and development. Most states require a Ph.D. or PsyD to practice as a licensed psychologist, so plan on getting a doctorate in child psychology or a related field, too.
A doctorate is the highest degree you can earn in child psychology. Doctorates come in two forms. A Ph.D. in child psychology focuses more on academic and research applications. A PsyD is preparatory for practicing as a child psychologist in a clinical setting.
The Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is not required for all masters in psychology programs. Increasingly, graduate schools are making GRE scores optional or dropping the GRE requirement altogether. Confirm with the child psychology programs you’re interested in regarding their individual GRE requirements.
Based on our evaluation, the University of Washington’s Master of Arts in Applied Child and Adolescent Psychology: Prevention and Treatment Program is the top child psychology graduate degree in the nation. The program is well-respected and the University of Washington is one of the best public colleges in the U.S.
Graduates of child psychology masters programs often work in mental health settings as counselors (many states accept a masters in child psychology as part of the masters-level licensure or certification process as a licensed professional counselor). This might be in a community mental health center, a non-profit mental health agency, or a residential mental health facility. Other career options might include the following:
• Behavior Interventionist
• Recreation Therapist
• Psychology Researcher
• Guidance Counselor
• Mental Health Coordinator
According to ZipRecruiter, the average pay for child psychologists in the United States is $98,633. The pay range for child psychologists is very wide, though. The lowest-paid workers in this field make around $59,000 per year while the highest earners make $135,000 or more per year.
You can make six figures with a masters in child psychology. You can increase your chances of commanding a six-figure income by getting a graduate degree that leads to licensure or certification. Gaining specialized professional certifications also helps. Experience is key, too – the more experience you have, the higher the hourly fee you can charge to your clients. Other ideas for maximizing your income as a psychologist include the following:
• Working in private practice
• Taking on additional responsibilities (e.g., providing consulting services in addition to psychological treatments)
• Offering in-person and online services
• Creating books and other materials for sale
• Monetizing a psychology-focused blog or YouTube channel
Related Reading
- Best Mental Health Counseling Graduate Programs
- Top Doctorates in Psychology Online
- Online Doctorates in Behavioral Psychology