Ohio Psychology Licensure Requirements
If you want to practice psychology within the state of Ohio, you must apply for licensure through the Ohio Board of Psychology (the Board). Requirements for approval include the completion of specific education and practical experience, as well as national and state examinations and an online application with required accompanying documentation. This guide is meant to clarify the lengthy and somewhat complex process, so there are no surprises on your journey to successfully enter the psychology profession.
Table of Contents
- How to Become a Licensed Psychologist
- Licensure by Reciprocity
- License Renewal and Continuing Education
- Related Licenses
- Jobs and Salary Information
- Additional Resources
- Frequently Asked Questions
How to Become a Psychologist in Ohio
1. Earn a bachelor’s degree and (optionally) a master’s degree in psychology.
A bachelor’s degree, whether in psychology or a different field, is a required first step towards your goal of becoming a licensed psychologist within the state of Ohio. Psychology bachelor’s degrees generally entail four years of full-time study for successful completion of approximately 120 semester credits.
Following graduation from an undergraduate program, you may decide to pursue a master’s degree, either in psychology or another area, preferably related to psychology. Note that if your undergraduate degree was not in psychology, you may have to complete additional prerequisites before being admitted to a graduate program. Master’s programs range from two to three years in length, depending on the options available at your institution of learning. Total credits needed for master’s in psychology programs tend to require between 30 to 40 credit hours. An additional option available to candidates is to skip the traditional stand-alone master’s and complete a doctoral program during which you will earn your master’s as part of your thesis. If you are interested in becoming a school psychologist in Ohio, a master’s degree in school psychology is the minimum educational requirement.
2. Earn a doctoral degree in psychology.
Graduation from a doctorate program in psychology with a Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) or Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in psychology degree from an accredited institution is required to practice as a psychologist in Ohio. If you aren’t sure which of these doctoral degrees to pursue, you can read more on our home page. Most doctoral psychology programs take at least four years to complete, and many require up to seven years.
In Ohio, the program should be regionally-accredited and approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) or the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA), ), or listed by the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB)/National Register (NR) of Health Service Psychologists. However, a similar program pursued at an accredited institution may still result in licensure with Board approval as long as specific professional experience requirements are met. Applicants seeking clinical psychology licensure in Ohio must have accrued between 1,500 and 2,000 hours of predoctoral study as part of their supervised professional experience required for licensure.
For a list of doctoral programs available in Ohio state, reference our Psychology Schools in Ohio page.
3. Gain supervised professional experience in your area of training.
Candidates must complete two years, or 3,600 hours, of total supervised experience, including the approved predoctoral internship. Specific experience requirements depend on the type of doctoral program that is pursued. Those who attend an accredited institution but whose doctoral program is not properly accredited by the APA or CPA or does not meet ASPPB/NR standards must complete an additional year of experience of at least 1,800 hours after finishing their degree. 1,500 hours of each year of training experience must be in a trainee’s area of expertise and include 375 annual hours of direct client contact. Supervision should be face-to-face for at least five percent of weekly contact with clients.
Those who graduate from APA- or CPA-accredited or ASPPB/NR-approved doctoral programs in psychology may use a combination of approved predoctoral, post-internship, and postdoctoral hours to meet the overall 3,600-hour requirement. These candidates may, therefore, need less than an additional year of postdoctoral experience to reach the total hour requirements. The predoctoral internships must measure between 1,500 and 2,000 hours of training over 12 months to two years. At least a quarter of the internship should be face-to-face contact with patients and one of every 20 hours must occur under direct supervision.
4. Pass the Ohio psychology licensing exams.
To take the national Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP) in the state of Ohio, you must first submit an application verifying that you have earned an acceptable doctoral degree. The Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB) will verify your eligibility and contact you accordingly. Passing scores required for psychology licensure for the computer-based EPPP exam must be 500 or above. After the exam is complete, scores will be verified by the Board. You can practice using the EPPP practice exam provided by the ASPPB.
Ohio also requires candidates to take an additional oral-based jurisprudence examination covering core standards, rules, and ethics in the psychology field. Five questions, with the option of two alternatives, must be answered correctly to pass. This exam is free of charge for the first attempt and costs $50 for re-examination. The Board has provided examination candidates with a preparatory manual outlining the content of this exam.
5. Submit your application to the Board.
After you have taken the required tests, complete a general application for an Ohio psychology license through the online eLicense portal. A $300 payment will be required to apply. Applications will be incomplete without accompanying required documentation. Documents needed include three references, a criminal background check, training supervision verification forms, transcripts, and an automated email and receipt.
6. Receive your psychologist license.
Once you have satisfied all the steps above, you will receive your psychologist license from the Board to practice in the state of Ohio.
Ohio Licensure by Reciprocity
If you hold a license in a state other than Ohio and have American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP), Certificate of Professional Qualification in Psychology (CPQ), or National Register (NR) of Health Service Psychologists certification, you can apply for a license via the reciprocity/endorsement option. After creating an account on the online eLicense portal, you will select the option to “apply for a new license” and locate the correct application. Along with your application, you must contact the certifying organization to provide direct verification to the Board. Certain application materials may be waived, such as the requirement for supervised training paperwork, transcripts, and an EPPP examination score transfer. Candidates will still need to provide other documents, including downloading and acknowledging receipt of the oral exam preparatory manual, a background check, and paying the $300 fee.
License Renewal and Continuing Education
Licenses for psychologists and school psychologists renew on a biennial basis through the online eLicense Ohio website. Information on creating an account will be mailed to those with licenses who have yet to register. The window for CE completion begins on September 1 and ends on August 31 of every even-numbered year. Depending on the date of license issuance, Ohio requires between 13 and 23 hours of continuing education, four of which must be in cultural competence or ethics for license renewal. Missed deadlines result in a $250 payment for reinstatement. For the Board to be notified of continuing education compliance, psychologists must register with either the OPA-MCE or OSPA-MCE.
Related Licenses
School Psychologist
In Ohio, unlike many other states, the Board also regulates school psychologists (in most other states the Board of Education regulates the profession). You can become licensed in school psychology in the state with a minimum of an accredited master’s degree in school psychology. You must also have obtained at least four years of experience in school psychology, which most candidates acquire under their Ohio Department of Education (ODE) license. Two of the four years should be under the employment of a school board or private school and all four years should include at least nine months of full-time work. The internship year which is part of most master’s in school psychology programs can be counted toward the four-year requirement. The other requirement for becoming a licensed school psychologist is to pass the two licensing exams: the national Praxis-II School Psychologist Exam with a score of 147 or higher and the oral test on laws and rules governing psychologists in the state. Prospective school psychologists can apply using the same online eLicense portal, and the cost of the application is $300.
Ohio Psychology Jobs and Salary Information
According to data provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), psychologists in the state of Ohio (excluding educators) earn an annual mean wage of $94,680.1 Postsecondary psychology teachers have an average annual income of $90,000.1
Projections Central predicts that clinical, counseling, and school psychologist jobs within Ohio will grow by 8.2% by 2030.2 Industrial-organizational psychologist jobs should see an increase of around 10% through 2030.2 Jobs in the “all other psychologists” category are expected to have an average increase of 0.7% within the same timeframe.2 Postsecondary psychology teachers should see growth of 4.5% through 2030.2
| Occupation | Number Employed1 | Average Annual Salary1 |
|---|---|---|
| Clinical and Counseling Psychologists | 2,010 | $105,460 |
| Industrial-Organizational Psychologists | N.Av. | $102,090 |
| Psychologists, All Other | 420 | $96,970 |
| Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,210 | $90,000 |
| School Psychologists | 2,110 | $74,200 |
Additional Resources
- Ohio Psychological Association (OPA): Among the largest associations in the country, advocates on behalf of psychologists and their patients and educates the general public.
- Ohio School Psychologists Association (OSPA): Offers links to news, resources, presentations, and legislative updates to inform those in the profession of school psychology.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to become a psychologist in Ohio?
Most undergraduate coursework will require four years of full-time study. Doctoral programs, some with an included master’s, vary in length from almost five to over seven years of coursework. Depending on whether the doctoral program you pursue meets specific approval or accreditation guidelines, you may need to complete as many as 1,800 further hours of training following your doctoral degree. You should expect that it will take, at a minimum, approximately 10 years to become a psychologist in Ohio state.
What degree do I need to be a licensed psychologist in Ohio?
The Ohio Board of Psychology mandates that those seeking psychology licensure within the state earn a doctoral degree in psychology, either as a Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) or a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in the psychology field. The institution it is earned from must have proper accreditation or approval. Program accreditation is also preferred, although candidates may still be eligible for licensure after completing alternate programs under certain conditions as determined by the Ohio Board of Psychology.
How much do psychologists in Ohio make?
The BLS reports that practicing psychologists in the state earn an average annual wage of $94,680.1 Postsecondary psychology teachers earn a mean income of $90,000 yearly.2
References:
1. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics, May 2021 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, Ohio: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_oh.htm
2. Projections Central, Long Term Occupational Projections: https://projectionscentral.org/Projections/LongTerm