logo

Nevada Psychology Licensure Requirements

If you are interested in becoming a licensed psychologist in Nevada, you will need to meet the requirements set forth by the Nevada Board of Psychological Examiners (the Board), which is the state organization that oversees licensure for psychologists. To become a licensed psychologist, you will need to complete a bachelor’s degree and a doctoral degree, obtain supervised work experience, and pass two exams. Because there can be a lot to keep track of during this process, we’ve created this guide to walk you through the steps you will need to take to become a licensed psychologist in Nevada.

Table of Contents

How to Become a Psychologist in Nevada

1. Earn a bachelor’s degree and (optionally) a master’s degree in psychology.

After you decide to become a psychologist in Nevada, the first step you need to take is to earn a bachelor’s degree. This degree generally takes four years (120 credits) to complete, and you can study any subject at this stage (you are not required to major in psychology). However, if your bachelor’s degree is not in psychology, you will probably have to take some prerequisite courses before being admitted to a graduate program.

Some people choose to apply to stand-alone master’s degree programs in psychology after they complete their bachelor’s degrees, particularly if they did not major in psychology during their undergraduate training. Master’s degree programs in psychology usually take about two years to finish (30-40 credits) and may focus on general psychology or a specialty area. Earning a stand-alone master’s degree is optional, however; they are not required for admission to doctoral programs and many students earn master’s degrees during their doctoral studies.

2. Earn a doctoral degree in psychology.

After you finish your bachelor’s degree (and a master’s degree, if you have chosen to earn one), the next step towards psychology licensure in Nevada is to earn a doctoral degree in psychology. Doctoral-level psychology programs take between four and seven years to complete and award a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in psychology, a Doctor of Psychology (PsyD), or a Doctor of Education (EdD) in psychology degree. You can read about the differences between these two degree types on our home page.

To obtain a license to practice psychology in Nevada, you must attend a doctoral program in psychology that is either American Psychological Association (APA)-accredited or has equivalent training. This program must also include a year-long (2,000-hour) predoctoral internship, which can count towards the supervised experience required for licensure.

Visit our Psychology Schools in Nevada page for more information about psychology programs in the state.

3. Submit your application for registration as a psychological trainee, intern, and/or assistant.

If you are enrolled in a doctoral program and wish to perform professional activities under a psychologist’s supervision in a practicum or as part of your predoctoral internship, you may wish to register by paper or online as a psychological trainee (practicum student) or psychological intern (internship student), respectively. Note that registration as a trainee is only required for applicants whose supervisors are requesting Medicaid reimbursement for the services you provide. For psychological trainees, your Director of Clinical Training (DCT) should submit a Psychological Trainee Registration form on your behalf.

If you have already completed your doctoral program and wish to begin your postdoctoral supervised hours, you will need to register as a psychological assistant (PA) using the same applications as above. Registration for any of these three roles costs a fee of $150.

4. Complete the PLUS application.

Once the Board has received your application for registration, you will receive an email invitation from the Association for State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB) to join the Psychology Licensure Universal System (PLUS), and you will complete what you can within that system. You and your supervisor will complete a Supervision Practice Plan, which you will submit at this time, along with an employment agreement.

5. Gain two years of supervised professional experience in your area of training.

In Nevada, you must earn two years (3,700 hours) of supervised professional experience before becoming licensed. The first year of this (2,000 hours) will be the required predoctoral internship that you completed during your doctoral program. During your internship, you must receive at least four hours per week receiving supervision from a licensed, doctoral-level psychologist (at least two of these hours must be in individual supervision).

The remaining 1,750 hours of supervised experience must be completed after you finish your doctoral degree as a psychological assistant. During this year, you must spend at least 50% of your time providing services directly to clients and will need to complete at least 40 hours of training (including three hours of individual supervision) in ethnic and cultural diversity. You must also attend supervision meetings at least once per week and receive at least four hours of supervision per month. You will need to be supervised primarily by a doctoral-level psychologist who has been licensed for at least three years and has received training in supervision. However, you can receive up to 25% of your required supervision hours from another individual who is qualified to provide you with specialty training in a particular area but is not a psychologist.

While you are completing your supervised experience hours, you and your supervisor will need to keep a record of your clinical activities and supervision received using the Board’s Supervised Experience Monthly Log. You must submit this form to the Board each quarter so that they know when you have completed all of your required hours.

6. Pass the Nevada psychology licensing exams.

There are two exams that you will need to take to become a licensed psychologist in Nevada. The first is the national Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP), which is a 225-item, multiple-choice test that assesses broad knowledge of psychology. You will receive permission to sign up for the EPPP after you register as a psychological assistant and can take it while you are still completing your supervised experience. You need a score of 500 or higher to pass. Nevada is also an early adopter of the EPPP Part 2-Skills test, so candidates must take both parts of the exam. The passing score remains the same.

You will also need to take the Nevada Psychological State Exam, which you can register for once you have reached 1,400 of the 1,750 postdoctoral training hours. The exam is a web-based, open-book test that assesses your knowledge of state rules and regulations and costs $200 to take. After you complete your psychological assistant registration, the Board will mail you an invitation to complete this test. It is administered on the first and third Friday of each month.

7. Receive your full psychology license from the Board.

After you have completed your supervised experience hours and passed both required examinations, be sure to check your PLUS account to see if there are any additional forms needed for your application to be considered complete. When your application is complete, it will need to be reviewed by the Board members. After the Board has determined you have fulfilled the criteria for licensure, they will notify you that your full psychology license has been issued and request that you pay a fee of $25.

Nevada Licensure by Endorsement

Nevada does not have reciprocity with any other state, so the application process is the same for applicants who are licensed in another state, except you may skip the EPPP exam if you have already passed it in another state. If you have been practicing for at least 20 years in another jurisdiction or hold a Certificate of Professional Qualification (CPQ) from ASPPB, an American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP) certificate, or a National Register of Health Service Psychologists (NRHSPP) certificate, you may be eligible for expedited licensure. Be sure to mark the appropriate certification on your registration form.

License Renewal and Continuing Education

Your Nevada psychology license will need to be renewed by the end of each even-numbered year, and the Board will mail you renewal materials by October of these years. Renewal of a psychology license costs $500 and this fee should be submitted along with the completed renewal paperwork the Board has sent you.

During each two-year renewal period, every licensed psychologist in Nevada is required to complete 30 hours of continuing education (CE). Workshops, courses, and seminars that are offered by universities or are sanctioned by professional organizations (e.g., APA) can be counted towards CE requirements. Only 15 hours of distance education can be counted; the rest must be completed in person. Any excess CE credits cannot be carried to the next renewal period.

Of the 30 required CE hours, at least six must come from activities related to ethics, two hours must be from activities related to assessment and prevention of suicide, and two hours must be related to cultural competency and diversity, equity, and inclusion. You can request a list of courses on these topics that have been approved by the Board. If you want to attend CE activities about ethics or suicidality that are not on this list, you will first need to request approval from the Board using the Application for Approval of Continuing Education Program by a Licensee form and paying a fee of $25.

School Psychologist

The State of Nevada Department of Education (NDE) regulates the licensing of school psychologists. In order to apply, you must create an account on the Online Portal for Applications and Licensure (OPAL). You must either complete a Department-approved program in school psychology or have a graduate degree from an accredited institution with preparation in school psychology with coursework in required areas of study; have completed at least 60 semester hours of graduate credits; and have completed a 1,000-hour supervised internship in school psychology, at least half of which must be served in an accredited school system. If you have a certificate as a nationally certified school psychologist issued by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), you will also qualify. In addition to the educational requirements, you must also pass the Praxis exam in school psychology.

Nevada Psychologist Jobs and Salary Information

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the average salary for psychologists in Nevada (not including postsecondary psychology teachers), as of May 2021, was $89,507 per year.1 Postsecondary psychology teachers earned an average of $89,350. Projections suggest that the job market will be good for psychologists in the decade between 2020 and 2030. The category with the most growth expected is postsecondary psychology teachers at 10%, followed by “all other” psychologists, at 9.1%.2

OccupationNumber Employed1Average Annual Salary1
Clinical and Counseling Psychologists220$95,830
Industrial-Organizational PsychologistsN.Av.N.Av.
Psychologists, All Other100$95,540
Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary100$89,350
School Psychologists230$77,150

Additional Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to become a psychologist in Nevada?

Before earning a license to practice psychology in Nevada, you will need to complete a doctoral degree in psychology and complete an additional year of supervised experience after you graduate. The process of becoming a psychologist usually takes about 10 years, though this can vary based on variables such as the program you attend.

What degree do I need to be a licensed psychologist in Nevada?

To become a licensed psychologist in Nevada, you need to earn a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in psychology, a Doctor of Psychology (PsyD), or a Doctor of Education (EdD) degree in psychology. Additionally, you must earn this degree from an APA-accredited program or one that has equivalent training.

How much do psychologists in Nevada make?

On average, psychologists in Nevada (excluding postsecondary psychology teachers) earned $89,507 per year as of May 2021.1 Postsecondary psychology teachers earned an average of $89,350.1

References:
1. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics, May 2021 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, Nevada: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_nv.htm
2. Long Term Occupational Projections: https://projectionscentral.org/projections/longterm