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 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 the required first step to become a licensed psychologist in Ohio. Psychology bachelor’s degrees generally take four years of full-time study to complete.

Following your bachelor’s program, you may decide to pursue a master’s degree in psychology or a related field. If your undergraduate degree was not in psychology, you may have to complete prerequisites to be admitted to a graduate program. Master’s programs range from two to three years in length and typically take 30 to 40 credit hours. Another option is to complete a doctoral program that includes a master’s as part of the curriculum.

2. Earn a doctoral degree in psychology.

A Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) or Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in psychology 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, read more about PhD and PsyD similarities and differences. Most doctoral psychology programs take at least four years to complete, and many take six or more years.

In Ohio, the qualifying program must be accredited. Programs approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) or the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) may streamline the licensing process. Applicants for psychologist licensure in Ohio must have accrued between 1,500 and 2,000 hours of predoctoral supervised professional experience.

For more on doctoral programs available in the state, visit our guide to Psychology Schools in Ohio.

3. Gain supervised professional experience in your area of training.

Candidates must complete two years, or 3,600 hours, of total supervised experience, including a predoctoral internship. Specific experience requirements depend on the curriculum of the doctoral program. Those whose doctoral program is not recognized by the APA or CPA must complete an additional year of experience (1,800 hours) after finishing their degree. At least 1,500 hours of each year of training experience must be in the applicant’s area of expertise and each year must include 375 hours of direct client contact. Supervision should be face-to-face and in time increments equivalent to 5% of weekly contact with clients.

Those who graduate from APA- or CPA-recognized programs may use a combination of approved predoctoral, post-internship, and postdoctoral hours to meet the overall 3,600-hour requirement. The predoctoral internship(s) must comprise at least 1,500 hours across a minimum of 12 months and a maximum of two years. At least 25% of the internship should be face-to-face contact with patients, while 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 Ohio, you must first submit the application for licensure. The Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB) will verify your eligibility and contact you to schedule the exam. To pass the exam, candidates must earn a scaled score of at least 500, roughly equivalent to answering at least 70% of the questions correctly. The ASPPB provides EPPP practice exams.

Ohio also requires candidates to take an oral jurisprudence examination covering core standards, rules, and ethics in psychology. Five questions, with the option of two alternatives, must be answered correctly to pass. This exam is free for the first attempt and costs $50 for re-examination. The Board provides preparation materials for the exam.

5. Submit your application to the Board.

After passing the required tests, you can submit your license application through the online eLicense portal. A $300 fee is required. Required supporting documents include three references, a criminal background check, supervised experience verification forms, and official college transcripts.

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 licensure by endorsement. Applications are accepted on eLicense Ohio. Along with your application, you must contact the certifying organization to provide direct verification to the Board.

The Board also recognizes psychologist licensure by reciprocity. To qualify for reciprocity, you must have been licensed as a psychologist in a state with equivalent requirements for at least one year. Candidates will need to pass a background check and the Ohio oral jurisprudence exam. The application and further instructions are available on eLicense Ohio.

License Renewal and Continuing Education

Licenses for psychologists and independent school psychologists must be renewed every two years through eLicense Ohio. Licensed School Psychologists renew their licenses every five years. The window for continuing education (CE) completion begins on September 1 and ends on August 31 of every even-numbered year. Depending on the date a license is issued, Ohio requires between 13 and 23 hours of continuing education, four of which must be in cultural competence or ethics. Psychologists must register with either the Ohio Psychological Association Office of Mandatory Continuing Education (OPA-MCE) or Ohio School Psychologists Association Office of Mandatory Continuing Education (OSPA-MCE) to verify CE hours to the Board.

School Psychologist

The Board issues the Licensed School Psychologist credential to individuals who have a master’s degree in school psychology from an accredited school, have completed a nine-month internship in an approved school setting, and have passed the Praxis School Psychologist and Ohio oral jurisprudence exams. Prospective school psychologists can apply on eLicense Ohio.

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

OccupationNumber Employed1Average Annual Salary1
Clinical and Counseling Psychologists2,010$105,460
Industrial-Organizational PsychologistsN.Av.$102,090
Psychologists, All Other420$96,970
Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary1,210$90,000
School Psychologists2,110$74,200

Additional Resources

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, State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, Ohio: https://data.bls.gov/oes/#/area/3900000
2. Projections Central, Long Term Occupational Projections: https://projectionscentral.org/Projections/LongTerm