Statistics

In the 2013 academic year, 6,496 psychology doctorates were awarded in the U.S., a 32 percent increase from 2004.

In the 2013–14 academic year, potential students submitted more than 110,000 applications to U.S. and Canadian graduate psychology programs, with an overall acceptance rate of 13 percent.

In 2014, recipients of research doctorates in psychology took a median of 7.0 yearsopens in new window (PDF, 47KB) from graduate school entry to complete their degrees, according to the National Science Foundation's Survey of Earned Doctoratesopens in new window.

In 2013, approximately 45 percent of psychology bachelor holders had graduate degrees in any field. For more information, see report The Economic Value of College Majorsopens in new window (PDF, 8MB) by Georgetown University's Center for Education and the Workforce.

In 2014, approximately 64 percentopens in new window (PDF, 47KB) of recipients of research doctorates in psychology had bachelor's degrees in psychology, according to the National Science Foundation's Survey of Earned Doctoratesopens in new window.

For 2013 and 2014 graduates, the median debt was $82,000, according to the survey by the American Psychological Association of Graduate Students (APAGS). Median debt was highest for health service psychology (HSP) PsyD graduates ($200,000).

The type and amount of financial aid often depended on the type of institution in which the student is enrolled.

By 2014, the ratio of women to men who received psychology doctorates had risen to 2.5 to 1. Since 2005, the number of doctorate recipients has grown by 12 percent among Black/African Americans, 36 percent among Hispanic/Latinos and 46 percent among Asians.