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2008-17: Psychology Master’s and Doctoral Degrees awarded by Subfield, Institution Type, Gender and Race/Ethnicity

Peggy Christidis, Luona Lin, Jessica Conroy and Karen Stamm

APA Center for Workforce Studies

Date created: May 2019

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Each year, the United States Department of Education’s Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) gathers information from every U.S. postsecondary institution that participates in federal student aid programs. IPEDS data collection consists of a series of 12 interrelated survey components that cover nine major areas. This report focuses specifically on two IPEDS surveys: 1) Completions and 2) Institutional Characteristics. Based on these surveys, a profile of psychology doctoral and master’s degrees awarded over a 10-year span (2008-2017) was created. Major findings include:

The number of psychology doctorates and master’s degrees awarded increased over the decade. Between 2008 and 2017, the number of psychology doctorates awarded by U.S. institutions grew by 25%, from 5,524 in 2008 to 6,915 in 2017. The number of psychology master’s degrees awarded increased by 28% percent, from 21,890 in 2008 to 28,054 in 2017. However, starting in 2013, the rate of growth from one year to the next slowed down, with numbers even declining in some years.

In 2017, more than half (55%) of psychology doctorates were awarded in the “health service psychology” (HSP) broad field . The remaining 45% of psychology doctorates were awarded in the “research” broad field. A similar pattern was found for master’s degrees. In 2017, the percentage of master’s degrees awarded in psychology was 57% in HSP subfields and 43% in research subfields.

Between 2008 and 2017, doctorates were awarded most often in clinical psychology . In 2017, 2,536 doctoral degrees were awarded in clinical psychology. The highest rate of growth (441%) over the ten years was for doctorates awarded in forensic psychology (from 22 to 119 doctorates).

Between 2008 and 2017, master’s degrees were awarded most often in counseling psychology . In 2017, 8,149 master’s degrees were awarded in counseling psychology. The highest rate of growth for psychology master’s degrees awarded was in experimental psychology, which grew by 293% over the ten-year span (from 57 to 224 master’s degrees). 

Private not-for-profit institutions awarded the most psychology doctorates in 2017, representing 42% of all psychology doctorates awarded that year . Private for-profit institutions awarded the fewest doctorates (19%), but their rate of growth in psychology doctorates awarded over 2008-2017 (89%) was greater than for other institution types.

Private-not-for-profit institutions awarded the highest number of psychology master’s degrees, representing 54% of all psychology master’s degrees awarded in 2017 . Private for-profit institutions awarded the fewest master’s degrees in psychology (14%). However, these institutions had the greatest rate of growth over ten years, increasing by 97% between 2008 and 2017.

Psychology doctorates and master’s degrees are awarded most often to women and to recipients who identify as white . In 2017, 75% of all psychology doctorates were awarded to women and 69% were awarded to white recipients. However, doctorates awarded to racial/ethnic minorities grew at the fastest rate, increasing by 63% between 2008 and 2017.

American Psychological Association. (2018). Demographics of the U.S. psychology workforce: Findings from the 2007-16 American Community Survey. Washington, DC: Author. Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/workforce/publications/16-demographics/report.pdfopens in new window

American Psychological Association. (2017). APA Member Profiles. Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/workforce/publications/17-member-profiles/table-3.pdfopens in new window

American Psychological Association. (2018). A Summary of Psychologist Workforce Projections: Addressing Supply and Demand from 2015-2030 . Washington, DC: Author. Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/workforce/publications/supply-demand/summary.pdfopens in new window

Knapp, L.G., Kelly-Reid, J.E., and Ginder, S.A. (2010). Postsecondary Institutions and Price of Attendance in the United States: Fall 2009, Degrees and Other Awards Conferred: 2008–09, and 12-Month Enrollment: 2008–09. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics.

National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). Changes to IPEDS Data Collections, 2008-09. Retrieved from https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/InsidePages/ArchivedChanges?year=2008-09

U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. (2017). Digest of Education Statistics . Retrieved from https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/index.aspopens in new window

U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary System (IPEDS). (2008-2017). Completions Surveys . [Data files and dictionaries]. Retrieved from https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/datacenter/DataFiles.aspxopens in new window

U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary System (IPEDS). (2008-2017). Institutional Characteristics Surveys. [Data files and dictionaries]. Retrieved from https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/datacenter/DataFiles.aspxopens in new window

Recommended citation: American Psychological Association. (2019). Master’s and Doctoral Degrees Awarded in Psychology, 2008-2017: By Subfield, Institution Type, State, Gender, and Race/Ethnicity. Washington, DC: Author

This report describes research and analysis conducted by staff members of the American Psychological Association’s Center for Workforce Studies. It does not constitute official policy of the American Psychological Association.

The authors thank Howard Kurtzman and Garth Fowler for valuable input on previous drafts of this report.