Psychology in Maryland: Learn About Becoming a Psychologist in MD
Maryland has much to offer psychologists, including above-average salaries and a transfer-friendly licensing process for psychologists credentialed in other states.
Explore paths and requirements for Maryland psychology licensure and discover the earning potential and job outlook for psychology professionals in Maryland.
Psychologist Salaries in Maryland
Licensed clinical and counseling psychologists in Maryland earn average salaries that exceed the national mean. The same is true of school psychologists and practitioners in other psychology specialties, according to May 2023 data from the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
The following table contains BLS salary ranges for various psychology professionals in Maryland.
| Job Title | Lowest 10% | Average Annual Salary | Highest 10% |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clinical and counseling psychologists | $64,680 | $116,560 | $192,740 |
| School psychologists | $63,690 | $96,210 | $125,450 |
| Psychologists, all other | $52,170 | $111,700 | $167,440 |
Psychologist Licensing in Maryland
In Maryland, psychology licensure falls under the purview of the state’s Board of Examiners of Psychologists. The board operates within the Maryland Department of Health and requires candidates to pass two examinations:
- The Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP), a two-part exam that tests your psychology knowledge and clinical skills
- The Maryland jurisprudence examination, which covers the state’s professional conduct and ethics requirements.
In addition, you must hold a doctoral degree in psychology from an accredited institution and accumulate at least 3,250 hours of supervised clinical training. You must complete at least 1,750 of these hours through an internship program covering no more than 24 months.
You can obtain the remaining 1,500 hours through any combination of pre-internship training, post-internship pre-doctoral experiences, or post-doctoral placements.
Furthermore, you may use a maximum of 1,500 post-doctoral clinical training hours to meet Maryland psychology licensure requirements. Also, at least 75% of your hours (2,438 hours or more) must involve on-site, face-to-face supervision by a licensed psychologist.
Maryland offers limited reciprocity to psychologists licensed to practice in other U.S. jurisdictions. You may use your existing license to obtain a temporary Maryland license, which remains valid pending your passage of the Maryland jurisprudence examination.
License Requirements for Psychologists in Maryland
Licensure requirements for psychologists in Maryland include the following:
- Doctoral degree in psychology
- 3,250 hours of supervised clinical training
- Score of 500 or higher on the EPPP
- Score of 75% or higher on the Maryland Jurisprudence Examination
- Complete implicit bias training approved by state Board of Examiners of Psychologists
- Pass a criminal background check
Demand for Psychology in Maryland
A Kaiser Family Foundation review of Bureau of Health Workforce data from September 2022 found that Maryland meets only 19.4% of the population’s mental health care needs. This figure lags well behind the national average of 27.7%.
Mental health professionals can find ample work opportunities in the state. In fact, Projections Central presents a promising career outlook for psychology professionals who practice in Maryland. Every specialty has significantly higher demand than Projections Central’s 2.8% estimated growth average for all occupations nationally.
| Job Title | Job Growth (2022-32) |
|---|---|
| Clinical and Counseling Psychologists | +12.6% |
| Industrial-Organizational Psychologists | +10.0% |
| Psychologists, All Other | +8.5% |
| Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary | +16.7% |
| School Psychologists | +11.0% |
