Rhode Island may be the smallest state in the U.S., but the Ocean State maintains a sizable need for licensed psychologists. In fact, roughly two-fifths of Rhode Islanders reported experiencing depression or anxiety in 2021.
Keep reading for more on psychologist licensing in Rhode Island, the demand for psychology professionals, and expected Rhode Island psychologist salary ranges.
Job Title | Lowest 10% | Median Annual Salary | Highest 10% |
---|---|---|---|
Clinical and counseling psychologists | $74,870 | $98,680 | $170,890 |
School psychologists | $61,000 | $79,510 | $104,650 |
Psychologists, all other | $29,820 | $62,410 | $151,680 |
Source: BLS
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Psychologist Licensing in Rhode Island
Psychologist licensing in Rhode Island is regulated by the Rhode Island Board of Psychology. Obtaining a psychologist license in Rhode Island requires the completion of 3,000 supervisory hours, along with passing the national Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP).
Rhode Island honors license reciprocity for out-of-state psychologists.
Reciprocity candidates must submit an application and fee to the Rhode Island Board of Psychology and indicate their request for licensure by endorsement. The board will then establish whether a candidate's out-of-state licensure requirements are compatible with Rhode Island's guidelines.
License Requirements
To obtain psychologist licensing in Rhode Island, applicants must meet the following criteria:
Graduate from an American Psychological Association or regionally accredited doctoral psychology program. Be of sound moral character. Complete 3,000 hours of supervised experience, half of which must be postdoctoral. Pass the EPPP and pay a $687.50 fee. Submit an application to the Rhode Island Board of Psychology, along with a $230 fee.
Demand for Psychology in Rhode Island
Rhode Island meets 62.9% of its population's mental health needs, identifying the state as a health professional shortage area, per the Kaiser Family Foundation. Despite meeting more of these needs than most states, over 400,000 Rhode Islanders reside in areas with a mental health professional shortage.
Children are an underserved population in Rhode Island. The state's 2021 Kids Count report reflected heightened mental health concerns among children and teenagers for the second consecutive year.
In 2020, one-third of children under 18 experienced barriers to mental health counseling. In 2021, 133 more teenagers than in 2020 were hospitalized in Rhode Island following a suicide attempt.
The majority of these children reside in Rhode Island's capital and other urban areas. Additional school psychologists and child psychologists in larger cities can help fill the state's need for youth-directed psychology in Rhode Island.