Going Back To School for Psychology
Going back to school for psychology? Explore tips and strategies that can make your return to school easier, cheaper, and more efficient.
- Going back to school for psychology can lead to strong job growth and salary potential, with higher earnings for advanced degrees ranging from $51,000-$105,000 annually.
- For maximum success, brush up on tech skills, join a community, and find the right program fit for you.
- Financial aid is available through federal aid, scholarships, and credit for prior learning, with FAFSA ensuring access to financial support for nontraditional students.
Flexible online programs have made going back to school for psychology a practical option for adults with various professional or personal obligations. With the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) tracking above-average growth projections for multiple psychology and mental health careers, the prospect of studying psychology is also increasingly appealing.
Explore the practical aspects of returning to school as a psychology student. Learn about transfer credits, prior learning assessments, financial aid resources, and more.
Benefits of Going Back to School for Psychology
A psychology degree can help you qualify for several careers that have received strong growth projections. The following table features multiple examples:
| Career | Projected Job Growth (2024-34) | Number of Annual Openings (2024-34) |
|---|---|---|
| Psychologists | +6% | 12,900 |
| Social Workers | +6% | 74,000 |
| Substance Use, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors | +17% | 48,300 |
You can also use a psychology degree to pursue roles in education and educational counseling, school psychology, market research, health sciences, and higher education. The specialized, business-focused field of industrial-organizational psychology also offers unique professional opportunities.
Pay rates vary by degree level and role, but aggregated data suggests a clear path to earning a positive return on your educational investment. The following table features Sept. 2025 Payscale salary data for various psychology degrees:
| Degree Type | Average Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Associate of Science, Psychology | $51,000 |
| Bachelor of Science, Psychology | $69,000 |
| Master of Arts, Psychology | $74,000* |
| Doctorate of Psychology (Psy.D.) | $78,000 |
| Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Psychology | $105,000 |
*This figure reflects fewer than 50 respondents.
On a more individual level, going back to school for psychology may give you a strong sense of accomplishment, satisfaction, and personal pride. These factors carry value not captured by labor market statistics.
Online Learning for Returning Students
A 2022 study published in the Journal of Computing in Higher Education found that students above age 24 tend to outperform their younger counterparts in online college courses. The same study also found that older learners tend to engage in online higher education at greater rates than younger ones.
These study results may help ease any concerns you might have over returning to college as an adult student. Online learning formats also address some of the key challenges faced by adult learners. The American Council on Education summarized these challenges in a 2022 data collection survey, with some key points including:
- Three-quarters of college students aged 25 and up balance employment with their studies.
- Of those students, nearly half hold full-time jobs.
- Seven in 10 working adults cite cost as a major barrier to higher education.
Online course delivery models enhance scheduling flexibility, making it easier to integrate school into your work and personal lives. They also tend to offer cost advantages, with some schools charging lower tuition rates to fully online students who require fewer resources than their campus-based cohorts.
However, online learning also demands more independence. You may need some time to adjust to how it works, especially if you have been out of school for a long time.
Transferring Credits as a Returning Student
If you already have college credits, you can often transfer those credits to your new online program. This pathway can accelerate your graduation timeline while saving you money, since you will not need to pay for the courses you bypass.
While policies vary among schools, your credits will usually need to meet these requirements to qualify for transfer:
- You must have earned the credits at a properly accredited educational institution.
- Your credits must match the level of the course(s) you are seeking to replace. For example, you will not likely be able to substitute upper-level undergraduate courses for required courses in a graduate program.
- The academic content of your transfer course must substantially match the description of the new course.
Also, keep these general principles in mind:
- General education courses and liberal arts electives are generally the easiest to transfer.
- If you earned your credits long ago and they relate to a field that has undergone substantial change, you may need to retake the courses.
- Many online schools have dedicated advisors, program coordinators, or departments who specialize in assisting students with transfer credits.
If you need advice or support during the transfer process, your school’s admissions department can likely assist you.
College Credit for Work Experience
Colleges increasingly recognize alternative ways to acquire the knowledge developed in classroom-based experiences. Students can explore multiple ways to turn their practical and professional experiences into college credits. These include prior learning pathways for:
- Military service
- Independent study
- Workplace training
- Employment experience
As you explore the possibility of going back to school for psychology, consider these options — they could significantly reduce your graduation timeline and program costs.
However, note that schools do not typically award credits for general experiences. Instead, you must demonstrate that you learned something tangible from your experience(s) and that those lessons share a strong similarity with the courses you’re seeking credit for.
This process usually involves what are commonly known as prior learning assessments (PLAs).
Methods of Assessing Prior Learning
The Council for Adult and Experiential Learning acknowledges many methods for conducting PLAs. They include:
- Evaluation Agencies: External agencies, like the American Council on Education and the National College Credit Recommendation Service, can review your education, experience, professional training, and employment history. They may then recommend course credits aligned with your personal profile.
- Standardized Examinations: Authoritative academic and regulatory agencies issue many different standardized exams that test your existing knowledge of specific subject areas. You may be able to use these exams to bypass required courses. The College-Level Examination Program and DANTES Subject Standardized Tests are two common examples, but schools may accept others.
- Challenge Examinations: Schools issue challenge exams to students who claim to have the necessary knowledge to bypass a course. By passing a challenge exam, you may earn credit for a particular course or have it waived from your academic requirements. In most cases, schools issue challenge exams on a pass-fail basis. However, they often limit the number of credits you can obtain through this route.
- Institutional Reviews: Officials from your program, academic department, or school may conduct institutional reviews of your individual qualifications to determine whether they qualify for credits, and for how many. They may consider workplace training and other forms of nonacademic education, along with professional certifications or licenses.
How PLA Credits Transfer
When you receive academic credits for prior knowledge and experience, they are known as “PLA credits.” Educational institutions maintain their own policies for assessing prior learning experiences and awarding PLA credits.
Some schools match PLA requests to specific required, elective, or general education courses in the student’s curriculum plan. Others waive certain academic requirements for students who demonstrate relevant competencies. Review your school’s policies, including applicable limits on PLAs, before seeking credit for your existing knowledge.
Paying for School as a Returning Student
According to a 2020 study by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), undergraduate psychology students owe an average total of nearly $11,270 on their student loans.
Graduate psychology students face an even higher debt burden. The same NCES study found that they owe an average of $16,738 on their undergraduate loans and a cumulative total of more than $69,000 on their undergraduate and graduate loans.
These financial challenges are very relevant to students with families and major financial commitments outside of college. Given these realities, minimizing loan debt is a key consideration when going back to school for psychology.
Start by completing your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). By submitting a FAFSA form, you will automatically receive consideration for all federal financial aid programs for which you qualify.
Filling Out the FAFSA as a Nontraditional Student
By going back to school for psychology as an adult learner, you will generally be considered a nontraditional college student. Nontraditional students have full access to most federal financial aid programs. Applicants of any age can submit a FAFSA form and receive full consideration for all available aid sources.
However, there are some additional considerations you should know about:
- If you already hold a bachelor’s degree, you are ineligible for Pell Grants.
- You can use federal student aid to help you cover any childcare costs you incur by returning to school.
- If you use a Coverdell education savings account to help fund your education, you must use this money by the age of 30.
You can submit your FAFSA form online or through your school’s financial aid office.
What Information Do I Need to Provide for the FAFSA?
In addition to your personal information, your FAFSA application must also include:
- Your Social Security number (SSN) or Alien Registration number
- Federal income tax returns
- All applicable financial and banking records, including all current bank account balances, investment and business holdings, details of non-cash assets, records of untaxed income, and records of any child support payments you have received
For full details on the information required to process your FAFSA form, consult this U.S. Department of Education (ED) resource.
How to Determine Your Financial Need
Educational institutions and federal student loan providers use specific metrics for calculating students’ financial need. Two key examples include cost of attendance (COA) and the student aid index (SAI).
Schools provide official COA estimates, which federal loan agencies use to establish the costs you will incur as a result of going back to school for psychology. COA estimates specifically consider:
- Tuition, fees, and required course materials, books, technologies, and equipment
- Housing costs, transportation costs, and living expenses
- Childcare and dependent care expenses arising from school attendance
The ED provides a complete breakdown of factors that impact COA estimates for the purposes of calculating your financial aid eligibility.
Meanwhile, the SAI metric is determined by applying a mathematical formula that considers your personal financial situation in analyzing your aid eligibility. The SAI formula yields an indexed figure that specifies the level of financial aid you may need to meet your schooling costs.
Loan officials also distinguish between need-based and non-need-based aid. Need-based aid reflects your level of financial need based specifically on your family and personal circumstances, assets, and income level. Non-need-based aid represents your expected COA, minus your expected financial aid award amount. It determines your eligibility for additional financial aid, and the forms that aid may take.
If you need help navigating these technicalities, contact your school’s financial aid office.
Types of Financial Aid for Returning Students
When going back to school for psychology, you may use one or more of the following types of financial aid:
Financial Aid for Graduate Students
If you will be going back to school for psychology as a graduate student, you still qualify for federal aid, scholarships, grants, and private loans. Federal loan options include direct unsubsidized loans and Grad PLUS Loans. You can also participate in work-study, which matches graduate students with part-time employment.
Graduate students are not generally eligible for Pell Grants. The only exception relates to post-bachelor’s students enrolled in teacher licensing or certification programs.
If you are pursuing a teaching career, you may also qualify for federal TEACH Grants. This program provides up to $4,000 in education grants to students enrolled in higher education courses leading to teacher certification.
Finally, note that Grad PLUS Loans are ideal for graduate students who need to borrow more than the maximum amount available through Direct Unsubsidized Loans. However, you will need to undergo a credit check during the application process.
Tips for a Successful Return to School
Going back to school for psychology as an adult can be challenging, especially if you have been out of college for an extended period. The following section includes tips that may aid your transition back to higher learning.
- 1Seek the Right Program Fit
First, ensure each program you apply to aligns with your academic goals and preferred learning style. Look at core courses, electives, and concentration tracks, and research the school and your program’s faculty members.
Regarding delivery formats, you have three options:
- 100% online programs
- Traditional campus-based programs
- Hybrid programs blending online and face-to-face modalities
Adult learners often prefer online formats because they offer more convenience and flexibility. However, you should consider whether you prefer asynchronous (pre-recorded) or synchronous (live) courses. Some students prefer the interactivity of synchronous learning sessions, which more closely replicate the traditional classroom experience.
- 2Brush Up on Technology Skills
If you choose online learning, review the program’s technology requirements. Your school or program can provide this information upon request.
Online learning formats use unique educational technology (“edutech”) platforms and teleconferencing software. Find out which specific technologies, platforms, and applications your program will use, and look for text-based or video tutorials that demonstrate how they work.
- 3Connect with a Community
Your fellow nontraditional students are in a unique position to understand the distinct challenges you may face when going back to school for psychology. Seek out and build connections through forums like:
- Online course forums
- Study groups
- Social media
- Peer networking platforms
Finally, reach out to others in your life if you need additional support as you balance your academic pursuits with other demands and commitments in your life. Spouses, family members, colleagues, and friends may offer help that eases your burdens and reduces your stress.
