Indiana is the 16th most populous state in the country based on the latest U.S. Census Report data, and the Hoosier State is expecting a robust 23.8% growth in employment in the healthcare and social assistance sector of its economy, which includes psychologists and psychological services. In fact, the Indiana Department of Workforce Development is projecting a nearly 30% increase in jobs for clinical, counseling, and school psychologists through in the ten year period that ends in 2020:
- The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ May of 2015 Occupational Employment Statistics counted 1,220 clinical, counseling, and school psychologists in the state, with an average annual salary of $65,520, which compares to $42,070 for all occupations in Indiana.
- The state ranked a little above the national median for the number of students enrolled in psychology schools and college in Indiana during the 2011-2012 academic year.
- According to the National Center for Education Statistics, there were 1,859 undergraduates majoring in psychology, which was 20th among the fifty states, and 289 at the master’s degree level, which ranked slightly lower, at 22nd.
Region | Career | Total Employment | MeanAnnualWage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Wayne, IN | Marriage and Family Therapists | 60 | $49,130 |
| Fort Wayne, IN | Clinical, Counseling, and School Psychologists | 80 | $0 |
2019 Occupational Employment Statistics and 2018-28 Employment Projections, Bureau of Labor Statistics, BLS.gov.
To serve psychology students in Indiana, there are eight schools and 13 individual doctoral programs accredited by the American Psychological Association. The National Register of Health Service Psychologists has extended approval to seven of the doctoral degree programs in psychology in Indiana. And the National Association of School Psychologists list four schools with programs in educational, school, and counseling psychology that meet its standards.
Indiana psychology licensing requirements
Licensing for all psychologists in Indiana is handled by the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency’s Board of Psychology. As in all states, a doctoral degree is the minimum requirement for the professional practice of psychology. The steps to full licensure are as follows:
- Complete a doctoral degree (PhD or PsyD) in psychology from an accredited program
- Submit to a criminal background check
- Complete 3,000 hours of supervised professional experience, half of must may be fulfilled as part of a doctoral degree internship program
- Receive a passing score on the state’s jurisprudence exam
- Take and receive a passing score of the Examination for the Professional Practice of Psychology
Psychology licenses in Indiana must be renewed every two years. The State Board of Psychology requires 40 hours of continuing education for renewal, half of which must be through formally organized courses, workshops, seminars, and/or symposia. Home study through board-approved organizations, is acceptable for up to ten hours of continuing educational hours.
Featured psychology schools in Indiana
The top five psychology schools and college in Indiana, according to the latest graduate program rankings by U.S. News & World Report, are listed below:
Indiana University Bloomington
The oldest continuing laboratory for psychological research is located in Bloomington, at Indiana University. The school’s Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2013. It’s home to a state-of-the-art Imaging Research Center, and graduate programs in clinical science, cognitive neuroscience, cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, mechanisms of behavior, molecular and systems neuroscience, and social psychology. The department also offers joint degrees in cognitive science, neuroscience, and animal behavior. In addition, the university’s College of Education offers graduate degrees in counseling, educational, and school psychology.
- Department: Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences and College of Education
- Location: Bloomington, Indiana
- Online options: Indiana University offers a range of online degree programs, including a BS in psychology
Purdue University in West Lafayette
Purdue has schools in six different locations, but West Lafayette is the flagship campus and the university with the most prominent psychology program. The school’s Department of Psychological Sciences offers two tracks for undergraduates, a psychological sciences major and a brain and behavioral science major. There are six discrete research training areas for graduate and doctoral students: behavioral neuroscience, clinical psychology, cognitive psychology, industrial-organizational psychology, mathematical and computational cognitive science, and social psychology. And the department has six additional specific areas of specialized research: diversity and inclusion; individual differences; learning and memory; maladaptive behavior; perception and performance; and social relationships. Purdue’s College of Education also offers a graduate program in educational psychology.
- Department: Purdue University Department of Psychological Sciences and College of Education
- Location: West Lafayette, Indiana
- Online options: Purdue has an active online and distance-learning program, however the university does not currently offer online degrees in psychology
University of Notre Dame
Located in South Bend, and home to the Fighting Irish, Notre Dame has an active psychology department that offers two tracks for undergraduate majors: a straight psychology degree, or a degree in neuroscience and behavior. The graduate program boasts a focus on scientific research methodology and scientific writing, with concentrations in cognitive, clinical, developmental, and quantitative psychology. The Department of Psychology at Notre Dame also participates in two joint doctoral programs: on in in peace studies in conjunction with the university’s Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies; and one in psychology, computer science, and engineering with the schools Department of Computer Science and Engineering.
- Department: Notre Dame Department of Psychology
- Location: South Bend, Indiana
- Online options: Notre Dame offers online programs for executive education and nonprofit executives, but not in the field of psychology
Indiana University-Purdue Indianapolis
The result of a 1969 merger that brought together the Indiana state university in Indianapolis and Purdue University’s campus in Indianapolis, IUPUI is a public research institution with an urban campus and prominent schools of medicine and dentistry. The Department of Psychology is one of seven departments in the School of Science, which is situated near five hospitals, as well as the Indiana University schools of medicine, dentistry, and nursing. Undergraduates can major in psychology or neuroscience. At the graduate level, there are three broad areas of specialization: clinical psychology, industrial-organizational psychology, and addiction neuroscience. IUPUI’s School of Education also offers a master’s degree in counseling and counselor education.
- Department: IUPUI Department of Psychology and School of Education
- Location: Indianapolis, Indiana
- Online options: IUPUI offers an online BS degree in psychology
Indiana State University
ISU is a public research university that’s a perennial contender in the Princeton Review‘s “Best in the Midwest” rankings. Located in the college town of Terre Haute, it features a Department of Psychology that boasts a Cognitive Development Lab and a Mental Health Development Lab. Along with its bachelor’s degree major in psychology, the school offers a master’s degree in general/experimental psychology, and a doctoral degree program in clinical psychology. The ISU also offers an education specialist degree (EdS) in school psychology.
- Department: ISU Department of Psychology
- Location: Terre Haute, Indiana
- Online options: The online education program at ISU offers an undergraduate degree in psychology