The Takeaway for Students:
- 1 in 6 American children is diagnosed with a mental health disorder
- The need for psychological professionals for children has never been more dire
- A master’s degree in child and adolescent psychology can improve your career prospects immensely
If you’re in a career working with children, you see their pain – 1 in 6 American children has a mental health diagnosis, according to the CDC. And we can be sure that an untold number are also suffering undiagnosed. You can make a difference.
A master’s degree in child and adolescent psychology can give you the credentials to move into clinical practice, research, education, and other avenues in the helping professions for children.
But you also need to work. You may have a family. Maybe the master’s program that offers what you want to study in another state.
That’s why online is a great choice for working professionals like you. You’ll study the same coursework and be taught by the same faculty as in-person students, but with far greater scheduling flexibility. Online courses are frequently accelerated and offered in shorter terms, allowing you to earn a degree quicker and save money on tuition.
To help you find your way, College Consensus has ranked the 10 best online child psychology master’s programs in the US. Continue for the full list!
| Rank | School | Cost | Consensus Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Texas A&M University | $19,883 | 78.6 |
| 2. | University of South Florida | $19,048 | 68.6 |
| 3. | Ball State University | $27,126 | 46.1 |
| 4. | Walden University | $10,160 | N/A |
| 5. | Azusa Pacific University | $17,180 | 45.3 |
| 6. | University of Minnesota | $29,580 | 71.1 |
| 7. | National University | $16,794 | N/A |
| 8. | Southern New Hampshire University | $19,467 | N/A |
| 9. | American Public University | $7,650 | N/A |
| 10. | Grand Canyon University | $10,138 | N/A |
Methodology: How We Rank the Best Online Child Psychology Master’s Programs
For our rankings of online programs, we consider core questions:
- Is the program accredited?
- Is the program available online?
- Is the program fully online?
- Is the program flexible?
From those basic requirements, we consider two other factors:
- Affordability (according to NCES data)
- Reputation (according to Consensus Score)
- Unigo
- My Plan
- Niche
- Grad Reports
- U.S. News Reviews
- Unigo
- U.S. News
- My Plan
- Washington Monthly
- Niche
- Forbes
- Grad Reports
- Wall Street Journal
- U.S. News Reviews
- Wallet Hub
Texas A&M University offers a Master’s in Educational Psychology with a specialization in Developmental Sciences. This program prepares professionals for higher-level positions in any kind of field serving children and families. Texas A&M also offers certificate options to add to the graduate degree, such as advanced research methods or applied behavior analyst.
Texas A&M accepts in-state and out-of-state students for their online program. Application fees can be waived on request.
Degree: MEd in Educational Psychology – Developmental Sciences
Credits: 36
Time to Complete: 2 years
What the Experts Say
Texas A&M earns a respectable 78.6 from College Consensus’ aggregated rankings.
What the Students Say
An 84.2 Student Consensus shows that graduates are overwhelmingly satisfied with Texas A&M.
What the Data Say
Average Tuition: $6,885 In-state, $19,593 Out-of-state
Total Grad Students: 16,370
You have two options for the University of South Florida’s Child & Adolescent Behavioral Health Master of Science. The thesis option will require the submission of GRE scores. You’ll be also be required to declare your track when you apply. Offered entirely online, this program requires 39 hours in research and evaluation, behavioral health, as well as cultural competency. You’ll work with an advisor throughout your program to develop possible thesis concepts or field experience opportunities. Normally, this degree can be completed in two years of full-time attendance.
Degree: MS in Child & Adolescent Behavioral Health
Credits: 36
Time to Complete: 2 years
What the Experts Say
USF earns a 68.6 Consensus Score.
What the Students Say
While the Student Consensus 81.8, sources like U.S. News show even higher student satisfaction – as much as 97.8%!
What the Data Say
Average Tuition: $8,350 In-state, $19,048 Out-of-state
Total Grad Students: 11,405
Ball State University’s MA in Educational Psychology degree offers numerous specializations:
- Gifted and Talented
- Human Development
- Neuropsychology
- Applied Behavior Analysis
Students can also create a customized option specifically for their needs.
You can complete Ball State 100% online, 30-credit program in just 18 months – even 12 months, with a full-time load for every available semester. No GRE is necessary, and out-of-state students can qualify for tuition discounts.
Degree: MA Educational Psychology
Credits: 30
Time to Complete: 18 months
What the Experts Say
Consensus gives Ball State a score of 46.1.
What the Students Say
Ball State graduates are primarily satisfied with their experience, leading to a 76.2 Student Consensus score.
What the Data Say
Average Tuition: $9,884 In-state, $21,222 Out-of-state
Total Grad Students: 5,817
Walden University’s MS in Developmental Psychology degree program offers professionals the chance to improve their credentials. Graduates come out primed for careers in a wide variety of settings, from hospitals and research facilities to advocacy and nonprofits. Students interested in working with children can choose the Child and Adolescent Development specialization, the General Program, or Self-Designed to specialize even further.
Degree: MS in Developmental Psychology
Credits: 48
Time to Complete: 15 months
What the Experts Say
Walden does not have a Consensus score.
What the Students Say
Students are generally satisfied with Walden, giving an average 74.1 Student score.
What the Data Say
Total Grad Students: 43,162
This California university’s Master of Science in Counseling Psychology with a Specialization in Children and Adolescents will prepare you for LPCC licensure in California. The degree is designed to give you the tools needed to work with children experiencing psychiatric and developmental conditions and mental health issues. You’ll improve your communication skills, develop critical thinking and ethical standards, and more. U.S. News and World Report includes the graduate psychology program at Azusa Pacific University, a Christian university, in its national rankings. New students may qualify for $500 applied to tuition.
Degree: MS in Counseling Psychology
Credits: 60
Time to Complete: 2 years
What the Experts Say
Azusa Pacific gets a 45.3 Consensus Score.
What the Students Say
Students show more satisfaction with APU than the experts, with a 77.6 Student score.
What the Data Say
ASU’s online graduate programs are $760 per credit.
You can earn an online MA in applied child and adolescent development from this school with specialties in Child Life (96% of UM graduates in this concentration are working in the field), Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health, or Individualized Studies. The curriculum is 32-35 credits that’s taught by an award-winning faculty. Among the core classes in this program are developmental psychology, research methods, biological and cognitive development, and more prior to enrolling in specialty classes. The degree won’t qualify you for licensure, but if you’re a Minnesota resident, you can take additional coursework to pursue LPCC, with courses only offered in person.
Degree: MA in Applied Child and Adolescent Development
Credits: 35
Time to Complete: 2 years
What the Experts Say
College Consensus gives UMN a score of 71.1.
What the Students Say
Students give Minnesota an 80.6, a very high satisfaction score.
What the Data Say
Tuition: $18,468 In-state, $28,578 Out-of-state
Total Grad Students: 11,990
Earn your MS in Child and Adolescent Developmental Psychology in as few as 16 months by taking ten courses for a total of 30 credit hours at National University. This degree is offered 100% online and doesn’t include any group work. All faculty for this online program are doctorally prepared and have significant experience in teaching developmental psychology and psychological foundations in children and adolescents. The curriculum also includes courses in ADHA, the autism spectrum, ethics, research design and statistics, and more. You’re offered the option of finishing the program with either a Capstone or an internship in Child and Adolescent Developmental Psychology.
Degree: MS in Child and Adolescent Developmental Psychology
Credits: 30
Time to Complete: 16
What the Experts Say
National University does not have a Consensus score.
What the Students Say
National graduates are largely satisfied, with a 81.7 review score on Niche.
What the Data Say
National graduates have a 0% loan default rate.
The Master of Science in Psychology (MS) with a concentration in Child and Adolescent Psychology from SNHU covers a range of topics in cognitive and social psychology, learning theory, ethics, and research methods. Offered online, this 36-credit hour degree includes studies in measurements and assessment, neuropsychology, and a child development seminar, as well as a Capstone Project. SNHU can accept up to 12 graduate transfer hours. The Master of Science doesn’t lead to certification or licensure but will prepare you for a career in social services, healthcare, or education. Southern New Hampshire University has consistently been recognized by U.S. News and World Report’s Most Innovative Schools.
Degree: MS in Child Psychology & Development
Credits: 36
Time to Complete: 15
What the Experts Say
SNHU does not have a Consensus Score.
What the Students Say
SNHU graduates have given their school a Student Consensus of 77.
What the Data Say
Most of SNHU’s graduate degrees can be completed in 15 months.
Here’s an online MA in Psychology from American Public University that offers a Child Life concentration. You’ll study theory, evidence-based practices, and techniques for working with children and families in crisis. The curriculum requires 39 credit hours, and APU will accept up to 15 transfer credits. Scheduling your studies around your work and life is easy at American Public University, with classes starting monthly and running for 8 or 16 weeks. Tuition is a reasonable $370 per hour, and APU has a discounted military tuition discount.
Degree: MA in Psychology – Child Life
Credits: 36
Time to Complete: 18
What the Experts Say
APU does not have a Consensus Score.
What the Students Say
Students are overwhelmingly happy with APU, which earns an 82 Student Consensus score.
What the Data Say
Tuition can cost as little as $290 per credit.
Grand Canyon University was established in 1949 and is a Baptist-affiliated university. Long recognized as offering online degree programs, the Master’s in Counseling in Childhood and Adolescence Disorders from Grand Canyon University may be a good choice if you want to work with and treat childhood behavioral issues. Core topics highlight family dynamics, developmental theories, childhood abuse or trauma assessment, etc. You’ll also receive real-world experience with two internships and one supervised practicum. Tuition for GCU is reasonable, and the school offers substantial military discounts. Admission applications in December 2022 may qualify for the school’s $500 New Graduate Student Holiday Scholarship.
Degree: MS in Childhood and Adolescence Disorders
Credits: 74 quarter credits
Time to Complete: 18 months
What the Experts Say
College Consensus has not awarded GCU a Consensus score.
What the Students Say
Students are generally satisfied, giving GCU a 67.5 Student Consensus score.
What the Data Say
Total Grad Students: 15,783
What Is Child and Adolescent Psychology?
The field of child psychology was first started in 1840 when Charles Darwin, famed biologist, geologist, and naturalist, began recording the growth and development of one of his children. Later, German psychophysiologist William Preyer published The Mind of the Child (1882) of his study of infant development. In 1891, G. Stanley Hall, an American educational psychologist, published a periodical on child psychology and pedagogy.
Other notable psychologists, Anna Freud and her father Sigmund, Jean Piaget, and Melanie Klein, contributed to the field at the beginning of the 20th century. These early researchers identified theories, described child development stages, and studied children’s self-perceptions through various stages of their growth.
Today, those theories and research are the bedrock of today’s Child and Adolescent Psychology. Professionals specially trained in infant, child, and adolescent psychology hold the skills to observe, assess, and treat a variety of problems experienced by children in today’s society.
What Do Child and Adolescent Psychology Professionals Do?
Counselors and therapists work with a variety of children and adolescents who struggle with everything from a poor home life, bullying, abuse, homelessness, as well as neglect. From health problems, trauma and loss, cognitive and developmental deficiencies, master’s prepared professionals can help children and adolescents develop skills and tools to live more productive lives.
The statistics for child and adolescent mental health in the United States are disturbing, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Government reports that the estimates for children and adolescents diagnosed with some form kind of a mental health issue:
| ADHD | 6.0 million |
| Anxiety | 5.8 million |
| Depression | 2.7 million |
| Behavioral Issues | 5.5 million |
The U.S. Health and Human Services Office of Population Affairs reports that the latest numbers see that an estimated 49.5% of children and adolescents have had some mental health disorder in their lives. That’s nearly half of the 42 million adolescents in the United States (youth.gov).
Boys are more apt to receive mental health treatment and be prescribed medications than girls, and roughly, children aged 12-17 years old (16.8%) are more likely to receive treatment (National Center for Health Statistics, 2022).
That’s a significant number of children and adolescents who would benefit from psychological help in some form. There are an estimated 117,513 professionals, with approximately 48% of those professionals holding a child and adolescent psychologists master’s degree (Zippia, 2022).
Earning an M.S. or M.A. in Child and Adolescent Psychology is the foundation for this career. The graduate degree requires a bachelor’s degree. Graduate schools will accept master’s candidates who hold undergraduate degrees in psychology, social work, social sciences, etc.
What Will I Study in an Online Child and Adolescent Psychology Degree?
Typically, master’s programs in Child and Adolescent Psychology are accredited by regional accreditation. Select programs are accredited by the APA Commission on Accreditation (APA-CoA).
Programs are typically 30-36 credit hours in length and can be completed in 12-24 months, depending on full or part-time enrollment. It goes without saying that courses will vary from school to school. There are some master’s programs in this field you can complete in 12 months, but most require 2-3 years of study. You’ll find programs that offer thesis and non-thesis options, as well as some that require a practicum or internship experience.
Courses will typically cover several areas ranging from general psychology to more specialized areas. You might expect classes in:
| Psychopathology | Abnormal Psychology |
| Psychobiology | Testing |
| Research Methods | Statistics |
| Lifespan Development | Biology |
| Cognitive, Behavioral, Social Psychology | Neuroscience |
What Are the Specialities in Child Psychology?
There are several areas in child and adolescent psychology that are worthy of study:
- Autism spectrum disorders
- gender development
- ADHD
- anxiety
- behavioral disorders
Any issue affecting children ages 3-17 can be an area of specialty with a graduate degree in Child and Adolescent Psychology.
Is Child Psychology a Good Career Choice?
It’s important to keep in mind that an M.S. or M.A. in Child and Adolescent Psychology doesn’t qualify you to practice as a child psychologist. Still, it can be very useful and important to help you earn a Ph.D. in the field to become a clinical child psychologist.
An MS or MA in this discipline can prepare you for a career as:
| Child And Adolescent Therapist | Family Therapist |
| School Guidance Counselor | Researcher |
| College Faculty Member | Behavioral Therapist |
Clearly, there are more children and adolescents needing assistance than there are trained professionals to help them. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that counselors trained in Behavioral Disorders and Mental Health have an expected job growth of around 23%, which is much faster than all other occupations over the next ten years. U.S. News and World Report estimates that behavioral and mental health careers have a low 4% unemployment rate.
What are the Best Child Psychology Careers?
According to the BLS, the largest employers of trained behavioral disorder, mental health, and substance abuse counselors are in residential mental health and substance abuse treatment centers (9%), outpatient centers (19%), hospitals, and health systems (10%), individual and family services and practices (15%), and government agencies and services (8%). Careers can be found in both the nonprofit and for-profit sectors.
Jobs in this discipline tend to rank highly in the 100 Best Social Services categories:
| School Counselors | #12 |
| Mental Health Counselors | #15 |
| Clinical Social Workers | #19 |
| Family Therapists | #22 |
How Much Does a Master’s in Child and Adolescent Psychology Make?
The BLS provides estimates of salaries for bachelor’s prepared psychological counselors at $48,520 ($23.33 per hour). Those with master’s degrees may earn between $66,977 (ZipRecruiter), $63,282 (PayScale), and $55,288 (Glassdoor), depending on position and where you work and live.
According to the BLS, Illinois, California, Florida, Texas, and Minnesota have the highest level of employment in this career with average, annual mean salaries between $81,150-$112,210.
Professional Organizations in Child Psychology
Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology (SCCP) this organization is part of the American Psychological Association (APA) and provides a variety of student resources such as journals and other publications useful for professionals and child psychology students
American Psychological Association (APA) is the national organization for psychology professionals and students. APA promotes networking, provides career advice and opportunities, and publishes articles and journals. APA also hosts an annual national conference for members.
Association for Behavioral Analysis International (ABAI) this association offers program accreditation as well as offering scholarly journals and listings of national job opportunities.
License and Certification in Child Psychology
Licensing and certification in this field will depend on the state in which you intend to work as well as depend on your particular career path. States may permit child and adolescent psychology majors with a master’s to become licensed as school psychologists or work as child psychology counselors.
Certification
Some graduate programs will offer certifications for people working in child and family service areas. These programs are typically offered online and can be completed in a few months. Some of the topics these certification programs cover may include:
Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) – Candidates for this license need to complete two years of supervised counseling experience and pass the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMHCE) exam.
Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT) – Your master’s may help prepare you to become an MFT following a year-long rotation and application for state licensure and passing the Association of Marriage and Family Therapy Regulatory Boards. Some states require you to have a graduate degree specifically in the field.
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