Best Clinical Psychology Doctoral Programs in Arkansas, Ranked (2026)
The 2 APA-accredited clinical psychology doctoral programs in Arkansas for 2026, with cohort sizes, the 4,000 supervised hours (2,000 predoctoral internship + 2,000 postdoctoral), EPPP plus the Arkansas Jurisprudence Examination, and Arkansas's PSYPACT status (active since November 2021).
Key Takeaways
- Arkansas has 2 APA-accredited doctoral psychology programs. University of Arkansas (Fayetteville) Clinical Psychology PhD (continuously APA-accredited since 1966; scientist-practitioner; 4 to 6 students per year from 100 to 200 applicants; tuition waiver plus stipend funded for at least 4 years). University of Central Arkansas (UCA, Conway) Counseling Psychology PhD (initial APA accreditation 2015; received 10-year reaccreditation in January 2026; next review ~2036; 5-year program with 4 years on-campus coursework + 1-year full-time professional psychology internship).
- Important corrections to common Arkansas program assumptions: (1) UAMS does NOT have an APA-accredited Clinical PhD. UAMS runs an APA-accredited doctoral INTERNSHIP plus postdoctoral fellowships only. (2) Arkansas State University (Jonesboro) offers EdS in Psychology only; no APA-accredited doctoral program. (3) University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UALR) has NO APA-accredited doctoral clinical psychology program; the "UALR-UAMS joint Clinical PhD" does NOT exist (the UALR-UAMS joint doctoral partnership is in Bioinformatics, not psychology). (4) UCA School Psychology PhD entered APA inactive status in 2019 and no longer accepts new students.
- Arkansas licenses psychologists through the Arkansas Psychology Board (APB) under Arkansas Code Title 17, Chapter 97 (A.C.A. § 17-97-101 et seq.). Two license tiers: Licensed Psychologist (LP) (doctoral) and Licensed Psychological Examiner (LPE) (master's-level).
- Required supervised experience for LP: 2,000-hour predoctoral internship + 2,000-hour postdoctoral supervised experience (full 40-hour weeks; completed within 24 months under a licensed psychologist). Total 4,000 hours.
- Exam sequence is the EPPP (passing scaled score 500; $600 ASPPB registration; $50 state processing fee) plus the Arkansas Jurisprudence Exam. Initial LP application $200; total typical pathway fees ~$1,000.
- Arkansas renews psychology licenses ANNUALLY, not biennially. Annual renewal $210/year. Renewal window May 1 to June 30; license year July 1 to June 30; $100 late fee after June 30.
- Arkansas is an active PSYPACT participant since November 18, 2021. HB 1760 enacted April 25, 2021. Arkansas-licensed psychologists may apply for an APIT (Authority to Practice Interjurisdictional Telepsychology) and/or TAP (Temporary Authorization to Practice) through the PSYPACT Commission.
- Arkansas does NOT have an active HRSA State Loan Repayment Grant; no standalone state-funded LRP for psychologists. The Arkansas Rural Practice Student Loan and Scholarship Program covers physicians only, not psychologists. Arkansas psychologists rely on federal NHSC LRP (up to $50,000 for 2 years; $20,000/year continuation) and PSLF.
Arkansas runs the most concentrated APA-accredited doctoral psychology training landscape in the US Mid-South: only 2 programs total, at 2 institutions (University of Arkansas Fayetteville and University of Central Arkansas). University of Arkansas (Fayetteville) Clinical Psychology PhD has been continuously APA-accredited since 1966 (~60 years of continuous accreditation). Scientist-practitioner / Boulder model. Department of Psychological Science, 216 Memorial Hall, J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences. 4 to 6 students per year from 100 to 200 applicants. 5 to 7 years to completion. Tuition 2025-26 graduate: $12,470/year in-state; $30,892/year out-of-state ($459/credit resident; $1,250/credit non-resident; 2026-27: $473.47/$1,287.74). Admitted PhD students receive a tuition waiver plus base stipend for at least 4 years. GRE NOT required (applicants without GRE scores are ineligible for additional UA Fellowship Committee funding). Scientist-practitioner generalist clinical training; faculty research areas include integrated behavioral health (supported by 2022-2025 HRSA Graduate Psychology Education / GPE grant). Affiliations: UA Psychological Clinic (on-campus training clinic).
University of Central Arkansas (UCA, Conway) Counseling Psychology PhD began 2008; initial APA accreditation granted 2015. UCA received 10-YEAR REACCREDITATION in January 2026, the maximum APA period; next review ~2036. Department of Psychology and Counseling, Mashburn Hall, 201 Donaghey Avenue. Scientist-practitioner model. Tuition 2025-26: $7,446/year in-state; $12,985/year out-of-state ($308/credit resident; $615/credit non-resident; 2026-27 estimated $7,741/$13,551). 5 years (4 years on-campus coursework + 1 year full-time professional psychology internship). GRE General REQUIRED. Application deadline January 15. Community mental health prevention/intervention emphasis; cultural and individual diversity emphasis. Affiliated with Central Arkansas Psychology Internship Consortium (CAPIC). As of 2024, 17 students had completed the program with a 71% licensure rate.
Important clarifications on what is NOT an APA-accredited doctoral degree in Arkansas: (1) University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) does NOT have an APA-accredited doctoral degree program. UAMS hosts an APA-accredited doctoral INTERNSHIP in clinical psychology plus postdoctoral fellowships (trauma, neuropsychology, integrated care, childhood trauma) at the Psychiatric Research Institute, 4301 W. Markham St., #554, Little Rock, AR 72205. (2) Arkansas State University (Jonesboro) offers EdS in Psychology only; no APA-accredited doctoral program. (3) University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UALR) has NO APA-accredited doctoral clinical psychology program; the "UALR-UAMS joint Clinical PhD" referenced in some external sources does NOT exist (the actual UALR-UAMS joint doctoral partnership is in Bioinformatics, not psychology). (4) UCA School Psychology PhD entered APA inactive status in 2019 and no longer accepts new students (program began 2000, was accredited from ~2006, then went inactive).
The Arkansas Psychology Board (APB) licensure path under Arkansas Code Title 17, Chapter 97 requires a doctoral degree in psychology of at least 80 semester hours from a nationally or regionally accredited institution. Two license tiers: Licensed Psychologist (LP) (doctoral) and Licensed Psychological Examiner (LPE) (master's-level). For LP: 2,000-hour predoctoral internship + 2,000-hour postdoctoral supervised experience (full 40-hour weeks; completed within 24 months under a licensed psychologist), the EPPP (passing scaled score 500; $600 ASPPB registration + $50 state processing fee), and the Arkansas Jurisprudence Exam. Initial LP application $200; total typical pathway fees ~$1,000. Annual renewal $210/year (Arkansas renews ANNUALLY, not biennially); renewal window May 1 to June 30; license year July 1 to June 30; $100 late fee after June 30. Per A.C.A. § 17-97-303, LPEs licensed after December 31, 1997 require 3,000 hours of approved supervised clinical training for independent-practice privilege; per 2024 statute revisions, no new LPE applicants licensed after December 31, 2024 will be granted independent practice status going forward.
Arkansas has been an active PSYPACT participant since November 18, 2021 (HB 1760 enacted April 25, 2021). AR-licensed psychologists may apply for APIT/TAP through the PSYPACT Commission. Total timeline from start of bachelor's through full licensure typically runs 10 to 12 years (4-year bachelor's + 5-7 year PhD including 1-year internship + 1 year postdoctoral supervised experience + exams/processing). Walmart HQ in Bentonville drives Northwest Arkansas population and behavioral-health-services growth; Mercy's $500M NWA expansion explicitly cites behavioral health. Arkansas State Hospital (305 South Palm St., Little Rock 72205) was legislatively authorized in 1873 (state appropriated $50,000; construction delayed by Brooks-Baxter War) and opened March 1, 1883 (originally Kirkbride design), making it one of the oldest state psychiatric hospitals in the US South.
APA-Accredited Clinical Psychology Doctoral Programs in Arkansas
All 2 programs ranked in this guide, with tuition, format, and accreditation at a glance.
| # | School | In-State Tuition | Format | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Arkansas (Fayetteville) | ~$12,470/year ($459/credit resident, 2025-26; 2026-27 $473.47/credit). Admitted PhD students receive tuition waiver + base stipend for at least 4 years | On-campus | |
| 2 | University of Central Arkansas (UCA) | ~$7,446/year ($308/credit resident, 2025-26; 2026-27 estimated $7,741/year) | On-campus |
University of Arkansas (Fayetteville)
In-State
~$12,470/year ($459/credit resident, 2025-26; 2026-27 $473.47/credit). Admitted PhD students receive tuition waiver + base stipend for at least 4 years
Out-of-State
~$30,892/year ($1,250.24/credit non-resident, 2025-26; 2026-27 $1,287.74/credit); same with funding
Length
5 to 7 years including 1-year APA-accredited internship
Field Hours
2,000 on the APA-accredited predoctoral internship plus practicum at UA Psychological Clinic (on-campus)
Concentrations
- Continuously APA-accredited since 1966 (~60 years of continuous accreditation)
- 4 to 6 students per year from 100 to 200 applicants
- GRE NOT required (applicants without GRE scores are ineligible for additional UA Fellowship Committee funding)
- Tuition waiver + base stipend for at least 4 years
- HRSA Graduate Psychology Education (GPE) grant 2022-2025 for integrated behavioral health training
University of Central Arkansas (UCA)
In-State
~$7,446/year ($308/credit resident, 2025-26; 2026-27 estimated $7,741/year)
Out-of-State
~$12,985/year ($615/credit non-resident, 2025-26; 2026-27 estimated $13,551/year)
Length
5 years (4 years on-campus coursework + 1 year full-time professional psychology internship)
Field Hours
2,000 on the APA-accredited predoctoral internship plus practicum
Concentrations
- Initial APA accreditation 2015
- Received 10-YEAR REACCREDITATION in January 2026 (the maximum APA period); next review ~2036
- GRE General REQUIRED; application deadline January 15
- 5 years (4 years coursework + 1 year full-time professional psychology internship)
- Community mental health prevention/intervention emphasis; affiliated with Central Arkansas Psychology Internship Consortium (CAPIC)
How to Become a Licensed Clinical Psychologist in Arkansas
The licensing board, exam pathway, and supervised hours you'll need to practice independently.
Arkansas regulates psychologists through the Arkansas Psychology Board (APB) under Arkansas Code Title 17, Chapter 97 (A.C.A. § 17-97-101 et seq.). Contact: apb.info@arkansas.gov / 501-682-6167.
Two license tiers: Licensed Psychologist (LP) (doctoral) and Licensed Psychological Examiner (LPE) (master's-level).
Licensed Psychologist (LP) requirements: Doctoral degree in psychology consisting of at least 80 semester hours from a nationally or regionally accredited institution. 2,000-hour predoctoral internship + 2,000-hour postdoctoral supervised experience (full 40-hour weeks; completed within 24 months under a licensed psychologist; total 4,000 hours). EPPP (passing scaled score 500; $600 ASPPB registration; $50 state processing fee). Arkansas Jurisprudence Exam.
Fees: Initial LP application $200; total typical pathway fees ~$1,000. Annual renewal $210/year (Arkansas renews ANNUALLY, not biennially); renewal window May 1 to June 30; license year July 1 to June 30; $100 late fee after June 30.
LPE supplemental note: Per A.C.A. § 17-97-303, LPEs licensed after December 31, 1997 require 3,000 hours of approved supervised clinical training for independent-practice privilege. Per 2024 statute revisions, no new LPE applicants licensed after December 31, 2024 will be granted independent practice status going forward.
Total timeline from start of bachelor's through full licensure typically runs 10 to 12 years.
Supervised pre-doctoral internship (2,000 hours)
Supervised practice during the doctoral program under faculty and site supervision; not a separate Board credential
Hours
N/A
Duration
Associate
Exam: Not applicable
Licensed Psychological Examiner (master's-level)
Supervised psychological practice. Per 2024 statute revisions, no new LPE applicants licensed after December 31, 2024 will be granted independent practice status
Hours
3,000
Duration
3,000 hours approved supervised clinical training (for LPEs licensed after Dec 31, 1997 seeking independent-practice privilege)
Exam: EPPP (master's tier)
Licensed Psychologist
Independent practice, mental health diagnosis and treatment, psychological testing and assessment, supervision of trainees, expert testimony, telepsychology under PSYPACT for AR LPs holding APIT/TAP
Hours
4,000
Duration
2,000-hour predoctoral internship + 2,000-hour postdoctoral supervised experience (full 40-hour weeks; completed within 24 months under licensed psychologist)
Exam: EPPP (passing scaled score 500) + Arkansas Jurisprudence Exam
Arkansas does not offer automatic reciprocity. Out-of-state applicants must complete the Arkansas Jurisprudence Exam.
Arkansas is an active PSYPACT participant since November 18, 2021. HB 1760 enacted April 25, 2021. Arkansas-licensed psychologists may apply for an APIT (Authority to Practice Interjurisdictional Telepsychology) and/or TAP (Temporary Authorization to Practice) through the PSYPACT Commission to practice telepsychology and temporary in-person services across 40+ PSYPACT-participating jurisdictions.
Clinical Psychologist Salary in Arkansas
BLS state median wages by counseling specialty, with national comparison and top-paying metros.
Arkansas psychologist wages run below national medians. The BLS Arkansas OEWS data should be verified for SOC 19-3033 (state median + Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, Northwest Arkansas / Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, and Fort Smith metros). National median for SOC 19-3033 is $96,100 (May 2024); national mean for all psychologists is $106,850. Arkansas cost of living runs well below national average, narrowing the gap considerably in real terms.
Clinical and Counseling Psychologists (SOC 19-3033)
National median: $96,100
Top metro: Verify with BLS MSA pages (Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway and Northwest Arkansas (Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers))
School Psychologists (SOC 19-3034)
National median: $86,930
Top metro: Verify with BLS (Little Rock SD, Springdale SD, Bentonville SD, Rogers SD)
Psychologists, All Other (SOC 19-3039)
National median: National mean ~$120,000
Top metro: Verify with BLS (Little Rock (UAMS))
Arkansas Clinical Psychology Job Market and Top Employers
Major employers, mental health shortage context, and loan repayment programs that erase debt for service.
Arkansas has a moderate psychology employment market concentrated in Little Rock (capital + UAMS academic medical center) and Northwest Arkansas (Walmart HQ driven growth). Major employers fall into five buckets.
Health systems (private/non-profit): Baptist Health (Little Rock HQ; largest private not-for-profit health care organization based in Arkansas; behavioral health locations including Baptist Health Behavioral Services Clinic and inpatient unit at Baptist Health Medical Center-North Little Rock (22-bed unit); outpatient clinics in Sherwood, Southwest Little Rock, Fort Smith; recently opened psychiatry residency training program in North Little Rock), University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) (state's only academic medical center; Psychiatric Research Institute at 4301 W. Markham St., Little Rock; hosts APA-accredited internship + postdoctoral fellowships in trauma, neuropsychology, integrated care; does NOT confer a doctoral degree), Arkansas Children's Hospital (Little Rock; pediatric psychiatry services via UAMS Health Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health Center), CHI St. Vincent (Little Rock), Mercy Northwest Arkansas (Mercy Clinic Behavioral Health - Rogers and Mercy Clinic Behavioral Health - 74th Street in Fort Smith; integrated psychiatrists, psychologists, therapists; offers Spravato/esketamine and TMS; part of $500M NW Arkansas expansion that includes behavioral health), Washington Regional Medical Center (Fayetteville), and Conway Regional Health System.
State government: Arkansas Department of Human Services / DHS state psychiatric hospitals including Arkansas State Hospital (305 South Palm St., Little Rock; legislatively authorized 1873, opened March 1, 1883; one of the oldest state psychiatric hospitals in the US South; originally Kirkbride design), Conway Human Development Center (Conway; 409.25-acre site; capacity ~518; only DDS-licensed HDC serving school-aged students), Booneville Human Development Center (Booneville; opened 1973 on 1,000 acres; ICF/IID; ~94% of residents have co-occurring mental illness), plus Arkansas Department of Corrections / ADC (Psychologist positions across minimum-to-super-max security facilities; requires doctoral degree + 2 yrs psychology experience + AR LP licensure under A.C.A. § 17-97-302).
Veterans Affairs: Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System / CAVHS (Little Rock + North Little Rock campuses; APA-accredited Psychology Predoctoral Internship; 7 internship slots (3 Clinical, 2 Health Psychology, 2 Neuropsychology); reaccredited 10 years, next site visit 2027) and Veterans Health Care System of the Ozarks / VHSO (Fayetteville VA Medical Center; APA-accredited Psychology Internship since July 2018; APPIC member since September 2015; 3 funded intern slots for 2026-27 training year (start July 13, 2026); rotations in PTSD, Neuropsychology, Primary Care-Mental Health Integration; serves >50,000 veterans/yr; ~14,000 in mental health programs).
K-12 school districts: Little Rock School District, Springdale School District (largest in NW Arkansas), Bentonville School District (Walmart HQ proximity), Rogers School District, and Fort Smith Public Schools.
Walmart HQ in Bentonville drives Northwest Arkansas population and behavioral-health-services growth. Mercy's $500M NWA expansion explicitly cites behavioral health as a major investment area.
Loan Repayment & Scholarship Programs
NHSC Loan Repayment Program: Federal program. Health service psychologists eligible. Up to $50,000 for 2 years full-time service at NHSC-approved site in Mental Health HPSA. Continuation contracts up to $20,000 per additional year. Tax-exempt from federal income and employment taxes.
VA Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP): Central Arkansas VA (Little Rock + North Little Rock) and Veterans Health Care System of the Ozarks (Fayetteville VA) employed psychologists can qualify for EDRP awards up to $200,000 over 5 years.
Federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF): Forgives remaining Direct Loan balance after 120 qualifying monthly payments under IDR while working full-time for qualifying government (federal/state/local/tribal) or 501(c)(3) employer. Common AR PSLF-qualifying employers: VA Central Arkansas, VA Ozarks, Arkansas State Hospital, UAMS, Arkansas Children's Hospital, Arkansas DHS, Arkansas DOC, school districts, community mental health centers.
Note: Arkansas Rural Practice Student Loan and Scholarship Program does NOT cover psychologists. Scope is limited to medical students pursuing full-time primary care medicine in rural Arkansas. Behavioral health / psychology providers are not eligible.
Note: Arkansas does NOT have an active HRSA State Loan Repayment Grant. No standalone state-funded LRP for psychologists. Some loan-repayment incentives are available through state-funded workforce initiatives administered by the Arkansas Department of Health Rural Health Section. Arkansas Psychology Board is statutorily authorized to approve workforce-shortage incentive programs (e.g., neuropsychological testing shortage incentives).
How to Choose a Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program in Arkansas
Decision factors that actually matter, not generic checklist filler.
Choosing an Arkansas clinical psychology doctoral program is straightforward given only 2 APA-accredited options. Here is how to actually narrow it down.
If you want a Clinical PhD with the longest continuous accreditation in Arkansas: University of Arkansas Fayetteville Clinical PhD (continuously APA-accredited since 1966 = ~60 years of continuous accreditation; scientist-practitioner generalist; 4-6 admits/year from 100-200 applicants; tuition waiver + base stipend for at least 4 years; GRE not required; HRSA GPE grant for integrated behavioral health training).
If you want a Counseling Psychology PhD with fresh long-term APA accreditation: University of Central Arkansas (UCA, Conway) Counseling Psychology PhD. Initial APA accreditation 2015. Received 10-year reaccreditation in January 2026 (the maximum APA period); next review ~2036. Community mental health prevention/intervention emphasis. Cultural and individual diversity emphasis. GRE General REQUIRED. Application deadline January 15.
If you want APA-accredited internship and post-doc training (not a doctoral degree): UAMS hosts an APA-accredited Clinical Psychology Internship plus postdoctoral fellowships (trauma, neuropsychology, integrated care) at the Psychiatric Research Institute, Little Rock. Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System (CAVHS) has 7 internship slots (3 Clinical, 2 Health Psychology, 2 Neuropsychology). Veterans Health Care System of the Ozarks (Fayetteville VA) has 3 funded intern slots for 2026-27.
If you want Northwest Arkansas employment (Walmart HQ regional growth): Mercy Northwest Arkansas Behavioral Health (Rogers + Fort Smith) is part of Mercy's $500M NWA expansion that explicitly cites behavioral health. Mercy offers Spravato/esketamine and TMS. Springdale, Bentonville, and Rogers School Districts hire school psychologists.
If you want maximum PSYPACT leverage: Arkansas is an active PSYPACT participant since November 18, 2021. AR LPs holding APIT/TAP can practice telepsychology and temporary in-person services across 40+ PSYPACT jurisdictions.
If you want forensic psychology placement: Arkansas State Hospital (Little Rock; legislatively authorized 1873; opened March 1, 1883; Kirkbride design) is one of the oldest state psychiatric hospitals in the US South. Arkansas Department of Corrections hires ADC Psychologists across minimum-to-super-max security facilities.
Caveats worth knowing before applying: UAMS does NOT have an APA-accredited Clinical PhD (only internship + postdocs). The "UALR-UAMS joint Clinical PhD" does NOT exist (joint partnership is in Bioinformatics). Arkansas State University offers EdS only, no APA-accredited doctorate. UCA School Psychology PhD is APA-inactive since 2019 and not accepting students; do not include as an active option. Arkansas renews psychology licenses ANNUALLY at $210/year, not biennially. Arkansas does NOT have an active HRSA State Loan Repayment Grant; Arkansas Rural Practice LRP covers physicians only. Rely on federal NHSC LRP + PSLF.
Related Pages
Counseling Programs in Arkansas
CACREP-accredited counseling programs and the Arkansas LPC license, a master's alternative to the 7-year clinical psychology doctorate
MSW Programs in Arkansas
CSWE-accredited social work programs and Arkansas LCSW licensure
ABA Programs in Arkansas
BACB-verified course sequences and Arkansas BCBA practice for students considering applied behavior analysis
Clinical Psychology Doctoral Programs by State
Browse APA-accredited clinical psychology doctoral programs (PhD and PsyD) in every state
Sources
- APA Commission on Accreditation, Accredited Programs Directory
- Arkansas Psychology Board
- Arkansas Code Title 17, Chapter 97
- PSYPACT, Compact Map
- PSYPACT State Legislation
- Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS Arkansas Estimates
- Bureau of Labor Statistics, Psychologists
- NHSC Loan Repayment Program
- University of Arkansas Clinical Psychology PhD
- University of Central Arkansas Counseling Psychology PhD
- UCA 10-Year Reaccreditation News (January 2026)
- UAMS Clinical Psychology Internship
- Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System Psychology Internship