Best Clinical Psychology Doctoral Programs in Minnesota, Ranked (2026)
Top APA-accredited clinical psychology doctoral programs (PhD and PsyD) in Minnesota for 2026, with cohort sizes, the 1,800 post-doctoral hours, EPPP plus the Minnesota Professional Responsibility Examination, and Minnesota's PSYPACT membership since 2021.
Key Takeaways
- Minnesota has roughly 6 APA-accredited doctoral psychology programs across 4 institutions. R1 anchor is University of Minnesota Twin Cities with three APA-accredited PhDs: Clinical Science and Psychopathology Research (CSPR) PhD (APA since 1948 plus PCSAS through 2033, ~1 to 3% acceptance rate), Counseling Psychology PhD (APA since 1952), and School Psychology PhD (NASP-approved since 1992). PsyD anchors include Saint Mary's University of Minnesota (Counseling Psychology PsyD, APA-accredited since 2015), University of St. Thomas (Counseling Psychology PsyD, APA-accredited since 2000), and Augsburg University (Clinical Psychology PsyD, currently "Accredited, on contingency" through December 8, 2026; absorbed Argosy Twin Cities students after the March 2019 closure).
- Minnesota licenses psychologists through the Minnesota Board of Psychology. Required supervised experience is 1,800 hours of post-degree supervised employment completed within 12 to 30 months following degree conferral.
- Exam sequence is the EPPP (passing scaled score 500) plus the Minnesota Professional Responsibility Examination (PRE), a state jurisprudence exam on the MN Psychology Practice Act and Rules of Conduct.
- Initial license fee is $500 (paid at the one-year mark of post-doctoral supervised experience); biennial renewal is $500. Continuing education is 20 CE credits every 2 years. Minnesota does NOT issue an independent psychology license at the master's level; the LP credential is doctoral-only.
- Minnesota is a PSYPACT state. Minnesota enacted PSYPACT through SF 193 in 2021. MN LPs holding the E.Passport plus APIT can practice telepsychology across all 40+ PSYPACT member states.
- Mayo Clinic Rochester is a globally ranked academic medical center and one of the most prestigious psychology employers in the country. Mayo Clinic runs an APA-accredited Medical Psychology Fellowship with three specialty post-doc tracks (Clinical Child, Clinical Health, Clinical Neuropsychology - adult or pediatric). Fellowships are 2 years with 95% post-fellowship employment rate.
- The Minnesota Health Professional Loan Forgiveness Program (HPLFP) awards licensed psychologists up to $29,000 per year for 4 years (maximum $116,000). Tax-exempt at federal and state level. Two tracks: Rural Mental Health and Urban Mental Health. 2026 application window: November 1, 2026 to January 6, 2027.
- Augsburg accreditation caveat: Augsburg University's PsyD in Clinical Psychology is "Accredited, on contingency" through December 8, 2026. Applicants enrolling in or after the 2026 cycle should verify status directly with the program and the APA Commission on Accreditation before committing. Walden University in Minneapolis is NOT APA-accredited (Walden's own disclosure confirms this).
Minnesota runs a small but distinctive psychology training market anchored by the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. UMN Twin Cities hosts three APA-accredited doctoral programs in psychology: Clinical Science and Psychopathology Research (CSPR) PhD (APA-accredited since 1948 plus PCSAS-accredited through 2033, with an approximately 1 to 3% acceptance rate, making it one of the most selective Clinical PhDs in the country), Counseling Psychology PhD (APA-accredited continuously since 1952), and School Psychology PhD (NASP-approved continuously since 1992). All three are fully funded with tuition + stipend + insurance for 5 years.
The Minnesota PsyD landscape is concentrated in three Minneapolis-area programs. Saint Mary's University of Minnesota runs the only APA-accredited Counseling Psychology PsyD at the Twin Cities campus (since 2015, master's required for admission). University of St. Thomas Morrison Family College of Health runs an APA-accredited Counseling Psychology PsyD (since 2000) at its Minneapolis campus. Augsburg University runs the only Clinical Psychology PsyD in Minnesota, currently "Accredited, on contingency" through December 8, 2026 (a critical caveat for prospective applicants). Augsburg also absorbed teach-out students from Argosy Twin Cities after that program closed in March 2019; the Augsburg/Argosy Teach-Out program withdrew accreditation September 19, 2024 after all Argosy students graduated.
The Minnesota Board of Psychology licensure path requires a doctorate with major in psychology from a regionally accredited institution (APA-accredited or "equivalent" per Board standards), 1,800 hours of post-degree supervised employment completed within 12 to 30 months following degree conferral, the EPPP (passing scaled score 500), and the Minnesota Professional Responsibility Examination (PRE, a state jurisprudence exam on the MN Psychology Practice Act and Rules of Conduct). Initial license fee is $500 (paid at the one-year mark of post-doctoral supervised experience); biennial renewal is $500. Continuing education is 20 CE credits per 2-year cycle. Minnesota does NOT issue an independent psychology license at the master's level; the LP credential is doctoral-only, making the doctoral pathway meaningful for MN-based practice.
Minnesota has been a PSYPACT state since 2021 via SF 193. MN LPs with APIT can practice telepsychology across all 40+ PSYPACT member states. Combined with Mayo Clinic Rochester (one of the world's top hospitals and a major psychologist employer with APA-accredited Medical Psychology Fellowships), the Minneapolis-St. Paul academic medical center concentration (M Health Fairview, HealthPartners, Allina, Hennepin Healthcare, Children's Minnesota), and the unusually large state psychiatric hospital system (AMRTC at 110 beds, plus St. Peter Regional Treatment Center, Minnesota Security Hospital, and the Minnesota Sex Offender Program), Minnesota offers strong employment depth despite the small program count.
APA-Accredited Clinical Psychology Doctoral Programs in Minnesota
All 6 programs ranked in this guide, with tuition, format, and accreditation at a glance.
| # | School | In-State Tuition | Format | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Minnesota Twin Cities (Clinical Science PhD) | Full tuition + stipend + insurance guaranteed 5 years; assistantship base stipend ~$24,000 per 9-month appointment with full tuition waiver | On-campus | |
| 2 | University of Minnesota Twin Cities (Counseling Psychology PhD) | Tuition + stipend funding via UMN Psychology Department assistantships | On-campus | |
| 3 | University of Minnesota Twin Cities (School Psychology PhD) | UMN graduate rates with assistantship support typical | On-campus | |
| 4 | Saint Mary's University of Minnesota | ~$693 per credit hour graduate rate (verify PsyD-specific rate with bursar) | On-campus | |
| 5 | University of St. Thomas | Private; verify current rate at https://www.stthomas.edu/financial-aid/graduate/tuition-fee-rates/ | On-campus | |
| 6 | Augsburg University | ~$1,220 per credit (98 credits = $119,560) + 1-year internship tuition $3,660; total ~$123,220 | On-campus |
University of Minnesota Twin Cities (Clinical Science PhD)
In-State
Full tuition + stipend + insurance guaranteed 5 years; assistantship base stipend ~$24,000 per 9-month appointment with full tuition waiver
Out-of-State
Same with full funding
Length
5 to 6 years + 1-year APA-accredited internship typically in Year 5 or 6
Field Hours
Minimum 480 hours practicum + 1,500+ on the APA-accredited internship; 45+ practicum agencies in Twin Cities
Concentrations
- APA-accredited since 1948 AND PCSAS-accredited through 2033 (dual accreditation, one of the densest in the country)
- Acceptance rate approximately 1 to 3% in recent years, one of the most selective Clinical PhDs nationally
- GRE General Test required for CSPR per current UMN Psychology application
- Full tuition + stipend + insurance guaranteed 5 years
- Research strengths in psychopathology, personality, clinical neuroscience, and behavioral genetics; 45+ Twin Cities practicum agencies
University of Minnesota Twin Cities (Counseling Psychology PhD)
In-State
Tuition + stipend funding via UMN Psychology Department assistantships
Out-of-State
Same with funding
Length
5 to 6 years residential + 1-year APA-accredited internship
Field Hours
600 to 800 advanced practicum hours at ~40 Twin Cities sites + APA-accredited internship
Concentrations
- Continuously APA-accredited since 1952, one of the longest-running Counseling Psychology PhDs in the country
- Practicum begins at Student Counseling Services with 600 to 800 advanced practicum hours at ~40 Twin Cities sites
- Scientist-practitioner training with strong multicultural and vocational psychology emphasis
- UMN tuition + stipend funding for admitted students
- Embedded in UMN Department of Psychology alongside Clinical Science PhD
University of Minnesota Twin Cities (School Psychology PhD)
In-State
UMN graduate rates with assistantship support typical
Out-of-State
Out-of-state UMN graduate rates
Length
~4 years coursework + dissertation + 1-year internship
Field Hours
1,500+ on the APA-accredited internship plus practicum
Concentrations
- APA-accredited School Psychology PhD AND NASP-approved continuously since 1992
- Graduates eligible for state and national school psychologist credentials plus license to practice psychology
- ~4 years coursework + dissertation + 1-year internship structure
- Housed in the broader Educational Psychology PhD with four tracks
- Minneapolis location with placements across Minneapolis Public Schools, Saint Paul Public Schools, and major suburban districts
Saint Mary's University of Minnesota
In-State
~$693 per credit hour graduate rate (verify PsyD-specific rate with bursar)
Out-of-State
Same private rate
Length
5 years
Field Hours
1,500+ on the APA-accredited internship plus practicum
Concentrations
- APA-accredited Counseling Psychology PsyD since 2015
- Master's degree required for admission: psychology, MFT, social work, counseling, nursing, or human development (3.4+ GPA)
- Roughly 70 students across all years currently enrolled at the Twin Cities campus
- 5-year practitioner-scholar training model
- Minneapolis location at 2500 Park Avenue with placements across Twin Cities behavioral health
University of St. Thomas
In-State
Private; verify current rate at https://www.stthomas.edu/financial-aid/graduate/tuition-fee-rates/
Out-of-State
Same private rate
Length
5 to 6 years
Field Hours
1,500+ on the APA-accredited internship plus practicum at Regions Hospital, Children's Minnesota, and community clinics
Concentrations
- APA-accredited Counseling Psychology PsyD continuously since 2000
- Housed in Morrison Family College of Health
- Practicum sites include Regions Hospital, Children's Minnesota, and community clinics across Twin Cities
- Minneapolis campus location with strong urban behavioral health placement network
- Practitioner-scholar training model
Augsburg University
In-State
~$1,220 per credit (98 credits = $119,560) + 1-year internship tuition $3,660; total ~$123,220
Out-of-State
Same private rate
Length
5 to 6 years full-time
Field Hours
1,500+ on the APA-accredited internship plus practicum
Concentrations
- The only APA-accredited Clinical PsyD program in Minnesota
- CAVEAT: "Accredited, on contingency" through December 8, 2026. Verify status directly with the program and APA Commission on Accreditation before enrolling.
- Augsburg absorbed teach-out students from Argosy Twin Cities after the March 2019 closure (separate teach-out program withdrew accreditation September 19, 2024 after all Argosy students graduated)
- Low-20s cohort size per year, year-round full-time on-campus structure
- Total tuition ~$123,220 over the program; GRE optional
How to Become a Licensed Clinical Psychologist in Minnesota
The licensing board, exam pathway, and supervised hours you'll need to practice independently.
Minnesota regulates psychologists through the Minnesota Board of Psychology.
Education requirement is a doctoral degree with major in psychology from a regionally accredited institution. The program may be APA-accredited or "equivalent" per Board standards (foundational coursework, internship, residency).
Required supervised experience is 1,800 hours of post-degree supervised employment completed within 12 to 30 months following degree conferral. This is a relatively favorable structure compared to states requiring 3,000+ hours.
Exam sequence is the EPPP (passing scaled score 500) plus the Minnesota Professional Responsibility Examination (PRE), a state jurisprudence exam on the MN Psychology Practice Act and Rules of Conduct.
Initial license fee is $500 (paid at the one-year mark of post-doctoral supervised experience). Biennial renewal is $500. Late renewal fee adds $250. Guest licensure is $150. Continuing education is 20 CE credits every 2 years.
Minnesota does NOT issue an independent psychology license at the master's level. The Licensed Psychologist (LP) credential is doctoral-only, which makes the doctoral pathway meaningful for MN-based practice. Total timeline runs 6 to 9 years from start of bachelor's.
Supervised pre-doctoral internship
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 Psychologist (LP)
Independent practice, mental health diagnosis and treatment, psychological testing and assessment, supervision of trainees, expert testimony, telepsychology under PSYPACT for MN LPs holding APIT
Hours
1,800
Duration
1,800 hours of post-degree supervised employment within 12 to 30 months after degree conferral
Exam: EPPP (passing scaled score 500) + Minnesota Professional Responsibility Examination (PRE)
Minnesota does not offer automatic reciprocity but allows licensure by endorsement for out-of-state psychologists who hold a current valid license earned through requirements substantially equivalent to Minnesota. Out-of-state applicants must complete the Minnesota Professional Responsibility Examination (PRE).
Minnesota is a PSYPACT member state. Minnesota enacted PSYPACT through SF 193 in 2021. MN LPs holding the E.Passport and APIT (Authority to Practice Interjurisdictional Telepsychology) through the PSYPACT Commission can practice telepsychology with clients in any of the 40+ PSYPACT member states. See MN Board PSYPACT page for application details.
Clinical Psychologist Salary in Minnesota
BLS state median wages by counseling specialty, with national comparison and top-paying metros.
Minnesota psychologist wages run roughly at or slightly above national medians. The BLS Minnesota OEWS places Clinical and Counseling Psychologists (SOC 19-3033) near or above the national median of $96,100, with the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington metro running higher given Mayo Clinic Rochester, M Health Fairview, HealthPartners, and Children's Minnesota academic medical center concentration. Verify exact Minnesota state-level figures directly from BLS OEWS Minnesota tables before publishing.
Clinical and Counseling Psychologists (SOC 19-3033)
National median: $96,100
Top metro: ~$100,000+ (Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington)
School Psychologists (SOC 19-3034)
National median: $86,930
Top metro: Senior steps reach ~$95,000+ (Minneapolis suburbs (Anoka-Hennepin, District 196, Osseo))
Psychologists, All Other (SOC 19-3039)
National median: National mean ~$120,000
Top metro: Top consulting and I-O roles top $140,000+ (Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington)
Minnesota Clinical Psychology Job Market and Top Employers
Major employers, mental health shortage context, and loan repayment programs that erase debt for service.
Minnesota has one of the deepest psychology employment markets in the Midwest, anchored by Mayo Clinic Rochester (one of the world's top hospitals) plus the Minneapolis-St. Paul academic medical center concentration. Major employers fall into five buckets.
Health systems: Mayo Clinic Rochester (200 First Street SW; runs APA-accredited Medical Psychology Fellowship with three specialty post-doc tracks: Clinical Child Psychology, Clinical Health Psychology, Clinical Neuropsychology adult or pediatric; 2-year fellowships with 95% post-fellowship employment rate), M Health Fairview / University of Minnesota Medical Center (2450 Riverside Avenue, Minneapolis), HealthPartners (8170 33rd Avenue South, Bloomington) and Regions Hospital (640 Jackson Street, St. Paul), Allina Health (2925 Chicago Avenue, Minneapolis), Hennepin Healthcare / HCMC (701 Park Avenue, Minneapolis; Level 1 Trauma Center safety-net hospital with 25+ psychologists on staff; APA-accredited internship and post-doctoral fellowship), Children's Minnesota (2525 Chicago Avenue S, Minneapolis), and North Memorial Health.
MN DHS Direct Care and Treatment (DCT) state psychiatric facilities: Anoka Metro Regional Treatment Center / AMRTC (Minnesota's largest state psychiatric hospital with 110 beds across six treatment units in Anoka), St. Peter Regional Treatment Center (St. Peter), Minnesota Security Hospital (campus at St. Peter, forensic programs), and Minnesota Sex Offender Program / MSOP (St. Peter and Moose Lake). Minnesota Department of Corrections employs psychologists across state correctional facilities.
VA system: Minneapolis VA Health Care System (APA-accredited psychology internship with 6 standard-track positions + 2 neuropsychology track positions) and St. Cloud VA Health Care System (APA-accredited generalist psychology internship, 3 interns per year).
Public schools: Minneapolis Public Schools (Special School District No. 1), Saint Paul Public Schools (Independent School District 625), and large suburban districts including Anoka-Hennepin, Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan (District 196), and Osseo Area Schools.
Independent training sites: Mayo Clinic Rochester is the globally recognized specialty employer that distinguishes Minnesota from peer states. The MN DHS state psychiatric system (AMRTC, St. Peter, Minnesota Security Hospital, MSOP) is unusually large and is a uniquely strong employer base for forensic and serious-mental-illness psychology work.
Loan Repayment & Scholarship Programs
Minnesota Health Professional Loan Forgiveness Program (HPLFP) - Mental Health Track: Administered by Office of Rural Health and Primary Care (ORHPC). Licensed psychologists eligible. Up to $29,000 per year, maximum $116,000 over 4 years. Tax-exempt at federal and Minnesota income tax (no 1099 issued). Two tracks: Rural Mental Health and Urban Mental Health. 2026 application window: November 1, 2026 to January 6, 2027.
Minnesota Mental Health Provider Supervision Grant Program: $3M appropriation across the 2024-25 biennium; subsidizes supervision costs for mental health practitioners pursuing licensure. Related Mental Health Cultural Community Continuing Education (MHCCCE) Grant Program for Trainers under MN Stat. 144.1511 focuses on mental health professionals from communities of color qualifying as supervisors.
NHSC Loan Repayment Program: Federal program. Health Service Psychologists eligible. Up to $50,000 for 2-year full-time service at NHSC-approved site in a Mental Health HPSA. Many MN community mental health centers, FQHCs, and IHS/tribal facilities qualify.
VA Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP): VA-employed psychologists at Minneapolis VA and St. Cloud VA can qualify for EDRP awards up to $200,000 over 5 years.
Federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF): MN LPs at qualifying employers (Minneapolis VA, St. Cloud VA, MN DHS DCT facilities, county hospitals like Hennepin Healthcare, public school districts, university medical centers) qualify for PSLF after 120 qualifying payments under an income-driven repayment plan.
How to Choose a Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program in Minnesota
Decision factors that actually matter, not generic checklist filler.
Choosing a Minnesota clinical psychology doctoral program comes down to four levers: funding, training model (clinical-science PhD vs counseling PhD vs practitioner-scholar PsyD), the Augsburg contingency accreditation timing, and the unique Mayo Clinic employer access. Here is how to actually narrow it down.
If you want a fully funded research PhD: UMN Twin Cities runs three fully funded PhDs (Clinical Science with dual APA + PCSAS through 2033 with ~1 to 3% acceptance, Counseling Psychology since 1952, School Psychology with NASP approval since 1992). All three offer tuition + stipend + insurance guaranteed 5 years.
If you want APA + PCSAS dual accreditation: UMN Twin Cities Clinical Science PhD is Minnesota's only dual-accredited program (APA since 1948 + PCSAS through 2033). PCSAS signals clinical-science training and is accepted by most state licensure boards alongside APA.
If you want a PsyD in Counseling Psychology: Saint Mary's University of Minnesota (since 2015, master's required for admission, ~70 students across all years) and University of St. Thomas (since 2000) are the two APA-accredited Counseling PsyDs in MN, both in Minneapolis.
If you want a Clinical PsyD in Minnesota: Augsburg University is the ONLY APA-accredited Clinical PsyD in MN. CRITICAL CAVEAT: Augsburg is "Accredited, on contingency" through December 8, 2026. Verify accreditation status directly with the program AND the APA Commission on Accreditation before committing. Total tuition ~$123,220 over the program.
If you want Mayo Clinic training access: Minnesota is the only state with Mayo Clinic Rochester, one of the world's top hospitals. Mayo runs APA-accredited 2-year Medical Psychology Fellowships in Clinical Child, Clinical Health, and Clinical Neuropsychology with 95% post-fellowship employment. This is one of the strongest post-doctoral signals available globally.
If you want to skip master's licensure entirely: Minnesota does NOT issue an independent psychology license at the master's level. This means the LP credential is doctoral-only, raising the value of a Minnesota doctorate for MN-based practice (you cannot practice independently with a master's).
If you want maximum PSYPACT leverage: Minnesota has been a PSYPACT state since 2021 via SF 193. MN LPs with APIT can practice telepsychology across all 40+ PSYPACT member states.
If you want a 1,800-hour supervised path (relatively favorable): MN requires 1,800 hours of post-degree supervised employment in 12 to 30 months, which is shorter than the 3,000+ hour pathways in states like Florida, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Texas, and Ohio.
Caveats worth knowing before applying: Walden University in Minneapolis is NOT APA-accredited (Walden's own disclosure: "Walden University's PhD in Clinical Psychology program is not accredited by the American Psychological Association"). Adler Graduate School (Minnesota) does NOT offer an APA-accredited doctoral psychology program (Adler's APA-accredited PsyD is at Adler University in Chicago, a separate institution). Augsburg's contingency accreditation expires December 8, 2026; verify status before enrolling.
Related Pages
Counseling Programs in Minnesota
CACREP-accredited counseling programs and the Minnesota LPCC license, a master's alternative to the 7-year clinical psychology doctorate
MSW Programs in Minnesota
CSWE-accredited social work programs and Minnesota LICSW licensure
ABA Programs in Minnesota
BACB-verified course sequences and Minnesota 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
- Minnesota Board of Psychology
- MN Board PSYPACT Page
- PSYPACT, Compact Map
- Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS Minnesota Estimates
- Bureau of Labor Statistics, Psychologists
- MN Rural Mental Health Loan Forgiveness
- MN Urban Mental Health Loan Forgiveness
- NHSC Loan Repayment Program
- Mayo Clinic Medical Psychology Fellowship