Best Clinical Psychology Doctoral Programs in Texas, Ranked (2026)
Top APA-accredited clinical psychology doctoral programs (PhD and PsyD) in Texas for 2026, with cohort sizes, the 3,500 supervised hours (1,750 pre-doctoral + 1,750 post-doctoral), EPPP plus the Texas Jurisprudence Exam, the sub-doctoral LSSP school psychology track, and Texas's PSYPACT membership since July 2020.
Key Takeaways
- Texas has roughly 20+ APA-accredited doctoral psychology programs across Clinical, Counseling, and School psychology. R1 funded PhD anchors include UT Austin (continuously APA-accredited Clinical since 1949 plus PCSAS since 2019, Counseling since 1953, and Combined School/Clinical Child), Texas A&M (Clinical, Counseling, School), University of Houston (Clinical + Counseling, both APA-accredited), UNT (Clinical at an R1 Minority-Serving Institution), Texas Tech (Clinical + Counseling), UT Southwestern (medical center model with integrated 2-year half-time internship), and SMU (Clinical Science PhD). PsyD anchors include Baylor (fully-funded PsyD since 1976), Sam Houston State (forensic concentration), UHCL (Health Service Psychology PsyD), Our Lady of the Lake (Counseling PsyD), and The Chicago School Dallas.
- Texas licenses psychologists through the Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists (TSBEP), which sits under the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council (BHEC) established by HB 1501 (2019). BHEC also oversees LPCs, LMFTs, LCSWs, and LCDCs, an unusual cross-disciplinary regulatory structure.
- Texas uses a two-stage licensure path: Provisional Licensed Psychologist (PLP) for post-doctoral supervised practice, then full Licensed Psychologist (LP). Required supervised experience is 3,500 hours total: 1,750 hours minimum in a formal pre-doctoral internship plus 1,750 hours minimum post-doctoral. Texas has not eliminated the post-doctoral requirement (unlike Washington, Oregon, Utah, Arizona).
- Texas requires EPPP plus the Texas Jurisprudence Examination. The Texas Jurisprudence Exam is an online test covering the Texas Licensing Act and TSBEP rules. ASPPB is adding EPPP Part 2 (Skills) in 2026, which Texas has not yet committed to requiring. TSBEP has been developing a Texas-specific licensure exam since 2025 as a potential EPPP alternative due to cost concerns in a workforce-shortage state.
- Texas LSSP is unique nationally. The Licensed Specialist in School Psychology (LSSP) is a sub-doctoral credential allowing specialist-level (60+ credit hour, EdS or equivalent) school psychology practitioners to be licensed to provide school psychological services in Texas K-12. LSSP requires the NASP National School Psychology Examination (Praxis II), NOT the EPPP, plus the Texas Jurisprudence Exam. Texas ISDs are among the largest LSSP employers in the country.
- Texas is a PSYPACT state. Texas enacted PSYPACT through HB 1501 (2019), signed June 10, 2019, effective July 1, 2020. Texas was in the first cohort of operational PSYPACT states. Texas LPs can apply for the APIT and IPC credentials through ASPPB to practice telepsychology across all 40+ PSYPACT member states.
- Texas's Texas Mental Health Professionals Loan Repayment Program (THECB) awards licensed psychologists up to $80,000 over three years for serving in a Texas Mental Health Professional Shortage Area, an eligible state hospital, or community-based mental health service. Texas has no state income tax, meaningfully increasing take-home pay compared to equivalent gross wages in California or New York.
- Texas employer landscape is huge and geographically distributed across DFW (~8M), Houston (~7.5M), San Antonio-Austin corridor (~5M+), Rio Grande Valley (~1.5M), East Texas, and West Texas/Panhandle. Major employers include Baylor Scott & White, MD Anderson, Texas Children's, UT Southwestern, UTHealth Houston, Parkland Health, Cook Children's, the 10 HHSC state psychiatric hospitals, TDCJ, TJJD, 6 VA Texas systems, and the largest LSSP workforce in the country across Texas ISDs.
Texas has the second-deepest psychology training landscape in the country by raw program count and the most geographically distributed employer market. R1 funded PhDs anchor the system (UT Austin Clinical PhD since 1949 plus PCSAS since 2019; Texas A&M Clinical and Counseling and School; University of Houston Clinical and Counseling; UNT Clinical at an R1 Minority-Serving Institution; Texas Tech Clinical and Counseling; UT Southwestern Clinical with integrated 2-year half-time internship; SMU Clinical Science). PsyD options run from the fully-funded Baylor PsyD (since 1976, with full tuition remission for up to 5 years) to practitioner-track PsyDs at Sam Houston State (forensic concentration), UHCL (Health Service Psychology, full APA accreditation 2023), Our Lady of the Lake (Counseling PsyD with Spanish-language certificate), and The Chicago School Dallas. UTRGV and UT Tyler hold APA Accreditation on Contingency through early 2029.
The TSBEP licensure path sits under the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council (BHEC), an unusual umbrella structure established in 2019 that also covers LPCs, LMFTs, LCSWs, and LCDCs. Cross-disciplinary regulatory coordination is the norm under BHEC, and BHEC rules took effect September 1, 2020.
The licensure process is two-stage: you complete the doctorate from an APA-accredited or regionally-accredited program, then apply for the Provisional Licensed Psychologist (PLP) to begin post-doctoral supervised practice. The PLP is valid up to 2 years. Once you complete the 3,500 total supervised hours (1,750 pre-doctoral internship + 1,750 post-doctoral) and pass the EPPP plus the Texas Jurisprudence Examination, TSBEP issues the full Licensed Psychologist (LP). Texas has historically required the post-doctoral year and has not joined the small group of states (Washington, Utah, Arizona, Oregon) eliminating the postdoc.
Three things make Texas psychology distinctive. First, the LSSP track: Texas's sub-doctoral Licensed Specialist in School Psychology credential allows specialist-level (60-credit) school psychologists to practice in K-12 with the NASP Praxis II exam (NOT the EPPP). Texas ISDs are among the largest single LSSP employers in the country, and APA-accredited school psych doctoral grads (TAMU School, UT Austin School/Clinical Child, TWU) automatically meet LSSP training/internship requirements via the NASP route. Second, PSYPACT membership since July 2020 (first cohort) plus no state income tax gives Texas LPs a strong base for multi-state telehealth practice with favorable tax treatment. Third, the geographic scale: Texas has 254 counties and multiple distinct catchment areas. Bilingual Spanish-language demand is heavy in the Rio Grande Valley, San Antonio, El Paso, and South Texas; OLLU's Spanish-language certificate is explicitly built for this market.
APA-Accredited Clinical Psychology Doctoral Programs in Texas
All 12 programs ranked in this guide, with tuition, format, and accreditation at a glance.
| # | School | In-State Tuition | Format | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Texas at Austin | Full tuition assistance + $30,000 minimum stipend for up to 5 years (Clinical PhD); Counseling PhD students receive at least $30,000 per year with health insurance | On-campus | |
| 2 | Texas A&M University | Funded GA appointments typically cover tuition + stipend for admitted students | On-campus | |
| 3 | University of Houston | ~$10,051 per year (in-state) baseline; funded students receive non-resident tuition waiver (up to $15,600 value) + Graduate Tuition Fellowship (~$11,139) + stipend | On-campus | |
| 4 | University of North Texas (UNT) | Funded clinical students receive tuition support + stipend through GA appointments | On-campus | |
| 5 | Texas Tech University | Funded students receive GA support covering tuition + stipend | On-campus | |
| 6 | UT Southwestern Medical Center | Some scholarship awards qualify non-Texas residents for in-state rates first two semesters; Year 2 practicum stipend $10,000; Years 3-4 internship stipend $20,000/year | On-campus | |
| 7 | Southern Methodist University (SMU) | Tuition waiver + funding up to 5 years; standard stipend $25,000; Moody/Mustang Fellowships ~$31,500; 6th year (internship) funded by internship site (private) | On-campus | |
| 8 | Baylor University | Fully funded (full tuition remission ~$52,422 per year value, up to 5 years) + practicum payment $16,000 to $25,000/year + final year stipend ~$19,000 | On-campus | |
| 9 | Sam Houston State University (SHSU) | SHSU graduate rates with funded GA support | On-campus | |
| 10 | University of Houston-Clear Lake (UHCL) | UHCL public university graduate rates | On-campus | |
| 11 | Our Lady of the Lake University (OLLU) | ~$895 to $907 per credit (private graduate rate) | On-campus | |
| 12 | Texas Woman's University (TWU) | TWU public university graduate rates with assistantships available | On-campus |
University of Texas at Austin
In-State
Full tuition assistance + $30,000 minimum stipend for up to 5 years (Clinical PhD); Counseling PhD students receive at least $30,000 per year with health insurance
Out-of-State
Same full funding
Length
5 to 6 years + 1-year APA-accredited internship
Field Hours
1,750+ on the APA-accredited internship plus practicum
Concentrations
- Clinical Psychology PhD continuously APA-accredited since 1949 AND PCSAS-accredited since 2019
- Three separate APA-accredited doctoral programs (Clinical, Counseling, Combined School/Clinical Child) under one university
- ~600 applications per year with fewer than 5% accepted across Clinical alone
- Counseling Psychology PhD continuously APA-accredited since 1953, one of the oldest in the country
- Embedded in Dell Medical School with placements at Dell Children's, Austin VA Clinic, and the broader Austin academic medical center
Texas A&M University
In-State
Funded GA appointments typically cover tuition + stipend for admitted students
Out-of-State
Same with GA funding
Length
5 to 6 years + 1-year APA-accredited internship
Field Hours
1,750+ on the APA-accredited internship plus practicum
Concentrations
- Three separate APA-accredited doctoral programs (Clinical, Counseling, School) under one university
- Clinical Psychology PhD admits 5 to 7 students per year from 200+ applications
- GRE not required for Clinical Psychology PhD (only required for I-O PhD at TAMU)
- School Psychology PhD aligned with both TX LP licensure AND LSSP licensure via NASP route
- College Station location with placements at TAMU Health Science Center and Bryan/College Station community clinics
University of Houston
In-State
~$10,051 per year (in-state) baseline; funded students receive non-resident tuition waiver (up to $15,600 value) + Graduate Tuition Fellowship (~$11,139) + stipend
Out-of-State
~$19,231 per year (out-of-state) baseline
Length
5 years + 1-year APA-accredited internship
Field Hours
1,750+ on the APA-accredited internship plus practicum at Texas Medical Center
Concentrations
- Clinical Psychology PhD continuously APA-accredited since 1959
- Three Clinical PhD concentrations: Adult, Clinical Child, Clinical Neuropsychology
- Houston Texas Medical Center placements at the world's largest medical complex (Houston VA, MD Anderson, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's)
- Funded students receive non-resident tuition waiver + Graduate Tuition Fellowship + stipend
- GRE not required for Counseling Psychology PhD if undergraduate GPA 3.0+ or holds master's degree
University of North Texas (UNT)
In-State
Funded clinical students receive tuition support + stipend through GA appointments
Out-of-State
Same with funding
Length
5 years + 1-year APA-accredited internship
Field Hours
1,750+ on the APA-accredited internship plus practicum at UNT Psychology Clinic
Concentrations
- One of few APA-accredited Clinical PhDs at an R1 Minority-Serving Institution
- Three concentrations: Clinical Psychology (general), Clinical Health Psychology (separate APA track), Clinical Child/Pediatric
- GRE not required (Psychology Subject Test strongly encouraged)
- UNT Psychology Clinic embedded for in-house practicum training
- Denton location with placements at Dallas VA, Cook Children's, and UT Southwestern
Texas Tech University
In-State
Funded students receive GA support covering tuition + stipend
Out-of-State
Same with funding
Length
5 to 6 years + 1-year APA-accredited internship
Field Hours
1,750+ on the APA-accredited internship plus practicum
Concentrations
- Counseling Psychology PhD APA-accredited since 1964, one of the longest in the country
- Clinical PhD APA-accredited since 1972 with mentor-model admissions
- GRE not used by Clinical faculty in review (optional)
- West Texas location with placements at TTU Health Sciences Center and Lubbock VA
- 2026-27 Counseling PhD cohort of ~5 positions across faculty
UT Southwestern Medical Center
In-State
Some scholarship awards qualify non-Texas residents for in-state rates first two semesters; Year 2 practicum stipend $10,000; Years 3-4 internship stipend $20,000/year
Out-of-State
In-state with scholarship qualification
Length
4 to 4.5 years (with integrated 2-year half-time internship)
Field Hours
Integrated 2-year half-time internship structure (vs traditional 1-year full-time)
Concentrations
- Unique medical center model with integrated 2-year half-time internship structure
- 4 to 4.5 year time-to-graduation, the shortest of any TX Clinical PhD
- Exclusively-affiliated APA-accredited internship through the UTSW Department of Psychiatry
- Placements at Parkland Health, Children's Health Dallas, and UTSW Department of Psychiatry
- Some non-Texas residents qualify for in-state tuition rates for first two semesters via scholarship
Southern Methodist University (SMU)
In-State
Tuition waiver + funding up to 5 years; standard stipend $25,000; Moody/Mustang Fellowships ~$31,500; 6th year (internship) funded by internship site (private)
Out-of-State
Same with funding
Length
6 years (5 in residence + 1 internship)
Field Hours
1,750+ on the APA-accredited internship plus practicum
Concentrations
- Clinical Science training model with APCS membership
- Reaccredited for the maximum 10 years in 2021 (next review ~2031)
- Cohort of 3 to 6 students per year, the smallest of any TX Clinical PhD
- Full tuition waiver + funding up to 5 years; stipend $25,000 standard with Moody/Mustang Fellowships at ~$31,500
- GRE not required (optional)
Baylor University
In-State
Fully funded (full tuition remission ~$52,422 per year value, up to 5 years) + practicum payment $16,000 to $25,000/year + final year stipend ~$19,000
Out-of-State
Same fully funded
Length
5 years (4 in residence at Waco + 1 APA-accredited internship)
Field Hours
1,750+ on the APA-accredited internship plus practicum
Concentrations
- Fully funded PsyD: full tuition remission (~$52,422 per year value) for up to 5 years, exceptionally rare for a PsyD
- APA-accredited since 1976, one of the longest-running APA-accredited PsyDs in the South
- Cohort of 5 to 7 students per year from 250 to 300 applicants (~2 to 3% acceptance rate)
- Practicum payment $16,000 to $25,000 per year; final year stipend ~$19,000
- Lock-step cohort model with broad generalist training
Sam Houston State University (SHSU)
In-State
SHSU graduate rates with funded GA support
Out-of-State
Same with funding
Length
5 years + 1-year APA-accredited internship
Field Hours
1,750+ on the APA-accredited internship plus practicum
Concentrations
- 100% internship match at APA-accredited sites since accreditation in 2008
- Two tracks: General Clinical Psychology and Forensic Clinical Psychology
- Strong placement pipeline through Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) for forensic-track students
- Huntsville location with placements at private practices, residential/inpatient facilities, courts, and TDCJ
- Among the most affordable APA-accredited Clinical PhDs in Texas at SHSU public university tuition
University of Houston-Clear Lake (UHCL)
In-State
UHCL public university graduate rates
Out-of-State
UHCL out-of-state graduate rates
Length
4-year program + 1-year internship
Field Hours
1,750+ on the APA-accredited internship plus practicum
Concentrations
- Achieved FULL APA accreditation in August 2023 after initial on-contingency status in 2019
- Combined Clinical/School emphasis PsyD, distinctive within Texas
- 4-year program structure (shorter than typical 5-year PsyD)
- Accepts BA, MA, and Specialist-level applicants
- UHCL public university tuition rates substantially lower than private PsyD programs
Our Lady of the Lake University (OLLU)
In-State
~$895 to $907 per credit (private graduate rate)
Out-of-State
~$895 to $907 per credit
Length
4 years coursework + 1-year supervised internship (1,900 to 2,000 pre-doc hours aligned with TX licensure)
Field Hours
1,900 to 2,000 on the APA-accredited internship plus practicum at OLLU Community Counseling Service
Concentrations
- APA-accredited since 1995, one of the longest-running APA-accredited Counseling PsyDs in TX
- Spanish-language certificate available, distinctive nationally and aligned with San Antonio bilingual demand
- Requires master's in psychology or closely related field for entry
- Community Counseling Service (CCS) embedded for in-house training
- San Antonio location with strong placement pipeline across South Texas community mental health
Texas Woman's University (TWU)
In-State
TWU public university graduate rates with assistantships available
Out-of-State
TWU out-of-state graduate rates
Length
5 to 6 years + APA-accredited internship
Field Hours
4+ practicum semesters plus full-year APA-accredited internship
Concentrations
- The only explicitly feminist-oriented Counseling Psychology PhD in the United States
- TWU was the first public TX institution to offer the EdS in School Psychology
- 100% employment rate post-graduation for Counseling PhD
- Full-time required first ~3 years until candidacy
- TWU public university tuition rates substantially lower than private programs
How to Become a Licensed Clinical Psychologist in Texas
The licensing board, exam pathway, and supervised hours you'll need to practice independently.
Licensing Board
Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists (TSBEP), under the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council (BHEC)
(512) 305-7700
Texas regulates psychologists through the Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists (TSBEP), which sits under the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council (BHEC) established by HB 1501 (2019). BHEC also oversees LPCs, LMFTs, LCSWs, and LCDCs, an unusual cross-disciplinary regulatory structure that took effect September 1, 2020.
Education requirement is a doctorate (PhD or PsyD) in psychology from a regionally-accredited institution. APA-accredited graduates clear the education review automatically. Master's-level applicants do not qualify for the Licensed Psychologist credential (though Texas's sub-doctoral LSSP credential is available for master's-level school psychologists).
Texas uses a two-stage licensure path. First, the Provisional Licensed Psychologist (PLP) credential authorizes supervised post-doctoral practice. Application fee is approximately $450. The PLP is valid up to 2 years. Second, the full Licensed Psychologist (LP) credential is issued after completion of all supervised experience and exams.
Required supervised experience is 3,500 hours total: 1,750 hours minimum in a formal pre-doctoral internship while earning the doctorate plus 1,750 hours minimum post-doctoral after conferral of the doctoral degree. Texas has NOT eliminated the post-doctoral requirement.
Exam sequence is the EPPP (passing scaled score 500) plus the Texas Jurisprudence Examination (an online exam covering the Texas Licensing Act and TSBEP rules). ASPPB is adding EPPP Part 2 (Skills) in 2026. TSBEP has been developing a Texas-specific licensure exam since 2025 as a potential EPPP alternative due to cost concerns in a workforce-shortage state. Fingerprint-based criminal history check is required.
Texas separately offers the Licensed Specialist in School Psychology (LSSP), a sub-doctoral credential governed by TSBEP under Texas Administrative Code Title 22 Part 21 Chapter 465 Rule 38. LSSP requires a master's-level degree in psychology (60+ graduate credit hours, no more than 12 internship credits), a 1,200-hour internship (600 in a public school), the NASP National School Psychology Examination (Praxis II) instead of the EPPP, and the Texas Jurisprudence Exam. LSSP scope is limited to providing psychological services in public and private schools only.
Provisional Licensed Psychologist (PLP)
Supervised post-doctoral practice under a Texas-licensed psychologist while accumulating hours toward full LP. Valid up to 2 years.
Hours
N/A
Duration
Associate
Exam: Not required to hold the PLP credential
Licensed Psychologist (LP)
Independent practice, mental health diagnosis and treatment, psychological testing and assessment, supervision of trainees and PLPs, expert testimony, telepsychology under PSYPACT for TX LPs holding APIT
Hours
3,500
Duration
1,750 pre-doctoral internship + 1,750 post-doctoral hours after doctorate conferral
Exam: EPPP (passing scaled score 500) + Texas Jurisprudence Examination
Licensed Specialist in School Psychology (LSSP), a sub-doctoral school-only credential
Provision of psychological services in Texas public and private K-12 schools only. Cannot practice independently outside school settings.
Hours
1,200
Duration
1,200-hour internship (600 hours in a public school)
Exam: NASP National School Psychology Examination (Praxis II) + Texas Jurisprudence Exam (NOT EPPP)
Texas does not offer automatic reciprocity. Out-of-state psychologists apply through TSBEP's licensure-by-credentialing or substantial equivalency pathways, submitting transcripts, supervised experience verification, EPPP score, and licensure verification from all current state licenses. Out-of-state applicants must still complete the Texas Jurisprudence Exam and the fingerprint-based criminal history check.
Texas is a PSYPACT member state. Texas enacted PSYPACT through HB 1501 (86th Legislature, 2019), signed June 10, 2019, effective July 1, 2020. Texas was in the first cohort of operational PSYPACT states (alongside Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Nevada, Oklahoma, Utah). Texas LPs may apply for the Authority to Practice Interjurisdictional Telepsychology (APIT) and/or Interjurisdictional Practice Certificate (IPC) through ASPPB to practice telepsychology and short-term in-person practice across all 40+ PSYPACT member states. BHEC/TSBEP serves as the Texas compact administrator.
Clinical Psychologist Salary in Texas
BLS state median wages by counseling specialty, with national comparison and top-paying metros.
Texas psychologist wages run roughly at or slightly below national medians in nominal terms, but Texas has no state income tax, meaningfully increasing take-home pay compared to equivalent gross wages in California, New York, or Massachusetts. The BLS May 2024 Texas OEWS estimates show Clinical and Counseling Psychologists (SOC 19-3033) in the major metros (Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio) running near the national median of $96,100. School Psychologists in Texas ISDs work under district pay schedules that vary widely by region, with major metros (HISD, DISD, AISD) paying higher than Rio Grande Valley and West Texas districts. Texas employs one of the largest absolute counts of psychologists in the US due to population size.
Clinical and Counseling Psychologists (SOC 19-3033)
National median: $96,100
Top metro: ~$100,000+ (Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown)
School Psychologists (SOC 19-3034)
National median: $86,930
Top metro: Senior steps reach ~$90,000+ (Houston ISD, Dallas ISD, Austin ISD)
Psychologists, All Other (SOC 19-3039)
National median: National mean ~$120,000
Top metro: Top consulting and I-O roles top $150,000+ (Houston / Dallas-Fort Worth)
Texas Clinical Psychology Job Market and Top Employers
Major employers, mental health shortage context, and loan repayment programs that erase debt for service.
Texas has one of the largest absolute psychologist workforces in the US due to population scale, with employment distributed across DFW (~8M), Houston (~7.5M), San Antonio-Austin corridor (~5M+), Rio Grande Valley (~1.5M), East Texas, and West Texas/Panhandle. Major employers fall into five buckets.
Academic medical centers and health systems: Baylor Scott & White (the largest not-for-profit health system in Texas with 7,300+ active physicians and 49,000+ employees), Houston Methodist, HCA Houston Healthcare, Memorial Hermann (Houston), MD Anderson Cancer Center (psycho-oncology), Texas Children's Hospital, UT Southwestern Medical Center, UTHealth Houston (McGovern Medical School Department of Psychiatry), UT Health San Antonio, UT Health Tyler, UT Health Rio Grande Valley, Parkland Health (Dallas safety-net), JPS Health Network (Fort Worth), Cook Children's, and Baylor College of Medicine.
HHSC state psychiatric hospitals: Texas HHSC oversees 10 inpatient psychiatric hospitals and 13 state-supported living centers. State hospitals include Austin State Hospital, Big Spring State Hospital, El Paso Psychiatric Center, Kerrville State Hospital, North Texas State Hospital (Wichita Falls and Vernon campuses), Rio Grande State Center, Rusk State Hospital, San Antonio State Hospital, Terrell State Hospital, and Waco Center for Youth. Each hires Clinical Psychologists, Psychologist II, and Chief Psychologists.
VA system: Six VA Texas systems including VA North Texas Health Care System (Dallas), VA Texas Valley Coastal Bend, South Texas Veterans Health Care System (San Antonio), Central Texas Veterans Health Care System (Temple/Waco/Austin), Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center (Houston), and West Texas VA Health Care System (Big Spring/Amarillo/Lubbock).
Correctional and juvenile justice: Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) hires correctional psychologists for forensic, assessment, and treatment work. Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD) hires psychologists across youth facilities. SHSU's Forensic Clinical PhD has a strong pipeline into TDCJ.
ISDs (school psychology): Texas has the largest LSSP workforce in the country. Major districts include Houston ISD, Dallas ISD, Austin ISD, Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, Northside ISD (San Antonio), Fort Worth ISD, El Paso ISD, Brownsville ISD, Plano ISD, and Katy ISD.
Loan Repayment & Scholarship Programs
Texas Mental Health Professionals Loan Repayment Program (THECB): Administered by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. Eligible professions include psychiatrists, psychologists, LPCs, psychiatric mental health APRNs, and LCSWs. Up to $80,000 over three years for psychologists, LCSWs, LPCs, and LMFTs holding doctoral degrees. Service obligation: 3 consecutive years in a Mental Health Professional Shortage Area, eligible state hospital, or community-based mental health service in Texas. Must have completed at least 1 year of qualifying service in Texas at the time of application. Current deadline: July 31, 2026 (rolling acceptance).
NHSC Loan Repayment Program: Federal program. Health Service Psychologists eligible. 2-year minimum service at NHSC-approved site in a HPSA. Non-primary-care awards up to $55,000 full-time / $30,000 half-time for FY2026. Additional $5,000 one-time language access bonus for Spanish proficiency.
Federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF): Texas LPs employed full-time at qualifying nonprofit/government employers (VA, state hospitals, county/state agencies, ISDs, 501(c)(3) hospitals, public universities) qualify for PSLF after 120 qualifying payments under an income-driven repayment plan.
Texas DSHS Student Loan Repayment Programs: Administered through the Texas Primary Care Office (TPCO). Various behavioral health workforce incentives available depending on practice site.
HHSC state hospital employment benefits: Texas HHSC state hospitals (Austin, Big Spring, El Paso, Kerrville, North Texas, Rio Grande, Rusk, San Antonio, Terrell, Waco) advertise paid training, student loan forgiveness eligibility, and competitive salaries as employment benefits for hired Clinical Psychologists and Psychologist II positions.
How to Choose a Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program in Texas
Decision factors that actually matter, not generic checklist filler.
Choosing a Texas doctoral psychology program comes down to four levers: funding, geography (DFW vs Houston vs Austin vs San Antonio vs Rio Grande Valley vs West Texas), training model (R1 funded PhD vs practitioner-track PsyD), and post-graduate market access. Texas is huge enough that program location materially shapes both your internship pipeline and your eventual practice market. Here is how to actually narrow it down.
If you want a fully funded PhD: UT Austin (full tuition + ~$30,000 minimum stipend), Texas A&M (GA appointments cover tuition + stipend), University of Houston (non-resident tuition waiver + Graduate Tuition Fellowship + stipend), UNT (GA support), Texas Tech (GA support), SMU (full tuition waiver + $25,000 to $31,500 stipend), and UT Southwestern (some non-Texas residents qualify for in-state rates plus practicum/internship stipends). The funded R1 path requires strong research alignment with a specific faculty mentor.
If you want a fully funded PsyD (rare): Baylor PsyD is fully funded with full tuition remission (~$52,422 per year value) for up to 5 years, plus practicum payment $16,000 to $25,000 per year and final-year stipend ~$19,000. This is exceptionally rare for a PsyD nationally; only 2 to 3 PsyDs in the country offer this funding profile.
If you want both APA AND PCSAS accreditation: UT Austin Clinical PhD is APA-accredited since 1949 AND PCSAS-accredited since 2019. This is the only TX Clinical PhD with both credentials and one of the most established dual-accredited programs in the country.
If you want a medical center training model: UT Southwestern's Clinical PhD has a unique integrated 2-year half-time internship structure, with 4 to 4.5 year time-to-graduation (the shortest of any TX Clinical PhD). University of Houston feeds the Texas Medical Center (the world's largest medical complex) for practica including Houston VA, MD Anderson, Baylor College of Medicine, and Texas Children's.
If you want forensic psychology: Sam Houston State (Forensic Clinical Psychology concentration with strong TDCJ pipeline) and the broader TX state forensic system (TDCJ, TJJD, state psychiatric hospitals at Vernon, Big Spring, Kerrville, San Antonio) make Texas one of the largest forensic psychology training markets in the country.
If you want school psychology at the doctoral level OR the LSSP track: UT Austin School/Clinical Child PhD, Texas A&M School PhD (NASP-approved, aligned with LSSP), TWU School PhD (NASP-approved at specialist and doctoral), and The Chicago School Dallas School PsyD all qualify graduates for both Texas LP and LSSP licensure. Texas ISDs are the largest LSSP employers in the country, and the LSSP route (with NASP Praxis II exam) is faster and more affordable than the doctoral LP path for students focused on school-based practice.
If you want bilingual Spanish-language training: OLLU (Spanish-language certificate explicitly built for the South TX market), TWU (Counseling Psychology PhD with feminist orientation and Hispanic demographics integration), UT Rio Grande Valley (RGV location with bilingual practice integration), and the broader South Texas medical centers all offer strong bilingual practice pipelines. Spanish-speaking psychologists command premium caseloads in RGV, San Antonio, El Paso, and South Texas.
If you want maximum PSYPACT leverage and no state income tax: Texas is a PSYPACT state since July 2020 (first cohort) and has no state income tax. Combined with the deep TX employer market, this makes Texas one of the strongest base licenses in the country for psychologists building multi-state telehealth practices with favorable tax treatment.
Caveats worth knowing before applying: UTRGV (Edinburg) and UT Tyler hold APA Accreditation on Contingency through January 26, 2029 and February 27, 2029 respectively. The Chicago School Dallas PsyD holds APA Accreditation on Contingency through 2027. UTHealth Houston Clinical PhD is NOT yet APA-accredited (working toward accreditation). UT Dallas Clinical Psychological Science PhD launching Fall 2026 has PCSAS preliminary accreditation only, NOT APA. UT San Antonio School Psychology PhD is NOT APA-accredited. Verify each program's current APA accreditation status directly with the APA Commission on Accreditation before enrolling.
Related Pages
Counseling Programs in Texas
CACREP-accredited counseling programs and the Texas LPC license, a master's alternative to the 7-year psychology doctorate
MSW Programs in Texas
CSWE-accredited social work programs and Texas LCSW licensure
ABA Programs in Texas
BACB-verified course sequences and Texas 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
- Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council (BHEC), Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists (TSBEP)
- TSBEP Rulebook (July 2025)
- BHEC, PSYPACT in Texas
- PSYPACT, Compact Map
- NASP, Texas LSSP Credentialing
- Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS Texas Estimates
- Bureau of Labor Statistics, Psychologists
- Texas Mental Health Professionals Loan Repayment Program (THECB)
- NHSC Loan Repayment Program
- Texas HHSC State Hospital Jobs