Last updated: June 24, 2026

Clinical Psychopharmacology & Prescribing Psychology in Illinois

Illinois granted psychologists prescriptive authority in 2014, with one of the most medically rigorous training paths of any RxP state. Here is what it takes, the in-state MSCP at The Chicago School, online options, and Illinois psychologist salary.

Taylor Rupe

Founder & Editor

B.A. in Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle

Clinical Psychopharmacology & Prescribing Psychology in Illinois

Key Takeaways

  • Illinois is one of six states that grant psychologists prescriptive authority. The law took effect June 25, 2014, with implementing rules approved in 2017, and the credential is issued by IDFPR as a Prescribing Psychologist license.
  • Illinois has one of the most medically rigorous paths of any RxP state: seven biomedical courses, a master's in clinical psychopharmacology, and at least 14 months of supervised clinical rotations in emergency medicine, family medicine, internal medicine, psychiatry, pediatrics, and more.
  • Illinois sets real prescribing limits. Prescribing psychologists generally cannot prescribe for children, adolescents, adults 66 and older, pregnant patients, or those with serious medical conditions, and the formulary excludes benzodiazepines and narcotics.
  • The Chicago School runs the state's in-state, APA-designated MS in Clinical Psychopharmacology, fully online, alongside a clinical rotations certificate.
  • Clinical and counseling psychologists in Illinois earn a median of $83,750 (BLS, May 2025), with prescribing psychologists generally earning above that baseline.
Accredited Programs
3
Ranked in this guide
Supervised Hours
1,500+
post-graduate

Illinois became the third state to authorize prescribing psychologists when its law took effect in June 2014, though the implementing rules were not approved until 2017. What stands out about Illinois is how medically demanding the path is. The state treats prescriptive authority as a serious clinical expansion and requires training that looks a lot like a prescriber's rotations.

To become a Prescribing Psychologist through IDFPR, a licensed Illinois clinical psychologist must complete seven biomedical undergraduate-level courses, psychopharmacology coursework that typically culminates in a master's in clinical psychopharmacology, and at least 14 months of supervised clinical training with rotations across emergency medicine, family medicine, geriatrics, internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, psychiatry, surgery, and an elective. You also pass the PEP exam and maintain a written collaborative practice agreement with a physician.

Illinois also limits what prescribing psychologists can do. The law generally bars prescribing for children, adolescents, adults 66 and older, pregnant patients, and people with serious medical conditions or developmental and intellectual disabilities, and the formulary excludes benzodiazepines and narcotics. On the program side, The Chicago School offers the state's in-state, APA-designated MS in Clinical Psychopharmacology, fully online, with a separate clinical rotations certificate. Illinois psychologists can also complete any of the other APA-designated programs nationwide online, which we compare on our best online psychopharmacology programs page.

Clinical Psychopharmacology Programs for Illinois Psychologists

All 3 programs ranked in this guide, with tuition, format, and accreditation at a glance.

# School In-State Tuition Format
1 The Chicago School See program for current tuition 100% online MS in Clinical Psychopharmacology
2 Drake University See program for current tuition 100% online
3 Fairleigh Dickinson University See program for current tuition Distance and online
1

The Chicago School

Chicago, IL 100% online MS in Clinical Psychopharmacology WSCUC Regionally Accredited

In-State

See program for current tuition

Out-of-State

See program for current tuition

Length

About 2 years

Field Hours

Companion clinical rotations certificate supports the supervised-training requirement

Concentrations

Prescriptive Authority PreparationClinical Rotations Certificate (companion)
  • The in-state, APA-designated MSCP program in Illinois
  • Fully online with a predictable two-year structure
  • Companion clinical rotations certificate for the supervised-training piece
  • Curriculum built around the biomedical foundations Illinois requires
  • Based in the state, a natural fit for Illinois psychologists
GRE: Not required | Min GPA: Doctorate and license in psychology required
Visit Program
2

Drake University

Des Moines, IA (Online) 100% online Higher Learning Commission

In-State

See program for current tuition

Out-of-State

See program for current tuition

Length

About 2 to 3 years part-time

Field Hours

Supervised hours arranged to meet your state requirement

Concentrations

Prescriptive Authority Preparation
  • Fully asynchronous, the most flexible APA-designated option online
  • APA-designated for prescriptive authority preparation
  • Available to Illinois residents entirely online
  • No required live sessions to work around
  • Strong fit for psychologists adding training to a full caseload
GRE: Not required | Min GPA: Doctorate and license in psychology required
Visit Program
3

Fairleigh Dickinson University

Teaneck, NJ (Online/Distance) Distance and online Middle States Commission on Higher Education

In-State

See program for current tuition

Out-of-State

See program for current tuition

Length

About 2 years

Field Hours

Supervised hours arranged to meet your state requirement

Concentrations

Prescriptive Authority Preparation
  • The first MSCP program to earn APA designation (2010), held continuously since
  • Strong applied case-formulation training
  • Available to Illinois residents by distance and online
  • Long, stable track record in psychopharmacology training
  • A respected national alternative to the in-state Chicago School program
GRE: Not required | Min GPA: Doctorate and license in psychology required
Visit Program

Illinois Prescribing Psychologist (RxP) Requirements

Illinois Prescribing Psychologist License (RxP)

Issued by: Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR)

  • Hold an active Illinois licensed clinical psychologist credential.
  • Complete seven biomedical undergraduate-level courses.
  • Complete psychopharmacology coursework culminating in a master's in clinical psychopharmacology.
  • Complete at least 14 months of supervised clinical training, with rotations in emergency medicine, family medicine, geriatrics, internal medicine, OB/GYN, pediatrics, psychiatry, surgery, and an elective.
  • Pass the Psychopharmacology Examination for Psychologists (PEP).
  • Maintain a written collaborative practice agreement with a physician, kept at each practice location.

Renewal

Prescribing psychologists complete continuing education in psychopharmacology to renew, in addition to the continuing education required for clinical psychology licensure. Note the Illinois formulary excludes benzodiazepines and narcotics, and prescribing is restricted for children, adolescents, adults 66 and older, pregnant patients, and certain medically complex patients.

Visit Licensing Board

Psychologist Salary in Illinois

BLS Median
$83,750
Entry Level
$60,000–$78,000
Experienced
$95,000–$130,000
Top Earners
$160,000+
Illinois clinical and counseling psychologists earn a median of $83,750 as of May 2025 (BLS). Prescribing psychologists generally earn above that baseline because medication management adds a billable service, with the strongest earning potential in private practice and integrated-care settings around Chicago and downstate underserved areas.

Job Market

BLS Employment

About 5,810 clinical and counseling psychologists in Illinois (BLS, May 2025)

Projected Growth

6% projected growth for psychologists nationally through 2034

Top Employers

Chicago-area academic medical centers and health systems (Rush, Northwestern Medicine, University of Chicago Medicine, Advocate Health), community mental health centers, the VA, integrated primary care clinics, and private practices. Downstate and rural Illinois face prescriber shortages that prescribing psychologists help address.

How to Choose

Decision factors that actually matter, not generic checklist filler.

For an Illinois psychologist pursuing prescriptive authority, the rigorous training path makes a few questions especially important.

Supervised rotations. Illinois requires 14 months of medical rotations. Confirm how a program connects you to the clinical training, as The Chicago School's companion rotations certificate is built for this.

In-state versus online. The Chicago School is the Illinois-based APA-designated program. Online programs like Drake and Fairleigh Dickinson offer more flexibility.

Biomedical coursework. Illinois requires seven biomedical courses on top of the psychopharmacology degree. Check how a program incorporates or expects these.

Practice limits. Understand the Illinois formulary and population restrictions before you invest, since they shape what your practice will look like.

Cost and pace. Compare total cost and how each program's schedule fits your practice.

Related Pages

Best Online Clinical Psychopharmacology Programs

All seven APA-designated MSCP programs, ranked, including The Chicago School.

How to Become a Prescribing Psychologist

The full RxP path, the PEP exam, and which states allow prescriptive authority.

Clinical Psychologist Salary

The baseline psychologist pay that prescriptive authority builds on.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, with significant limits. Illinois granted psychologists prescriptive authority in a law effective June 2014. A licensed clinical psychologist who completes the required biomedical and psychopharmacology training, 14 months of supervised clinical rotations, and the PEP exam can earn a Prescribing Psychologist license from IDFPR. However, Illinois restricts prescribing for children, adolescents, adults 66 and older, pregnant patients, and medically complex patients, and excludes benzodiazepines and narcotics from the formulary.
You must be a licensed Illinois clinical psychologist, then complete seven biomedical undergraduate-level courses, a master's in clinical psychopharmacology, at least 14 months of supervised clinical rotations across emergency medicine, family medicine, internal medicine, psychiatry, pediatrics, and other areas, and pass the PEP exam. You also maintain a written collaborative practice agreement with a physician.
Yes. The Chicago School offers an APA-designated MS in Clinical Psychopharmacology, fully online, with a companion clinical rotations certificate that supports the supervised-training requirement. Illinois psychologists can also complete any of the other APA-designated programs nationwide online.
Illinois clinical and counseling psychologists earn a median of $83,750 as of May 2025. Prescribing psychologists generally earn more, since medication management is billable, with the highest potential in private practice and integrated-care settings.