Online Master's in Health Psychology: Finding Your School

The Career Starter

The Career Changer

The Promotion Seeker

The Working Balancer

The Behavioral Health Coach

The Health Systems Researcher

Inside Popular Online Health Psychology Master’s Programs

Expert Insight

Monthly start dates are a terrific way to seize your enthusiasm to advance your education and expertise. Strike while the iron is hot!

Rebecca Newman, MSW

Program Costs

Total tuition across the three programs above ranges from $21,240 at Grand Canyon to $29,220 at Walden — a narrower spread than many graduate fields, though the credit structures differ.

• GCU’s 36-credit program is the most affordable and most straightforward to compare
• Walden’s 48 quarter credits work out to roughly 32 semester credit equivalents

All three programs are fully online, which eliminates relocation and commuting costs. Most charge a flat per-credit rate regardless of where students live — no out-of-state premium. Budget separately for technology fees (typically $100–$200 per term), textbooks, and any optional internship-related costs.

Financial aid, federal student loans, and institutional scholarships can significantly reduce out-of-pocket costs. For students already employed in healthcare or education, employer tuition reimbursement is often available and frequently overlooked.

Salary Outlook with a Master’s in Health Psychology

A master’s in health psychology focuses on the relationship between psychological factors and physical health — preparing graduates to work in hospitals, rehabilitation programs, chronic disease management, and behavioral medicine. Graduates support patients managing conditions like cancer, heart disease, chronic pain, and diabetes — helping them navigate the psychological dimensions of illness and recovery. The degree is valued in integrated care settings where behavioral health is embedded in physical healthcare.

Health psychologists working in hospital systems, academic medical centers, and specialty care settings tend to command competitive salaries reflecting both their clinical and behavioral health expertise. Earnings grow with licensure and specialization.

Use the salary table below to explore clinical and counseling psychologist earnings by state, and benchmark health psychology career pay in your area.

Expert Insight

With the ever-increasing stressors of the workplace, this is a great opportunity to develop into a consulting business to help organizations improve their employees well-being and increase retention!

Rebecca Newman, MSW

Licensure and Credentials in Health Psychology

Because health psychology master’s programs are non-clinical, they don’t lead directly to professional licensure. Here’s a clear picture of what the credential pathways actually look like, and where a master’s fits in:

• Licensed Psychologist (Doctoral Degree Required) — Practicing as a licensed health psychologist requires a Ph.D. or PsyD, supervised clinical hours (typically 1,500–6,000 depending on the state), and passing the EPPP (Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology). The master’s can serve as a bridge toward doctoral admission but doesn’t fulfill licensure requirements on its own. State-specific requirements are available through the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards.
• ABPP Board Certification in Clinical Health Psychology — An optional advanced credential for licensed psychologists who want to formally demonstrate specialty expertise in health psychology. Awarded by the American Board of Professional Psychology through credential review and oral examination. This is a post-licensure credential, not a path for master’s-only graduates.
• Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) — The most relevant certification for master’s-level health psychology graduates who are not pursuing doctoral study. Offered by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing and accessible to those with a relevant bachelor’s or master’s degree. The CHES exam covers seven areas of professional responsibility including program planning, implementation, and evaluation. It’s not required for most roles, but it adds credibility for community health and patient education careers.

For graduate students planning to pursue licensure eventually, understanding state-by-state psychology licensure requirements early in the process helps ensure the master’s program and eventual doctoral program are aligned with your target state’s rules. The Society for Health Psychology (APA Division 38) is also a useful professional resource for students and early-career practitioners in the field.

Frequently Asked Questions

What can I actually do with this degree?

The most direct paths with a master’s in health psychology are:

• Health educator
• Wellness coordinator
• Behavioral health specialist
• Public health program manager

These are roles that apply psychological principles to healthcare delivery without requiring a clinical license. Research coordination and community college teaching are also common. Graduates who want to eventually practice as licensed health psychologists use the master’s as a stepping stone into doctoral programs, not as a terminal credential for clinical practice.

Do I need a doctorate to become a health psychologist?

If the goal is to practice as a licensed psychologist with “health psychologist” as the specialty, then yes — a doctorate is required for licensure in every U.S. state. With a master’s alone, you can’t use the psychologist title or provide clinical therapy independently.

What you can do is work in the broader behavioral health space — program coordination, research, education, and health promotion — while keeping doctoral study as a future option. Many students find the master’s gives them clarity on whether they want to pursue that path.

Are online health psychology master’s degrees respected by employers?

Yes, from properly accredited institutions. Your diploma won’t say “online” — employers see the institution and degree, not the delivery format.

What matters most to employers in this space is that you can demonstrate relevant skills:

• Program design
• Behavioral health knowledge
• Research methodology
• Ability to work independently (which an online program actually signals directly)

How long does the program take, and can I work while enrolled?

Plan on two years of full-time study, though faster and slower options exist.

• National University’s monthly start dates and four-week course modules make 16-month completion realistic for committed full-time students.
• Walden advertises 15 months at a heavy load

Programs are typically asynchronous, so there’s no fixed schedule that conflicts with work hours. For students weighing an even faster path, accelerated online psychology programs can help you fast-track your education.

What are the typical admissions requirements?

For most health psychology master’s programs, a bachelor’s degree is required, but not necessarily in psychology. Minimum GPA requirements range from 2.5 to 3.0, with conditional admission sometimes available below threshold. Transcripts are also universally required.

The GRE is not required by many programs. Letters of recommendation and a personal statement are required by some programs (National University and GCU), but not others (Walden).

If your undergraduate background doesn’t include statistics or introductory psychology, check each program’s prerequisite requirements before applying.

Best Online Master’s in Health Psychology Programs