8 PhD in Counseling Degrees in New York: Entry Requirements & Costs

A PhD in Counseling in New York takes more than 5 years of focused study. You’ll need to dedicate yourself to earning up to 96 credits and completing 1000 doctoral practicum contact hours. That’s quite a commitment to think over.

The career prospects make this challenging path worthwhile. Mental health counselor ranks #14 in best social services jobs according to U.S. News & World Report 2024. The job outlook looks promising from 2023-2033. NYC programs offer excellent scientist-practitioner training. The city’s location gives you access to outstanding clinical training at premier sites. Most programs ask for at least 18 undergraduate psychology credits. These credits must include statistics and either abnormal psychology or personality courses.

This guide covers eight prestigious PhD counseling psychology programs in New York. You’ll find details about entry requirements, costs, accreditations, and career paths for each program. Looking for a CACREP-accredited program or one with American Psychological Association approval? We’ve got complete information to help guide your path toward becoming a counseling professional.

University at Buffalo – PhD in Counseling Psychology and School Psychology

The University at Buffalo runs a unique combined doctoral program in Counseling Psychology and School Psychology that follows the scientist-practitioner model of training. Students can specialize in counseling psychology with older adolescents and adults, or school psychology with children and adolescents. This detailed program equips students with specialized skills in their chosen field.

Program Overview

Students need 96 credits to complete the combined PhD program at University at Buffalo. The program typically takes 5 years, and students complete about 1000 doctoral practicum contact hours during their training. The curriculum teaches future psychologists to review, deliver, and improve human services through scientific research and practice.

The program has three main goals:

1. Building professional identity with strong ethical commitments
2. Teaching the scientist-practitioner model for research skills
3. Delivering evidence-based assessment and intervention training

Students who have relevant master’s degrees might transfer credits or skip some courses. This doesn’t always mean they’ll finish faster though.

Entry Requirements

Applicants must meet these key requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field (psychology major helps but isn’t mandatory)
• Background in applied social sciences including anthropology, psychology, and sociology
• Completed online application with USD 50.00 application fee
• Three recommendation letters with contact information
• Unofficial transcripts from all colleges attended
• Statement describing career goals and objectives
• Diverse backgrounds statement (300-400 words)

The program no longer needs GRE/MAT scores for admission. The selection process takes an integrated look at each candidate. The team reviews academic achievements, work experience, and personal background rather than focusing on GPA alone.

Accreditation and Licensure

The American Psychological Association (APA) has fully accredited this combined doctoral program. The program meets the Standards of Accreditation for Health Service Psychology (SoA) set by the APA Commission on Accreditation. The Department of Counseling, School and Educational Psychology also holds accreditation from CACREP, MPCAC, and the National Association of School Psychologists.

In the last decade, 89% of graduates from 2-10 years ago became licensed psychologists. Fourteen recent graduates are now completing their licensure requirements. The program has achieved a 100% match rate with APA-accredited internships for counseling psychology students in the last six years.

Tuition and Costs

Most students get full funding through university research assistantships, administrative positions, department and graduate school assistantships, fellowships, and other sources. UB created a new Doctoral Excellence Program that improves funding and support for doctoral students throughout their four years. Some incoming students might not receive funding due to limited resources.

Career Outcomes from University at Buffalo

Program graduates work in various settings:

• Schools and university systems
• Hospitals and medical settings
• Private practice
• Mental health centers
• University counseling centers
• Community clinics

The program boasts a 92% success rate for students matching with APA-accredited internships in the last nine years. Graduates meet the educational requirements for psychology licensure exams in New York and most other states. PhD graduates report high job satisfaction in both academic and non-academic careers.

The program will accept applications next for the fall 2027 term.

Pace University – PhD in Mental Health Counseling

Pace University offers a unique PhD in Mental Health Counseling that shapes leaders in counseling education, supervision, and research. The Westchester campus program stands out among New York’s counseling doctoral options with its advocacy-focused curriculum and links to premier health clinics.

Program Overview

The PhD program needs 48 credits of advanced coursework in a cohort-model format. Starting July 1, 2026, new students will need to finish at least 60 semester hours beyond their entry-level degree to meet updated CACREP standards. Students follow a detailed three-year structure that combines coursework, internship, and dissertation components.

The program shapes counselors in five key areas:

• Advanced clinical and supervisory skills
• Research methodology to expand the profession’s knowledge
• Teaching capabilities for counselor education
• Leadership and advocacy skills
• Advanced counseling practice

Students learn statistics, research design, qualitative methods, counselor education theories, supervision methods, and advanced counseling. The program is unique with its 600 hours of required internship experience and detailed dissertation research.

Entry Requirements

Students must meet several strict criteria to join Pace’s doctoral program:

• Master’s degree in mental health counseling matching Pace’s 60-credit MS program
• Minimum 3.6 graduate-level GPA
• One of these licensure requirements:
  • Eligibility for New York State limited permit
  • Current limited permit holder
  • Licensed in mental health counseling in New York
  • Licensed in mental health counseling in another state

The application needs:

• Personal statement about clinical experience, research interests, and potential faculty mentors
• Writing sample showing scholarly literature review abilities
• Resume with five years of work history
• Three recommendation letters (two academic)
• Official transcripts from all colleges attended
• GRE scores (no more than five years old)

Students who qualify get an interview with the departmental admission screening committee.

Accreditation and Licensure

The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) has fully accredited the PhD program. This prestigious status came under the 2016 standards, and graduates earned CACREP recognition from January 14, 2017. The current accreditation runs through October 31, 2026.

Students learn cultural competence, ethical practice, and evidence-based approaches that match accreditation standards. The curriculum meets all educational requirements to become a licensed mental health counselor in New York State.

Tuition and Costs

The academic year costs include:

Pace helps doctoral students with various financial options:

• Merit-based scholarships (up to USD 4800.00)
• Graduate assistantships
• Endowed scholarships
• Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan
• Graduate/Professional Direct PLUS Loan
• Work-Study Programs
• Military benefits including the GI Bill and Yellow Ribbon Program

Career Outcomes

The program’s graduates find excellent jobs consistently. U.S. News & World Report 2024 ranks mental health counselor as #14 in best social services jobs. Most Dyson College graduates find employment, continue their education, or work in service positions.

Graduates work in various roles:

• University teaching and research
• Mental health policymaking
• Private practice
• Community mental health leadership
• Clinical supervision
• Advocacy organizations

More than half of graduates become full-time counselor educators, counseling supervisors, or program directors. The rest work as counselors in agencies and private practices.

Fordham University – PhD in Counseling Psychology

Fordham University’s PhD in Counseling Psychology program sits in the heart of New York City. The program follows a reflective scientist-practitioner model that focuses on social justice and multicultural competencies. The program is APA accredited since 1990, making it one of New York’s longest-running counseling psychology doctoral programs.

Program Overview

The PhD program at Fordham provides step-by-step training in research and clinical practice. Students get a strong foundation in psychological theory and research that shapes their counseling practice. We focused on:

• Multicultural counseling competencies
• Professional ethics
• Social justice advocacy
• Research methodology

The program works well for students with master’s degrees in counseling and those new to the field. Students head over to multiple research teams while working on their own research projects. Fordham’s NYC location gives students easy access to top clinical training sites like college counseling centers, hospitals, VA facilities, and community mental health centers.

Entry Requirements

Fordham’s PhD program requirements include:

• A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution
• At least 3.0 undergraduate GPA or 3.5 graduate GPA
• Goals that match program objectives
• Signs of professional promise (personal, interpersonal, and intellectual traits)
• Two recommendation letters
• Good oral and written English skills
• Immunization proof

Your application needs a personal statement, CV/resume, official transcripts, and an $80.00 application fee. GRE test scores are now optional.

Accreditation and Licensure

The American Psychological Association (APA) has accredited this program since 1990. The program earned a ten-year continued accreditation in 2020 – the highest level possible. Graduates meet New York state’s academic and internship requirements for psychologist licensing. This lets them practice on their own or in various clinical settings after finishing their degree.

Tuition and Costs

The academic year costs:

Health insurance costs $1,805.00 for fall and $3,189.00 for spring/summer terms. Faculty positions in this field typically pay between $95,000.00 and $105,000.00, showing potential returns on your investment.

Career Outcomes

Fordham’s program graduates can work in many areas:

• Independent psychological practice
• College counseling centers
• Mental health agencies and clinics
• Hospital settings
• Research institutions
• Academic careers

The program values cooperation over competition to produce quality work. Students must finish all degree requirements within eight years of starting, including a doctoral research apprenticeship, dissertation, and predoctoral internship. Whatever path graduates choose, they leave with strong multicultural skills in both research and clinical practice.

Teachers College, Columbia University – PhD in Counseling Psychology

Teachers College at Columbia University runs one of America’s oldest doctoral programs in counseling psychology. The program’s rich tradition of training scientist-practitioners dates back to its beginning. Students become skilled researchers and practitioners who help people develop and function better through an integrated approach.

Program Overview

The PhD in Counseling Psychology program at Teachers College needs 90 points of planned study after a bachelor’s degree. Students learn to combine psychological science with practice through a scientist-practitioner training model. The program helps develop these key skills:

• Research and scholarly activities
• Ethical and legal standards
• Individual and cultural diversity awareness
• Professional values and attitudes
• Communication and interpersonal skills
• Assessment and intervention skills
• Supervision and consultation

Students need to finish all requirements within seven years of starting the program. Those with a relevant master’s degree have six years to complete it. The program weaves racial-cultural and social justice themes throughout its components. Students also get hands-on training and develop self-awareness to become psychotherapists.

Entry Requirements

Getting into this program isn’t easy. Students work with mentors, so applicants must name their preferred professor(s) in the application. Your chosen faculty member will review your application, though other professors help make the final decision.

You’ll need to submit:

• A paper you wrote recently on a topic that interests you
• Statement of purpose
• Letters of recommendation
• Official transcripts
• Resume/CV

A psychology degree helps but isn’t required. The program looks for students who can make valuable contributions to counseling psychology through theory, research, practice, or policy.

Accreditation and Licensure

The program has full accreditation from the American Psychological Association (APA) since 1952. This makes it one of the longest-running accredited programs in the country.

The program’s graduates qualify as fully trained psychologists with counseling expertise. They can apply for a license from New York State. The New York State Education Department Office of the Professions can provide more details about state licensing.

Tuition and Costs

Here’s what students will pay:

Students should also plan for books and supplies (about $84.00 per credit), transportation ($132.00 monthly), and living in New York City (around $3,095.00 monthly). Your total costs will depend on how many courses you take each semester.

Career Outcomes

The program’s graduates work in many different places. TC NEXT offers career support throughout your professional journey. Our alumni work in:

• Universities and colleges
• Medical schools
• Elementary and secondary schools
• Adult education centers
• Rehabilitation centers
• Hospitals and mental health centers
• Industry and government agencies
• Community organizations

Graduates learn to provide culturally-relevant psychological care and conduct meaningful research. They develop strong ethical principles and multicultural skills that work in both research and practice. The program gives students the tools to succeed in various professional settings while advancing counseling psychology as a specialty.

New York University – PhD in Counseling Psychology

NYU’s integrated Clinical/Counseling Psychology PhD is among New York’s top doctoral programs. The program blends health and wellness viewpoints with strength-based, multicultural approaches. Students get the best of both worlds – traditional clinical psychology models combined with counseling psychology’s asset-based, social justice-oriented frameworks.

Program Overview

Students at NYU follow a scientist-practitioner training model. They join research teams right from their first semester and spend at least 20 hours weekly on hands-on research training. The curriculum helps students blend practice, theory, and research while becoming skilled at empirically informed, socially just clinical practice.

Students can bring up to 18 transfer credits from previous graduate work, subject to approval. While this doesn’t make the program shorter, it gives students more flexibility with their coursework timing. They can also take up extra research or teaching activities.

The program’s main components are:

• Coursework in clinical/counseling theory and practice
• Extensive research methodology training
• Clinical placements and externships
• Predoctoral internship
• Dissertation research

Students also take part in department colloquiums, clinical-research days, diversity dialogs, and student-led organizations. These activities are a great way to get professional development experience.

Entry Requirements

You’ll need these things to apply to NYU’s program:

• 18 prior credits (6 courses) in psychology, including at least one statistics course
• Three letters of recommendation
• Official transcripts from all postsecondary institutions attended
• 3-4 page statement of purpose

The program doesn’t require or look at GRE or GRE subject test scores, even if you submit them. What matters most is how well your interests match with faculty expertise. Each new student works with a primary research mentor and secondary mentors for research and clinical roles.

Accreditation and Licensure

The American Psychological Association has fully accredited this program since 1981. Right now, it’s accredited as a Counseling Psychology program. A reaccreditation visit in 2025 will make it officially recognized as a combined Clinical/Counseling Psychology program.

The program’s success shows in its numbers – 84% of graduates become licensed psychologists. That’s 31 out of 37 graduates from the last 2 to 10 years.

Tuition and Costs

Here’s what doctoral students can expect to pay:

The good news is that full-time PhD students get a five-year funding package. This includes an annual stipend (expected to be USD 34,883.00 for 2025-2026), tuition coverage, and health insurance.

Career Outcomes

NYU graduates find success in a variety of professional settings. Recent graduate data shows:

• Psychologists (46%)
• Professors (26%)
• Researchers (26%)

Graduates work in many places – psychology schools, public health, public policy, social research organizations, private practice, and healthcare settings. NYU’s combined approach creates versatile practitioners who can design and apply evidence-based strategies while delivering effective psychological interventions.

St. John’s University – Psy.D. in School Psychology

St. John’s University’s Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) in School Psychology program is notable with its general and bilingual tracks. The program helps students deliver high-quality psychological services to children, adolescents, and families.

Program Overview

The School Psychology Psy.D. program features a five-year detailed curriculum that requires 105 credits to complete. Students need to pass a comprehensive examination, clinical competencies exam, and PRAXIS II Examination. The program requires candidates to complete a doctoral dissertation and spend a year in internship. This well-laid-out program teaches psychologists to assess psychological problems and create interventions that meet young people’s educational and mental health needs, along with their families.

Entry Requirements

Students must meet these admission requirements:

• Baccalaureate degree
• Minimum 24 undergraduate psychology credits (including Introductory Psychology, Statistics, and a laboratory course)
• Three to five recommendation letters
• Two papers (one research-related, one term paper)
• Statement of educational/professional goals
• Interview with departmental admissions committee

The program usually requires GRE general test scores, but this requirement remains suspended due to COVID-19 impacts. The application deadline falls on December 15 for fall admission.

Accreditation and Licensure

The program maintains full APA accreditation through 2029. It also has approval from the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) and the ASPPB/National Register. Students who graduate can receive provisional certification as school psychologists in New York State. Permanent certification becomes available after two years of full-time work.

Tuition and Costs

The expenses include:

Most first-year doctoral students receive fellowships that cover tuition and provide stipends. These fellowships require 16-20 hours of weekly departmental work.

Career Outcomes

The program has produced impressive results. Among 170 graduates between 2014-2023, 115 (68%) became licensed psychologists. Many alumni work as school psychologists in public schools, where certification matters more than licensure. Other graduates run private practices, teach at colleges/universities, or work at clinics that provide psychological services to children and families.

Hofstra University – PhD in Clinical and School Psychology

Hofstra University’s PhD in Clinical Psychology program provides a detailed approach to evidence-based assessment and psychotherapeutic treatment. Students learn to become skilled clinicians while building strong research foundations through this scientist-practitioner model.

Program Overview

The PhD program needs 105 credit hours of coursework, externships, internship, and research components. Students start building core skills through specialty clinics right from their first year. Most students complete the program in five to seven years, which includes a mandatory one-year full-time internship. Research is a key component – students must complete two research projects: one in their second year and a dissertation. They also gain hands-on experience through externships in Long Island and New York City.

Entry Requirements

Students need these qualifications:

• A baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution
• Completed courses in statistics, research design, psychopathology/abnormal psychology, and experimental psychology
• Three recommendation letters
• A personal essay outlining professional goals
• A curriculum vitae showing educational and professional background

Accreditation and Licensure

The program has managed to keep its American Psychological Association accreditation since 1973. The latest reaccreditation came in 2019 with a maximum ten-year award through 2029. This prestigious status helps graduates meet educational requirements for psychology licensure in New York and most other states.

Tuition and Costs

Graduate students pay $1,760 per credit hour ($1,800 for Zarb School of Business programs). The program’s total cost is around $130,000. Financial help comes in several forms:

• First and second-year students often get tuition remission
• Graduate assistantships with tuition waivers or stipends
• A Diversity Scholarship that covers all expenses until graduation

Career Outcomes

In the last decade, 98.5% of alumni found employment within 2-10 years after graduating, based on a 96% response rate. Many graduates work in private practice (36%), hospital outpatient settings (28%), or as hired practitioners in private practices (28%). Academic careers attract some graduates, with 7% working in medical schools and 7% in universities.

Yeshiva University – PhD in Clinical Psychology with Health Emphasis

Yeshiva University’s Ferkauf Graduate School runs a unique 99-credit PhD in Clinical Psychology with Health Emphasis. The program combines physical and mental health approaches through the scientist-practitioner model.

Program Overview

Students learn clinical psychology with added focus on health psychology, physiological behavior bases, and public health systems. The full-time program typically takes five to six years and requires one year of predoctoral internship. Students follow four main goals: they learn evidence-based assessment, become independent researchers, develop as clinical providers, and master professional ethics.

Entry Requirements

Applicants need:

• 15 undergraduate psychology credits (including statistics, abnormal psychology, physiological psychology)
• Three letters of recommendation
• 2-3 page personal statement
• Curriculum vitae

The deadline for Fall 2026 applications is January 15th. GRE scores are not required.

Accreditation and Licensure

APA first accredited the program in 2005, with reaccreditation following in 2009 for seven years. A 2016 site visit resulted in maximum seven-year accreditation.

Tuition and Costs

Students can get unsubsidized Stafford Loans up to $20,500 per academic year.

Career Outcomes

Graduates build careers in mental and physical health settings, using both clinical and research skills. The program helps psychologists deliver excellent clinical services while making valuable research contributions.

Start Today

A PhD in Counseling Psychology can reshape your career path completely. Eight prestigious New York doctoral programs await your exploration. Each program brings its own approach to the table while sharing essential elements of academic rigor and clinical training. Students typically spend 5-7 years completing their dedicated study, practicum hours, and research projects.

Program accreditation plays a vital role in your decision-making process. Most featured institutions have APA or CACREP accreditation. This status will give a clear path toward psychology licensure in New York and beyond. Program costs might vary, but universities often provide substantial funding through assistantships, fellowships, and scholarships that reduce expenses by a lot.

The career outlook shines bright for counseling psychology graduates. Mental health counselor ranks among the leading social services careers, with growth expected through 2033. Graduates find work in a variety of settings – universities, hospitals, community clinics, schools, and private practice. New York’s metropolitan environment also provides exceptional access to premier clinical training sites you won’t find anywhere else.

Your specific career goals and research interests should guide your program selection. Some programs highlight multicultural competencies and social justice advocacy. Others focus on integrated health approaches or specialized populations. The scientist-practitioner model common to these programs will develop both your research expertise and clinical skills, whatever institution you choose.

Picking the right doctoral program means weighing entry requirements, curriculum focus, location, and financial support carefully. A PhD in Counseling Psychology gives you advanced skills to impact mental health care meaningfully. Your career options remain diverse and rewarding. These New York programs provide thorough preparation for excellence, whether you’re passionate about research, teaching, clinical practice, or advocacy.