Delaware has one APA-accredited doctoral psychology program: the Clinical Ph.D. at the University of Delaware. It’s a research-focused track built around a full-time internship and typically runs about six years. The university also offers non-accredited research PhDs in cognitive, social, and behavioral neuroscience psychology. Delaware has no campus-based PsyD program, so practice-focused applicants often look elsewhere.
Delaware’s doctoral psychology landscape is small: nearly every accredited path in the state runs through a single university. That makes the choice ahead less about comparing competing programs and more about deciding whether a research-focused PhD fits your goals, or whether a practice-focused PsyD means looking outside Delaware.
PhD vs. PsyD in Delaware
Both the PhD and PsyD lead to psychologist licensure and require passing the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP), but they train psychologists differently. A PhD follows the scientist-practitioner or clinical-science model: research-weighted, often funded through assistantships, and designed to produce psychologists who can also conduct and publish research. A PsyD follows the practitioner-scholar model: clinical-weighted, more often tuition-funded, and built around direct clinical training. For a closer look at how the two differ, see our PsyD vs. PhD comparison.
Delaware only has the PhD version in-state. The University of Delaware’s Clinical Ph.D. is the state’s sole APA-accredited doctoral program and follows the research-focused model outlined above. There’s no campus-based PsyD program in Delaware, so students who prefer the practitioner-scholar route typically apply to APA-accredited PsyD programs in neighboring states.
Delaware Doctoral Psychology Programs at a Glance
The program below is accredited by the APA Commission on Accreditation.
| School | Degree | Focus | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Delaware | Ph.D. | Clinical Psychology | Newark, DE |
University of Delaware
The Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at the University of Delaware offers a Ph.D. in psychology with four concentrations. Only one of them is accredited by the APA.
Clinical Ph.D. (Clinical Science)
The Clinical Ph.D. concentration is Delaware’s only APA-accredited doctoral psychology program. The university also reports that the program has been continuously accredited by the Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS) since 2011.
The program is a 12-month-per-year commitment, with formal coursework completed over four years and a minimum of 80 credits from coursework, colloquia, and research. Students begin practicum training at the university’s Institute for Community Mental Health Clinic in the first year, with practicum intensifying to one and a half to two days a week by the second and third years. Like all APA-accredited doctoral programs, it concludes with a full-time predoctoral internship. See our guide on clinical psychology PhD prerequisites for what most programs expect from applicants.
Other PhD Concentrations (Not APA-Accredited)
The department also offers PhDs in cognitive psychology, social psychology, and behavioral neuroscience. These are research doctorates built for academic and research careers, not clinical licensure, and none of the three carries APA accreditation. Students planning to become licensed psychologists should apply specifically to the Clinical Ph.D. concentration.
Newark, DE. Program website.
Psychologist Salaries and Job Growth in Delaware
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, clinical and counseling psychologists in Delaware earned a median annual salary of $113,050 as of May 2025, with the highest-paid 10 percent earning $147,930 or more. School psychologists in the state earned a median of $95,990. Projections Central estimates 8.3% employment growth for clinical and counseling psychologists in Delaware between 2022 and 2032, with about 10 job openings a year, faster than the average for all occupations.
| Occupation | Median Annual Wage | 90th Percentile Wage |
|---|---|---|
| Clinical and Counseling Psychologists | $113,050 | $147,930 |
| School Psychologists | $95,990 | $124,830 |
Delaware’s psychology doctoral options are concentrated at one university, but the surrounding Mid-Atlantic region has many more APA-accredited programs within driving distance. If Delaware’s single accredited option doesn’t match the specialty or degree type you want, it’s worth widening your search and browsing psychology doctoral programs by state.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many APA-accredited doctoral psychology programs are in Delaware?
Delaware has one: the Clinical Ph.D. at the University of Delaware. It’s the only doctoral psychology program in the state accredited by the APA Commission on Accreditation.
Is there a PsyD program in Delaware?
Not on campus. The University of Delaware’s doctoral offerings in psychology are all PhDs. Students who want a practitioner-focused PsyD typically apply to APA-accredited PsyD programs in neighboring states.
Does Delaware require an APA-accredited degree to become a licensed psychologist?
Not strictly, but it’s the most direct path. The Delaware Board of Examiners of Psychologists automatically accepts doctoral degrees from APA- or PCSAS-accredited programs. Degrees from other programs can still qualify, but the Board reviews each curriculum case on a case-by-case basis. See our state licensing requirements guide for how this works nationally.
How long does the University of Delaware’s Clinical Ph.D. take to complete?
Formal coursework runs for four years, with a minimum of 80 credits from coursework, colloquia, and research, plus a full-time predoctoral internship afterward. Most students complete the program in about five to six years.
Explore accredited psychology doctoral programs in other states if Delaware’s only option doesn’t align with your specialty or degree type.
2025 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary data and Projections Central 2022-2032 job growth forecasts for Psychologists (including Clinical & Counseling, Industrial-Organizational, and School Psychologists) and Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors, reflect state and national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed July 2026.