Three organizations accredit psychology programs in the US. The APA’s Commission on Accreditation (APA-CoA) accredits doctoral programs in clinical, counseling, and school psychology. NASP approves school psychology programs at the specialist and doctoral level. PCSAS accredits science-focused clinical psychology PhD programs at research universities. Which one matters depends on your degree level and the specialty you’re targeting.
If you’re comparing doctoral programs and keep seeing phrases like “APA-accredited” or “NASP-approved,” you’re probably wondering whether those stamps mean the same thing and whether one matters more than the other. They don’t mean the same thing, and which one matters to you depends on where you’re headed.
What Does the APA Accredit in Psychology?
The American Psychological Association’s Commission on Accreditation (APA-CoA) is the biggest name in psychology accreditation. It grants accreditation to doctoral programs — specifically PhD and PsyD degrees — in clinical, counseling, and school psychology, as well as programs combining two or more of those specializations.
APA accreditation is the one that comes up in licensure conversations. Many state psychology licensing boards require or strongly prefer graduation from an APA- or CPA-accredited doctoral program, although requirements vary by jurisdiction. If you want to understand what APA-CoA accreditation involves in more detail, it’s worth reviewing before you apply to doctoral programs.
The APA also accredits predoctoral internship programs and postdoctoral residency programs. It doesn’t accredit bachelor’s or master’s programs. If someone tells you a school’s undergraduate psychology degree is “APA accredited,” that’s not accurate — the APA doesn’t evaluate at that level.
What Programs Does NASP Approve?
The National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) focuses entirely on school psychology. It offers a national review and approval process for graduate programs that prepare students to work as school psychologists — supporting learning, behavior, and mental health in K–12 settings.
NASP approves programs at the specialist level (typically an EdS degree, roughly three years past the bachelor’s) and at the doctoral level. If you’re heading specifically into school psychology, a NASP-approved program signals that the curriculum aligns with the competencies state credentialing boards expect.
Both APA and NASP can approve school psychology programs, so there’s an overlap. A doctoral school psychology program may carry APA-CoA accreditation and NASP approval. Look for school psychology degrees that hold both if you want flexibility across state licensing requirements.
What Is PCSAS and How Does It Differ from APA Accreditation?
The Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS) is a smaller, more specialized accreditor. It’s an independent nonprofit recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), and it focuses exclusively on PhD programs in psychological clinical science — clinical psychology training grounded in empirical research, housed in research-intensive universities.
PCSAS was created partly to push back against programs that prioritize practice training over scientific rigor. Accreditation is voluntary, so programs opt in rather than being required to seek it. PCSAS currently accredits 49 programs (as of 2026), but they tend to be among the most research-competitive doctoral programs in the country.
If you’re aiming for an academic or research career in clinical psychology, a PCSAS-accredited program may be a better fit than an APA-only program. If you’re heading straight into clinical practice after graduation, APA-CoA accreditation is the designation that will matter most for licensure.
Does the Type of Accreditation Differ by Degree Level?
The short answer: program-level accreditation (APA, NASP, PCSAS) is almost entirely a doctoral-level concern.
For a bachelor’s or master’s in psychology, what matters is institutional accreditation — specifically, regional accreditation from one of the major accreditors recognized by the US Department of Education. That’s the credential that tells employers and graduate schools that your degree came from a legitimate institution. The APA doesn’t evaluate undergraduate or master’s programs, so its seal won’t appear in marketing for those degrees.
At the doctoral level, APA-CoA accreditation becomes genuinely important if you intend to pursue licensure. Some employers — hospitals, the VA system, and community mental health centers — filter applicants based on APA-accredited training. Check your state’s psychology licensing requirements before applying to doctoral programs. Many states list APA accreditation as an explicit prerequisite for licensure eligibility.
Select your state below to find APA-accredited doctoral programs, application timelines, and licensing requirements specific to your jurisdiction.