Best School Psychology Programs in Virginia Rankings for 2026
NASP-approved EdS and doctoral programs in Virginia, with the VDOE Pupil Personnel Services license pathway, the private-practice route through the Board of Psychology, internship requirements, tuition, and 2026 salary data.
Key Takeaways
- Virginia school psychologists earn a median of $85,670, about 11% below the $95,990 national median (BLS, May 2025). The bottom 10% earn about $63,130 and the top 10% clear $132,800, with the high end concentrated in the DC-adjacent districts of Northern Virginia. The state employs roughly 1,200 school psychologists.
- You work in Virginia public schools with a Pupil Personnel Services license endorsed in School Psychology from the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE). To open a private practice, you go through the Virginia Board of Psychology for a separate license. Two agencies, two different credentials.
- Virginia has five universities with NASP-recognized school psychology programs: James Madison, George Mason, College of William & Mary, Radford, and the University of Virginia. Most are EdS specialist programs at public universities, so in-state tuition stays well below the private route.
- The VDOE endorsement needs a state-approved program of at least 60 graduate semester hours, an internship documented by your degree-granting institution (the NASP standard is 1,200 hours with 600 in a school), and a passing score on the Praxis School Psychologist exam (#5403). Most Virginia programs are three years of full-time study built around that internship year.
- Pay sits below the national median statewide, but the spread is wide. A school psychologist in a Northern Virginia district near Washington, DC earns far more than one in a rural Southwest Virginia county, and the $132,800 top-10% figure shows real upside if you target the high-cost-of-living suburbs.
Virginia pays school psychologists a little below the national median, and you should know that going in. The May 2025 BLS data puts the Virginia median at $85,670, against a national median of $95,990. That is roughly 11% under the national figure. But the statewide median hides a big spread. Pay follows each district's teacher salary scale, and Virginia districts vary enormously: a school psychologist in Fairfax or Loudoun County, in the high-cost suburbs of Washington, DC, earns far more than one in a rural Southwest Virginia county. The state's 90th percentile sits at $132,800, well above the national figure, and almost all of that upside lives in Northern Virginia. The state employs about 1,200 school psychologists, and demand is steady because every special education eligibility decision in Virginia runs through one.
Here is the structure that trips people up. To work in Virginia public schools, where almost all school psychologists are employed, you need a Pupil Personnel Services (PPS) license with an endorsement in School Psychology from the Virginia Department of Education. That endorsement needs a state-approved program of at least 60 graduate semester hours, a supervised internship documented by your university, and a passing score on the Praxis School Psychologist exam. If you want a private practice outside the schools, that goes through a different agency entirely, the Virginia Board of Psychology, which licenses Clinical Psychologists at the doctoral level. Most school psychologists in Virginia only ever hold the VDOE license.
The training runs through five universities. James Madison, George Mason, William & Mary, and Radford award the specialist (EdS) degree and feed graduates straight into schools. The University of Virginia adds an APA-accredited PhD, and JMU offers a doctoral PsyD, for students who want research, faculty work, or the path to psychologist licensure. Below you will find each NASP-recognized program, what the VDOE license actually requires, honest salary numbers by region, and how to pick the program that fits where you want to work.
Best School Psychology Programs in Virginia Rankings (NASP-Approved EdS & Doctoral)
All 7 programs ranked in this guide, with tuition, format, and accreditation at a glance.
| # | School | In-State Tuition | Format | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | James Madison University: MA/EdS in School Psychology | Public university (per-credit-hour graduate tuition; see program) | On-campus | |
| 2 | George Mason University: EdS in School Psychology | Public university (per-credit-hour graduate tuition; see program) | On-campus | |
| 3 | College of William & Mary: EdS in School Psychology | Public university (per-credit-hour graduate tuition; see program) | On-campus | |
| 4 | Radford University: MS & EdS in School Psychology | Public university (per-credit-hour graduate tuition; see program) | On-campus | |
| 5 | University of Virginia: EdS in School Psychology | Public university (per-credit-hour graduate tuition; see program) | On-campus | |
| 6 | University of Virginia: PhD in Clinical and School Psychology | PhD: students receive a funding package covering tuition (in- and out-of-state) | On-campus | |
| 7 | James Madison University: PsyD in Clinical and School Psychology | Doctoral (per-credit-hour graduate tuition; designed for those holding a related graduate degree) | On-campus |
James Madison University: MA/EdS in School Psychology
In-State
Public university (per-credit-hour graduate tuition; see program)
Out-of-State
Out-of-state per-credit-hour graduate tuition (see program)
Length
3 years (MA awarded after Level I, EdS after Level II)
Field Hours
1,200-hour internship (min. 600 in a school) plus supervised practica
Concentrations
- You earn the MA after Level I and a comprehensive exam, then the EdS after Level II
- NASP-accredited specialist program, so graduates are eligible for the NCSP national certification
- Built around a culturally competent, data-based problem-solving model of practice
- Sits in the Shenandoah Valley, feeding districts across western and central Virginia
George Mason University: EdS in School Psychology
In-State
Public university (per-credit-hour graduate tuition; see program)
Out-of-State
Out-of-state per-credit-hour graduate tuition (see program)
Length
3 years (66 credits, MA plus 30 credits)
Field Hours
School-based practica each year + 1,200-hour internship (year 3)
Concentrations
- One of Virginia's longest-running programs, founded in 1978 and NASP-approved for specialist training since 1992
- 66-credit EdS that places you in a school-based practicum starting the first semester
- Located in Fairfax, inside the high-paying Northern Virginia job market near Washington, DC
- NASP-approved status streamlines the application for the NCSP national certification
College of William & Mary: EdS in School Psychology
In-State
Public university (per-credit-hour graduate tuition; see program)
Out-of-State
Out-of-state per-credit-hour graduate tuition (see program)
Length
3 years (70-hour program: 59 course credits + 12-credit internship)
Field Hours
12-credit full-time internship (year 3) plus supervised practica
Concentrations
- A 70-hour specialist program: master's awarded after year one, EdS after the third-year internship
- Holds full NASP recognition along with CAEP accreditation through the School of Education
- Training blends theoretical psychology, philosophical foundations of education, and applied school practice
- Located in Williamsburg, feeding the Hampton Roads and Tidewater districts of southeastern Virginia
Radford University: MS & EdS in School Psychology
In-State
Public university (per-credit-hour graduate tuition; see program)
Out-of-State
Out-of-state per-credit-hour graduate tuition (see program)
Length
3 years (73 semester hours; MS after 34 credits, EdS after 73)
Field Hours
Supervised practica + 1,200-hour internship
Concentrations
- Holds full NASP approval through August 1, 2030, so its accreditation standing is locked in
- 73-credit program: you earn the MS after year one and the EdS after all three years
- Coursework covers RTI and neuropsychological assessment and intervention, not just basic testing
- Serves Southwest Virginia and the New River Valley, a region where districts compete for graduates
University of Virginia: EdS in School Psychology
In-State
Public university (per-credit-hour graduate tuition; see program)
Out-of-State
Out-of-state per-credit-hour graduate tuition (see program)
Length
3 years (specialist degree)
Field Hours
1,200-hour internship (min. 600 in a school) plus supervised practica
Concentrations
- Approved for NASP accreditation candidacy as of July 2024 and working toward full approval, so confirm current status before you apply
- Housed in UVA's School of Education and Human Development alongside the doctoral program
- Prepares you for the VDOE Pupil Personnel Services license and the Praxis School Psychologist exam
- A strong option if you want the UVA name and want to stay in central Virginia
University of Virginia: PhD in Clinical and School Psychology
In-State
PhD: students receive a funding package covering tuition (in- and out-of-state)
Out-of-State
PhD: students receive a funding package covering tuition (in- and out-of-state)
Length
5 years (including a one-year internship)
Field Hours
Multi-year practica + a one-year predoctoral internship
Concentrations
- One of only 14 APA-accredited combined programs nationally, and the only PhD that integrates clinical and school psychology
- Fully approved as a doctoral-level school psychology program by NASP
- Students receive a funding package covering tuition, medical insurance, and a stipend (currently about $20,000)
- The doctorate opens research, hospital, and academic roles and feeds the path to Clinical Psychologist licensure
James Madison University: PsyD in Clinical and School Psychology
In-State
Doctoral (per-credit-hour graduate tuition; designed for those holding a related graduate degree)
Out-of-State
Out-of-state per-credit-hour graduate tuition (see program)
Length
4 years (3 years of coursework + a one-year internship)
Field Hours
Sequenced practica + a 12-month predoctoral internship
Concentrations
- JMU's oldest doctoral program, APA-accredited continuously since 1996
- Built for students who already hold a graduate degree in a mental health field, including school psychology
- Reports that about 94% of graduates go on to earn professional licenses
- A route to doctoral-level practice if you start with the JMU specialist degree and want to go further
Virginia School Psychologist License Requirements (VDOE and Board of Psychology)
The licensing board, exam pathway, and supervised hours you'll need to practice independently.
Licensing Board
Virginia Department of Education (VDOE): Pupil Personnel Services License, School Psychology
(804) 692-0157
Virginia runs school psychology through two separate credentials, and knowing which one you need saves a lot of confusion. The one almost everybody gets is the Pupil Personnel Services (PPS) license with an endorsement in School Psychology, issued by the Virginia Department of Education. It authorizes you to work in Virginia public K-12 schools, doing psycho-educational assessment, counseling, crisis response, and intervention design. As UVA's guide to Virginia school psychology licensure lays out, you complete a state-approved program of at least 60 graduate semester hours that includes a supervised internship documented by your degree-granting institution, and no more than 12 of those internship hours count toward the 60-hour minimum. The VDOE license does not require prior teaching experience.
The exam is the Praxis School Psychologist test (#5403), the same 125-question exam built around NASP domains that nearly every state uses. Pass it and you also qualify for the Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP) credential, which makes it far easier to move your license to another state later. Virginia also accepts the NCSP as an alternative route to the endorsement. The PPS license is a 10-year, renewable license, and you keep it current with 30 hours of continuing education every five years.
The second credential is for private practice. If you want to see clients outside the school system, that goes through the Virginia Board of Psychology, part of the Department of Health Professions. The Board licenses Clinical Psychologists at the doctoral level after a supervised residency and the national EPPP exam. Most Virginia school psychologists never need it. You only pursue Board licensure if you hold a doctorate and want an independent practice, which is one reason the UVA PhD and JMU PsyD exist.
Pupil Personnel Services License, School Psychology Endorsement
Practice as a school psychologist in Virginia public K-12 schools: assessment, counseling, crisis intervention, and intervention design
Hours
1,200
Duration
typically a 3-year program
Exam: Praxis School Psychologist exam (#5403); the NCSP is accepted as an alternative route to the endorsement
Licensed Clinical Psychologist (private practice)
Independent practice of psychology outside public schools: testing, diagnosis, and treatment of mental and emotional disorders
Hours
N/A
Duration
Associate
Exam: Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP) plus a Virginia jurisprudence exam, after a supervised residency (Virginia Board of Psychology)
Virginia does not hand out fully automatic reciprocity, but the path is manageable. If you trained and worked as a school psychologist in another state, you apply to the VDOE for the Pupil Personnel Services license, and the Office of Licensure reviews your out-of-state preparation against Virginia standards. Holding the NCSP national certification smooths that review a lot, because Virginia accepts the NCSP as a route to the endorsement. Expect to document your graduate coursework and your internship, and budget time for the paperwork before your first Virginia school year starts. You can confirm any existing Virginia license through the VDOE license lookup.
School Psychologist Salary in Virginia
BLS state median wages by counseling specialty, with national comparison and top-paying metros.
Virginia pays school psychologists a bit below the national median, and the honest version is that the statewide number hides a wide gap by region. The BLS May 2025 data puts the Virginia median at $85,670, against a national median of $95,990, roughly 11% lower. The bottom 10% earn about $63,130 and the top 10% reach $132,800. That top figure is the real story: it sits well above the national median, and almost all of it lives in the Northern Virginia districts near Washington, DC, where districts like Fairfax and Loudoun pay on some of the richest teacher scales in the country. The Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk metro in Hampton Roads runs a median of $86,510, just above the statewide figure.
One honest caveat. Pay follows each district's teacher salary scale, so where you work matters as much as how long you have been at it. A school psychologist in a rural Southwest Virginia county can earn close to the $63,130 floor, while one in the DC suburbs can push toward six figures with experience and a doctorate. The cost of living tracks the pay: Northern Virginia is expensive, the Shenandoah Valley and Southwest are not. If you are choosing a program by where you want to live, the regional salary map matters more here than in most states.
School Psychologists (BLS 19-3034)
National median: $95,990
Top metro: $86,510 (Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC)
Clinical & Counseling Psychologists (private-practice comparison, BLS 19-3033)
National median: $100,580
Top metro: $99,990 (Virginia (statewide))
Virginia School Psychology Job Market and Shortage
Major employers, mental health shortage context, and loan repayment programs that erase debt for service.
Virginia, like the rest of the country, does not have enough school psychologists, and that is good news for your job prospects. NASP recommends one school psychologist for every 500 students, but the national ratio is closer to 1,071 to 1, and you can watch the gap on the NASP state shortages dashboard. The Virginia Academy of School Psychologists (VASP) advocates for better staffing across the state and is a useful place to track job and internship openings while you train.
Demand is driven by work that schools are legally required to do. Every special education eligibility decision in Virginia rests on a psycho-educational evaluation, and the post-pandemic push to expand school-based mental health has only added to the caseload. School psychologists in Virginia work for public school divisions, regional special education programs, and a growing number of charter and private schools. The market splits geographically: the large, well-funded Northern Virginia divisions hire steadily and pay the most, while rural divisions in Southside and Southwest Virginia struggle to recruit and sometimes offer incentives. Wherever you land, the work is steady, because the legal mandate to evaluate students does not go away.
Loan Repayment & Scholarship Programs
Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF). School psychologists employed full-time by a Virginia public school division qualify for federal PSLF, which forgives the remaining balance on Direct Loans after 120 qualifying payments. Eligibility is based on your employer, not your job title, so a public-school job counts.
Low in-state public tuition. James Madison, George Mason, William & Mary, Radford, and UVA all charge in-state graduate tuition far below the private route, which keeps total borrowing low to begin with. That is the cheapest form of loan relief there is.
Funded doctoral training. UVA's PhD covers tuition (in- and out-of-state), medical insurance, and a stipend of roughly $20,000, so doctoral students train without piling on debt.
Be careful with state teacher programs. Virginia's Teaching Scholarship Loan Program is aimed at classroom teachers in critical shortage subjects, and school psychologists generally do not qualify. The Virginia Behavioral Health Student Loan Repayment Program targets licensed behavioral health providers, not school-based pupil personnel, so confirm eligibility before you count on either one.
How to Choose the Best School Psychology Program in Virginia
Decision factors that actually matter, not generic checklist filler.
Almost every NASP-recognized Virginia program leads to the same VDOE Pupil Personnel Services license, so the real decision is about location, degree level, and where you want to work after you finish. Here is how the programs sort out.
If you want the Northern Virginia job market: George Mason in Fairfax sits inside the highest-paying region in the state, near Washington, DC, and places you in school-based practica from the first semester.
If you want the longest track record: George Mason has trained school psychologists since 1978 and has held NASP specialist approval since 1992, one of the most established programs in Virginia.
If you want locked-in accreditation: Radford holds full NASP approval through August 2030, and William & Mary pairs NASP recognition with CAEP accreditation.
If you want Hampton Roads or the coast: William & Mary in Williamsburg feeds the Tidewater and Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk divisions of southeastern Virginia.
If you want the Shenandoah Valley or western Virginia: James Madison in Harrisonburg trains specialists for districts across the central and western parts of the state.
If you want Southwest Virginia: Radford serves the New River Valley and Southwest, where rural divisions compete for graduates.
If you want a doctorate and a route to private practice: the University of Virginia's APA-accredited PhD is the only combined clinical and school psychology PhD of its kind, and JMU's PsyD adds a doctoral option for those who already hold a related graduate degree.
Related Pages
School Psychologist Career Guide
What school psychologists actually do day to day
School Psychologist Salary
Salary data by state, experience, and setting
School Psychology Programs by State
Browse school psychology programs in every state
School Psychology Programs in North Carolina
NASP-approved programs and licensure in North Carolina
School Psychology Programs in Maryland
NASP-approved programs and licensure in Maryland
Sources
- NASP: Program Approval & Accreditation List (Virginia)
- NASP: Virginia Credentialing Requirements
- Virginia Department of Education: Licensure
- UVA: How to Become a Licensed School Psychologist in Virginia
- Virginia Board of Psychology (DHP): Clinical Psychology
- NASP: Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP) Eligibility
- Virginia Academy of School Psychologists (VASP)
- NASP: State Shortages Data Dashboard
- Bureau of Labor Statistics: OEWS School Psychologists (19-3034)