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Maine Psychology Licensure Requirements

Becoming a licensed psychologist in Maine is a multi-step process. You will need to complete a doctoral degree in psychology, work for multiple years under supervision, and pass two exams. To earn a license, you must apply through the Board of Examiners of Psychologists (the Board), the state organization that regulates the practice of psychology and issues licenses. Because the path to becoming a licensed psychologist in Maine can be long and complex, we’ve prepared this thorough guide to help you through every step.

Table of Contents

How to Become a Psychologist in Maine

1. Earn a bachelor’s degree and (optionally) a master’s degree in psychology.

If you have decided you would like to become a licensed psychologist, the first step is to complete a bachelor’s degree. Although you can major in any subject while earning this degree, it is helpful if you take some psychology courses, as these may be required for entry into master’s or doctoral programs in psychology. Keep in mind that if you do not major in psychology, you will likely have to take some prerequisite coursework before being admitted to a graduate program. Completing your bachelor’s degree will usually take four years (120 credit hours) if you are attending full-time.

If you do not study psychology while you are an undergraduate or want more experience before applying to a doctoral program, you may opt to earn a stand-alone master’s degree in psychology after your bachelor’s degree. Master’s degree programs in psychology usually take two to three years (30-40 credit hours) to complete. Earning a stand-alone master’s degree in psychology is an optional step for becoming a psychologist, however, and many doctoral programs include master’s degrees as part of their programs.

In Maine, the Board also issues a psychological examiner license, which allows for supervised practice as a master’s-level clinician. If you don’t want to get a doctoral degree but would still like to work in psychology, this could be another compelling reason to consider earning a stand-alone master’s degree in Maine.

2. Earn a doctoral degree in psychology.

After you have completed a bachelor’s degree (and a stand-alone master’s degree in psychology, if you choose), the next step towards psychology licensure in Maine is to earn a doctoral degree in psychology. The length of these programs varies based on coursework and other training requirements, but they usually take between four and seven years to finish. Doctoral psychology programs in the United States typically award one of two degrees: a Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) or a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Psychology. Although there are many similarities between these degrees, it is recommended that you become familiar with the differences between them before applying to doctoral programs.

In Maine, you must earn your doctoral degree from a program that is accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA) or the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA), is approved by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), or provides equivalent training. Note that to meet the Board’s criteria for equivalency, the doctoral program must include a year-long (1,500-hour) predoctoral internship, which will count towards the supervised experience requirements for licensure. You also must provide proof of having completed at least three hours of coursework in family or intimate partner violence screening, referral, and intervention strategies. This coursework may be completed as part of another course, or a stand-alone course delivered via contact hours, internet hours, or distance learning.

Please visit our Psychology Schools in Maine page for more information about programs that may help you meet these educational requirements.

3. Gain two years of supervised work experience in your area of training.

For psychology licensure in Maine, the Board requires that you complete two years (3,000 hours) of supervised experience. One year (1,500 hours) of this will come from the predoctoral internship that is part of your Board-approved doctoral program. While you are a predoctoral intern, you must receive at least two hours per week of individual supervision from a licensed psychologist and spend at least 50% of your time in activities related to providing services to patients (25% of that service time must be spent in face-to-face work with patients).

The remaining year (1,500 hours) of supervised experience must be earned after you have completed your doctoral degree. While completing these post-doctoral hours, you must receive at least one hour of individual supervision per week from a licensed psychologist and another hour of didactic activities. Between 25% and 60% of your time during this year must be spent on direct patient service activities. When you apply for licensure, your internship and postdoctoral supervisors will need to complete the included forms verifying your experience.

4. Submit an application to the Board to take the exam.

After you have completed the Board’s experience requirements, the next step is to submit an application to the Board. Some forms in the application will need to be completed by other people and returned to you, such as the Professional Reference form and the pages verifying your predoctoral and postdoctoral SPE. You must also request a sealed transcript from your doctoral program. Once you have gathered all of the materials needed for a complete application, mail it to the Board along with $321 for application and exam fees.

If you plan to continue working under the supervision of a licensed psychologist until your full license is issued, you should also include the application for a temporary psychologist license with your application packet (as well as an additional $200 fee). Once granted, this license will allow you to work under supervision for up to a year while you prepare to take the national psychology exam.

5. Pass the Maine psychology licensing exams.

There are two exams you will need to take to become licensed as a psychologist in Maine. One of these is Maine’s jurisprudence exam, which will test your knowledge of laws and ethical standards that will guide your practice as a psychologist. Once the Board has reviewed your application, they will mail you the materials for this exam. You must complete the exam and return it to them within 20 days; a score of 80% or higher is considered passing.

In addition to the jurisprudence exam, you will also need to pass the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP), which is a national exam that tests broad knowledge of psychology administered by the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB). There are 225 multiple-choice questions on the EPPP, and you must earn a score of 70% (equivalent to a scaled score of 500) or higher to pass. Scores from the exam will be automatically sent to the Board. You have up to a year to complete the EPPP after you receive permission from the Board to register for it. There is an EPPP practice exam to help you prepare.

6. Receive your license from the Board.

Once you have completed all of the requirements above, you should receive your psychology license shortly. Once your license has been issued, your status will be updated to “active” and you can begin practicing independently. You will also receive a paper copy of your license in the mail, though it may take several weeks for this to arrive after your license has been issued.

Maine Licensure by Endorsement

The Board does not have any reciprocity agreements with other states to allow for the transfer of licenses; however, you can apply for a Maine psychology license as a “psychologist applying having passed the EPPP” if you meet the Board’s criteria for licensure that are described above on this page (have a Board-approved doctoral degree, two years of supervised experience, and passed the EPPP). If you meet these criteria, you can apply for a license by submitting a completed application to the Board along with $271 in fees.

You can also apply for licensure in Maine if you hold a Certificate of Professional Qualification (CPQ) from the ASPPB or belong to the National Register of Health Service Psychologists. If you meet one of these criteria, you can apply for a psychology license in Maine by completing the Board’s application for psychologists who hold these credentials and paying an application fee of $271.

Before receiving a license through either one of these methods, you will need to take Maine’s jurisprudence exam and receive a score of at least 80%. If you want to begin practicing before you complete this exam and your full license is issued, you can include the application for a conditional license with your application packet (as well as an additional $200 fee). Once your conditional license is issued, this will allow you to practice under the supervision of a licensed psychologist for one year until you receive your full license to practice psychology in Maine.

License Renewal and Continuing Education

After you have earned a license to practice psychology in Maine, you must renew it by April 30 each year to keep it active. Licenses can be renewed online through Maine’s Regulatory Licensing and Permitting website, and you must pay a fee of $125 each time you renew.

In addition to renewing your license online, you must complete 40 hours of continuing education (CE) every two years. Activities that can be used for CE include attending seminars, workshops, organized distance learning programs, and graduate-level coursework, as well as working on academic materials to be published. If a CE activity is not sponsored by a Board-approved organization, you must request approval from the Board. Of the 40 CE hours that are required biennially, at least three hours must be in the topic of ethics and 20 must be in your specific area of practice or ones you plan to expand to in the future. If you supervise any clinicians, you must also complete three hours of CE education in supervision. You will need to attest to having completed the Board’s CE requirements on your renewal forms on even-numbered years.

Psychological Examiner

Maine is one of the states that also issues licenses to master’s-level clinicians. To be eligible for a psychological examiner license in Maine, you must hold a master’s degree “reflecting comprehensive training in psychology” from an accredited college or university. This degree must be awarded from a NASP-approved program or one that meets the Board’s criteria for training, which includes supervised practicum experience, two full years of training (at least 48 credit hours), and coursework in specific areas. You will also need to complete at least one year (1,500) hours of full-time supervised experience in psychology (with at least three hours of supervision per week) before applying for licensure. The supervised work hours can be completed at any time after you have finished at least one year of training in your master’s program.

To apply for licensure as a psychological examiner in Maine, complete the psychological examiner application and return it to the Board along with $321 for application and exam fees. You can include the application for a temporary psychologist examiner license (and an additional $200) if you would like to work under supervision until you have completed the required exams (see below) and your permanent license is issued.

To earn your license, you will also need to take the EPPP and the jurisprudence exam. To pass these, you must score at least a 65% on the EPPP and an 80% on the jurisprudence exam. Once issued, a psychological examiner license will allow you to administer and interpret psychological testing under the supervision of a licensed psychologist. You can also apply to extend your services to include some types of intervention by submitting the application for intervention privileges to the Board.

School Psychologist

To obtain initial certification as a school psychologist from the Maine Department of Education (DOE), you can apply via one of four pathways:

  • Hold a current Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP) certificate issued by the National
    School Psychology Certification Board
  • Have a graduate degree from a NASP- or Maine Department of Education-approved school psychology program
  • Hold a current psychology license with evidence of competency in school psychology
  • Have a graduate degree with a concentration in school psychology from an accredited college or university or a program accredited by the APA.

In order to qualify through the last option, the degree must include at least three years of full-time study, 60 graduate semester hours, a program of study that addresses the NASP Model for Comprehensive and Integrated School Psychological Services, and an internship of at least 1,200 hours, 50% of which must be in a school setting.

For all pathways, you must submit two references from credentialed school psychologists who have reviewed your work, pass a background check, complete a minimum of three semester hours in diversity-related content, sign an ethics compliance statement, and pass a criminal history record check (CHRC). The initial certificate is good for one year.

In order to receive your full, three-year professional certificate, you must also provide evidence of one year of supervised, post-graduate practice as a school psychologist. You will submit an application for both certification levels through the online portal, along with an application fee of $100.

Maine Psychologist Jobs and Salary Information

According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), as of May 2021, the average salary for practicing psychologists (excluding postsecondary psychology teachers) in Maine is $81,803.1 Average salaries in the state vary by specialty, with clinical and counseling psychologists earning an average of $91,630, school psychologists earning $79,490, and “all other” psychologists earning $74,290. The average salary for postsecondary psychology teachers in Maine is $78,230.1

Projections for the number of psychology jobs in Maine suggest that there will be only modest growth in the number of positions available between 2020 and 2030, particularly in comparison to national averages. The average growth expected across fields of practicing psychologists in Maine is 2.6%, while the national average is 7.5%.2 The number of clinical, counseling, and school psychology jobs in Maine is not projected to increase during this time period (national projected growth: 14.2%); there is expected to be an increase in psychology jobs in the “all other” category of 2.7% (national projected growth: 2.0%); and postsecondary psychology teacher jobs are expected to increase by 5% (national projected growth:10.2%).2

OccupationNumber Employed1Average Annual Salary1
Clinical and Counseling Psychologists120$91,630
Industrial-Organizational PsychologistsN.Av.N.Av.
Psychologists, All Other200$74,290
Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary150$78,230
School Psychologists150$79,490

Additional Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to become a psychologist in Maine?

The entire process of becoming a licensed psychologist in Maine usually takes about 10 years. You will need to complete a doctoral degree in psychology, earn an additional year of supervised experience after your doctoral degree, and pass multiple exams. However, the amount of time this process takes can vary based on variables such as the graduate program you attend and how long you take to complete the national psychology exam.

What degree do I need to be a licensed psychologist in Maine?

To earn a license to be a clinical psychologist in Maine, you must earn a doctoral degree in psychology, which will be either a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Psychology or a Doctor of Psychology (PsyD). You can also apply for a license to become a psychological examiner with a master’s degree in psychology.

How much do psychologists in Maine make?

Across fields of practicing psychology in Maine, the average salary is $81,803.1 Postsecondary psychology teachers earn an average of $78,230 per year.1

References:
1. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics, May 2021 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, Maine: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_me.htm
2. Long Term Occupational Projections: https://projectionscentral.org/projections/longterm