The time you spend studying in your field and practicing under supervision is the biggest investment you’ll make in your career as a therapist.
The amount of time you spend will depend on whether you plan to become a therapist or counselor, a clinical social worker, a psychologist, or a psychiatrist. Other factors, like location—different state licensing boards have different requirements for supervision hours—will also play a role.
Here’s how much time you should budget for becoming a therapist, a psychologist, or a psychiatrist.
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How long does it take to become a therapist or counselor?
Specific designations for clinical therapists vary by state. But to become a licensed therapist, clinical social worker, or equivalent typically takes at least seven years.
To find the licensing requirements for your state, check out the below guides based on licensure type:
Then check your state licensing board’s website to confirm.
Here’s the breakdown:
Bachelor’s degree in Psychology or Social Work — four years
A Bachelor of Psychology or Bachelor of Social Work requires four years of study.
Depending on your schedule, the requirements of the college or university you attend, and how they structure the relevant degrees, you may be able to complete your Bachelor in three years.
But in most cases, plan to spend at least four years dedicated to full-time study.
Master’s degree in Psychology or Social Work — two or three years
To become a licensed therapist you must hold an advanced degree in Psychology, Marriage and Family Therapy, Social Work, Counseling, or another relevant field.
A Master of Psychology or Master of Social Work degree requires two to three years of study after you have completed your bachelor’s degree. The exact time it takes to complete your degree depends on the program offered by the college or university you are attending.
Supervision hours — one year minimum
Every state licensing board requires you to complete supervision hours before you can become a licensed therapist. The exact amount of time you spend under supervision varies by state and licensure type. You may be able to complete some of your supervision hours while studying for your master’s degree.
Some state licensing boards require you to complete your supervision hours within a minimum or maximum time frame. For instance, in California, you must complete 3,000 hours of post-degree supervision over the course of two years to become a licensed clinical counselor.
Other states require a certain number of hours under supervision but don’t stipulate a particular number of years.
At least part of your time under supervision must be spent working face-to-face with clients while you are supervised by an experienced therapist. Again, the number of face-to-face client hours varies by state.
Exams — variable
Every state licensing board requires you to pass an exam based on licensure type.
Those looking to be certified as clinical counselors must pass the National Counselor Examination (NCE) or the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMHCE). Individuals seeking social work licensure must pass one or more levels of the Assocation of Social Work Boards (ASWB) exam. Those in marriage and family therapy programs must pass the MFT National Exam to obtain licensure, with the exception of the state of California, which administers its own LMFT Clinical Exam.
Your specific licensing board may require you to pass additional exams—for instance, in ethics.
Factor in study time for these exams. Passing your licensure exam, plus any additional tests, is the last step you need to take before becoming licensed.
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How much does it cost to become a licensed therapist?
After completing a bachelor’s degree, the schooling required to become a licensed therapist costs approximately $40,000.
That number is variable, however. It’s affected by the program you enroll in, your location, and other factors. For a complete breakdown of expenses, check out How Much Does It Cost to Become a Licensed Therapist?
What is the fastest way to become a therapist or counselor?
You may be able to start practicing therapy, or practicing in a therapy-adjacent field, after four years of study.
Many states allow individuals with relevant bachelor’s degrees to fill therapy-related roles without completing a master’s degree. However, you may need to complete additional training before taking on these roles.
The positions available vary according to state, but they have a few things in common:
- Your practice is limited. You are typically not able to diagnose or assess clients.
- You work under a licensed therapist. In most cases, you will report to a licensed therapist or psychologist who oversees your work.
- You won’t operate a private practice. You typically work as an employee of a mental health clinic or public institution.
Example roles include:
- Residential counselor or case manager
- Drug and alcohol counselor
- Behavior technician
While these jobs may differ from one-on-one clinical counseling, they can give you the experience necessary to decide whether you want to complete an advanced degree and supervision hours and become a fully licensed therapist.
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How long does it take to become a psychologist?
A psychologist fulfills a role similar to a licensed therapist, social worker, or counselor, but holds a doctorate degree (Ph.D or Psy.D).
While therapists, social workers, and counselors are able to diagnose clients in most states, psychologists typically receive more advanced training in assessment and diagnosis.
The journey to becoming a psychologist typically lasts 10 to 12 years.
To find licensing requirements for your state, check out this state-by-state guide, then contact your state licensing board to confirm.
Here’s a breakdown:
Bachelor’s degree — four years
Plan to spend four years completing a Bachelor of Psychology degree.
Master’s degree — two to three years (optional)
After completing your bachelor’s, you may pursue a master’s degree in psychology.
However, many universities allow those with a Bachelor of Psychology to immediately apply to a doctorate program, so you may be able to skip this step.
Doctorate degree (Ph.D or Psy.D) — four to seven years
The amount of time you spend in a doctorate program will depend upon whether you have already completed your master’s or whether you are entering the program immediately after completing your bachelor’s.
If you already have your master’s degree, plan for your doctorate to take about four years. If you don’t have your masters, plan for closer to seven years.
Supervision hours — one to two years
Like therapists, psychologists must complete supervision hours before being licensed.
Some of these are internship hours, completed at the same time you are enrolled in your doctorate program. The remainder are post-doctorate (“post-doc”) supervision hours, completed once you have finished your degree.
Requirements for supervision hours vary by state, but you should budget at least 12 months for post-doc supervision.
Exams — variable
To become a practicing psychologist, you must complete the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP).
You may need to pass additional exams required by your state licensing board.
Budget time for exam prep. This is the last step you need to complete before becoming licensed as a psychologist.
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How long does it take to become a psychiatrist?
A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who specializes in psychology. A psychiatrist is able to both diagnose clients and prescribe medication, whereas a psychologist may only provide diagnoses.
It takes at least twelve years of study and residency to become a psychiatrist.
The path to becoming a psychiatrist is intensive and highly competitive. It requires taking on a heavy course load in university, getting top marks, and competing with other doctors to find your ideal residency (more on that below).
During your studies, plan to do additional work outside of school: working in community service, shadowing physicians, and pursuing research opportunities.
Psychiatrists often fill roles where they prescribe and manage medications for a large number of clients who receive one-on-one clinical treatment from licensed therapists or psychologists. As a psychiatrist, your time spent treating clients one-on-one may be limited.
Here’s a breakdown of the time it takes to become a psychiatrist:
Bachelor’s degree — four years
To begin down the path to becoming a psychiatrist, you must complete pre-med studies.
Pre-med is not a specific degree or program; it’s a list or prerequisites for applying to medical school. Many future psychiatrists complete a Bachelor of Chemistry or Bachelor of Biology in order to fulfill these requirements. They may choose to minor in Psychology.
While completing your bachelor’s degree, you must complete the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), which allows you to apply to medical school.
Medical school — four years
Attending medical school for an MD (Doctor of Medicine) or DO (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine) takes four years.
The first two years are typically spent in lectures, textbook study, and exams. These are your pre-clinical years.
The second two years include supervised in-person work in a hospital under the supervision of experienced doctors.
At the completion of medical school, you must complete the US Medical Licensing Exam (USMLE) to become licensed as a medical doctor.
Residency — four years
Medical doctors complete their education with a four-year residency in a medical clinic or hospital. To become a psychiatrist, you must complete a residency practicing psychiatry.
During your residency, you will work as a psychiatrist under the supervision of experienced psychiatrists.
How long does it take to open a therapy practice?
Once you are a licensed therapist, as soon as you begin seeing therapists in your own time—rather than on the job as someone else’s employee—you are considered a sole proprietor or business owner for tax purposes.
In that sense, you can start your own therapy practice as quickly as you are able to take on your first client.
But if you plan to launch a fully-fledged practice—with a business name and website, office (if you’re seeing clients in-person), and growing client list—plan to spend at least six months getting ready.
During that time, you may already be seeing clients. But on the side you will be:
- Putting together your website, directory listings, and other marketing channels
- Setting up systems for bookkeeping, accounting, and recordkeeping
- Writing a business plan
- Registering as a limited liability company (LLC) if necessary
Those are just a few of the tasks involved. It may take less than six months to get up and running, but designating six months as your startup period gives you a realistic runway to launch your therapy practice.
For a full breakdown, check out How to Start a Therapy Practice.
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Key takeaways:
- It takes at least seven years of studies and supervision to become a licensed therapist or counselor
- Supervision hours and education requirements depending on your state licensing board, but every therapist must hold an advanced degree (master’s or higher) to be licensed
- You may be able to find therapy-adjacent roles with a bachelor’s degree and some additional training
- To become a psychologist, budget 10 to 12 years for schooling and supervision
- If your goal is to become a psychiatrist, you will need to complete at least 12 years of education, including your residency
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Looking to start your career as a mental health professional? Check out our guide to the best private practice advice for early-career therapists.
This post is to be used for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, business, or tax advice. Each person should consult their own attorney, business advisor, or tax advisor with respect to matters referenced in this post.
Bryce Warnes is a West Coast writer specializing in small business finances.
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