20 Best Psychology Grad Programs In Phoenix, AZ (2023 Updated)
Pursuing a psychology graduate degree is an investment that opens doors to rewarding careers. With Phoenix home to over 20 psychology grad programs catering to diverse specializations, prospective students have options when identifying the ideal academic fit.
This guide evaluates Phoenix’s top psychology graduate programs based on academics, affordability, outcomes and institutional strengths. As an Education Reform Expert, I offer informed perspectives on matching programs to your skills and interests.
Chandler-Gilbert Community College
With over 200 degree and certificate programs serving 20,000+ students annually, Chandler-Gilbert Community College is the largest college in the Maricopa Community College District and an accessible starting point for psychology training.
Affordability: As an in-state community college, Chandler-Gilbert offers associate degree tuition at approximately $85 per credit hour – significantly lower than costs at 4-year institutions.
Transferability: The school holds 225+ transfer partnerships with universities across 44 states, creating seamless bridges for students pursuing advanced psychology degrees.
Top transfer destinations include:,
- Arizona State University
- Northern Arizona University
- Grand Canyon University
Career Preparation: For students interested in directly entering the behavioral health workforce, Chandler-Gilbert provides fast-track certification programs for roles like behavioral technicians.
Outside of cost and convenience factors, community colleges currently face enrollment declines nationwide. Students prioritizing small cohort sizes, research opportunities, and mentorship access may benefit from smaller graduate-focused institutions.
Grand Canyon University
Grand Canyon University, a private Christian university educating over 100,000 online and campus students represents one of Arizona’s academic giants. For graduate psychology students, it provides faith-aligned training fused with comprehensive research and clinical experiential learning.
Student Outcomes: Psychology alumni from GCU report high satisfaction levels, with 91% of surveyed graduate students indicating good outcomes. Sizable percentages enter helping professions in Arizona healthcare ecosystems.
Hybrid Options: Like most major universities in 2024, GCU offers both online and in-person pathways across its 150+ graduate degrees. Hybrid formats blending remote and classroom learning are also available.
Cost Considerations: As a mid-size private university, GCU’s graduate tuition lands at approximately $530 per credit hour, regardless of online or in-person medium. Students qualify for financial assistance through scholarships, grants, student loans and tuition reimbursement programs.
For working professionals and adult learners, GCU’s flexibility can be a major incentive, alongside its faith-based approach to the psy sciences. Faculty possessed strong spiritual grounding guiding clinical technique and ethical considerations.
Still, small class access to advisors requires monitoring as rapid expansion can lead professors to be overstretched. For students desiring tightly-knit cohorts, niche graduate environments may be preferable.
University of Advancing Technology
As technology permeates society, forward-thinking psychologists recognize the need to fuse tech skills with an understanding of cognition and behavior patterns. The University of Advancing Technology, an institution singularly focused on tech training, provides specialized psychology degrees for this fast-growing subfield.
Graduate Degree Options:
- MS in Digital Communications (Psychology Focus)
- MS in Business Psychology
Digital Communications Track: Blends communications theory with psychology approaches optimized for roles in UX strategy, audience analysis, social media coordination and community management.
Business Psychology Track: Develops emotional intelligence (EQ) abilities valued in organizational development, leadership coaching, change management consulting and HR fields.
Hands-on Training Labs: From $6 million UX studios to a full television and radio studio, UAT’s cutting-edge tech facilities provide practical psychology application. Simulation spaces like the 80-workstation Usability Testing Lab also enable valuable experiment experience.
For graduate students seeking psychology specialization in predominantly digital spaces, UAT provides marketable hard skills. Its career-centered focus remains narrower than research-intensive doctoral programs however, so students interested in practicing therapists or academics will need to look elsewhere.
Additional Phoenix-based programs offering unique strengths include:
- Midwestern University‘s Clinical Psychology Masters: Prepares students for direct Arizona healthcare careers through intensive clinical placements and training.
- Southwest Autism Research Center: Provides specialized autism spectrum research and experiential training on serving individuals with developmental disabilities.
- Maricopa Community College System: As a network of 10 accessibly priced community colleges, flexibility and articulation agreements lead to strong university transferability.
With greater insight into the distinctive assets aligned to your envisioned career path, identifying your ideal psychology graduate program becomes more achievable. Reach out with any personalized questions on mapping your academic trajectory as an Education Reform Expert.
