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Best PsyD Programs in Hawaii (2027)

Both ranked PsyD programs in Hawaii are in Honolulu, Hawaii. The highest score among PsyD programs in Hawaii is 46.2, earned by Hawaii School of Professional Psychology at Chaminade University of Honolulu in Honolulu, Hawaii, which stands 87th nationally.

Portrait of Trevor Rupe

By , Contributor at Savo Media Group
Updated

Koko Crater rising above the surf-lined Oahu coastline under heavy clouds, seen from Makapuu Point in Hawaii. The photograph opens the ranking of PsyD programs in Hawaii.

Both are clinical psychology programs in APA’s accreditation list. Both are at private institutions.

Hawaii asks for a 1,900-hour internship and a 1,900-hour postdoctoral year, and since July 1, 2026 a provisional associate psychologist license covers that postdoctoral year. Pay here runs above the national median: BLS reports $117,860 for clinical and counseling psychologists in Hawaii, against $100,580 nationwide (May 2025).

PsyD Programs in Hawaii at a Glance

  • Two PsyD programs in Hawaii are ranked. Each holds current APA accreditation and takes new students, and the highest-ranked of them stands 87th nationally. How the programs are scored.
  • Hawaii takes a doctorate from an APA-accredited program or from a qualifying professional psychology training program. Full licensure follows a 1,900-hour internship and a 1,900-hour postdoctoral year.
  • Clinical and counseling psychologists in Hawaii earn a median of $117,860. That is BLS pay for SOC 19-3033 in May 2025, with the 10th to 90th percentile running from $86,770 to $141,860.
  • APA lists Hawaii Pacific University as “Accredited, on contingency”. Its card shows that exact status.

Top PsyD Programs in Hawaii

Both ranked PsyD programs in Hawaii, in order. The number on each card is its place in Hawaii, and its national rank is beside the school.

Rank 1

Hawaii School of Professional Psychology at Chaminade University of Honolulu’s Psy.D. page in Clinical Psychology

Honolulu, HI · Clinical Psychology · No. 87 nationally · On campus

46.2

$44,480
first-year cohort, 2026-2027
80%
48 of 60 applicants
4.9
2025-2026 graduates

Factor scores, out of 10

  • Cost 3.0
  • Completion 1.3
  • Outcomes 4.9
  • Track record 5.3
  • Credential 10.0
  • Reputation 2.7

The Hawai‘i School of Professional Psychology at Chaminade University of Honolulu runs an on-ground, five-year generalist Psy.D. in Honolulu, Hawaii, where work with diverse and marginalized populations is a major focus of teaching, scholarship and clinical practice.

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HSPP's Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology (PsyD) trains students in a practitioner-scholar model and is designed as an intensive five-year program of 105 doctoral-level credit hours. First- and second-year classes lay the foundation of clinical psychology and cover the psychological assessment sequence, second- and third-year classes cover therapy and research training, and fourth-year classes complete the coursework with more specialized and supplementary courses; students also pass three Clinical Competency Evaluations and the Comprehensive Exam and take 12 hours of electives at any point. The internship comes in the fifth year, across three consecutive fall, spring and summer terms, and students train at practicum sites chosen from dozens of options and at internship sites across the country. The program cannot be completed in less than five full-time academic years, including internship, and every requirement must be finished within seven years.

Applicants need a bachelor's degree of at least 120 credits with an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or a graduate GPA of 3.25, five three-credit foundation courses in psychology completed before starting, including abnormal psychology and statistics or research methods, three recommendation letters and an interview with faculty, in person or web-based. Students with graduate coursework from elsewhere may petition to transfer at most 3 courses (9 credit hours), or 5 courses from an APA-accredited PsyD program, and online assessment and therapy courses cannot be transferred. The curriculum is taught on-ground, not online, in Honolulu, Hawaii, with a fall start, and students have free access to the school's psychological assessment library of over 150 testing instruments. The program offers competitive Cultural Commitment, Leadership and Rural Health scholarships to incoming first-year students. Licensure itself is granted by each state's psychology board.

  • The program requires 105 doctoral-level credit hours.
  • Students pass three Clinical Competency Evaluations and the Comprehensive Exam.
  • The internship is taken in the fifth year, across fall, spring and summer terms.
  • The curriculum is taught on-ground, not online.
  • Students have free access to an assessment library of over 150 testing instruments.
APA area
Clinical Psychology
Program unit
Hawaii School of Professional Psychology (HSPP)
APA number
2422
Accredited since
April 11, 2021
Next site visit
2030
Entry
bachelor's degree
Length
an intensive five-year training program, including internship; all requirements within seven years
Credits
105 credit hours
Tuition, full-time
$44,480 (first-year cohort, 2026-2027)
University fees
$300
Internship match
48 of 60 applicants matched to an APA- or CPA-accredited internship (APPIC)

Scored under methodology v2.0

Sources: APA record of Hawaii School of Professional Psychology at Chaminade University of Honolulu (Clinical Psychology), APPIC and APA disclosure of Hawaii School of Professional Psychology at Chaminade University of Honolulu (Clinical Psychology), read October 14, 2026.

Rank 2

Hawaii Pacific University’s doctorate page for the Clinical Psychology Psy.D. program

Honolulu, HI · Clinical Psychology · No. 115 nationally · On campus

  • Accredited, on contingency

28.0

42%
5 of 12 applicants

Factor scores, out of 10

  • Completion 0.3
  • Outcomes 1.2
  • Track record 2.3
  • Credential 5.0
  • Reputation 1.2

Hawaii Pacific University's Psy.D. in Honolulu, Hawaii, follows a scientist-practitioner-advocate model and trains students to work with Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, Asian American, military, veteran and other culturally diverse populations, with evening classes on campus.

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Hawaii Pacific University's Doctorate in Clinical Psychology is a cohort-based Psy.D. built on a scientist-practitioner-advocate model that combines clinical practice, applied research and social responsibility. Training covers evidence-based therapies, including cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy and trauma-informed care, along with psychological assessment, behavioral medicine and telehealth delivery, and students complete supervised practica in hospitals, community mental health agencies, integrated healthcare systems, schools, private practices and forensic or correctional settings, drawing on 20-plus clinical training sites. The sample full-time plan covers 118 credits over four years of fall, spring and summer semesters, and the fifth year is reserved for internship and dissertation completion; the program lists 128 credits in all.

Applicants need a bachelor's degree or higher, in psychology or with 15 credit hours of psychology, a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA (3.25 preferred in psychology courses), statistics and research methods coursework, a PSYCAS application, three letters of recommendation, a personal statement written for the program and two interviews, in person or remote; applications are due February 28 for fall entry in August. Students with prior graduate coursework in psychology may transfer up to 36 credits, subject to program review, and students typically finish in five to six years of full-time study. Classes meet on campus in the evening, and tuition is charged per credit hour.

  • The program lists 128 credits.
  • Students enter in the fall, starting in August.
  • Classes meet on campus in the evening.
  • Students may transfer up to 36 credits of prior graduate psychology coursework, subject to program review.
  • Applications are due February 28.
APA area
Clinical Psychology
Program unit
Psychology
APA number
2517
Accredited since
April 26, 2024
Entry
bachelor's degree
Length
typically five to six years of full-time study
Credits
128 credits
Internship match
5 of 12 applicants matched to an APA- or CPA-accredited internship (APPIC)

Scored under methodology v2.0

Sources: APA record of Hawaii Pacific University (Clinical Psychology), APPIC and APA disclosure of Hawaii Pacific University (Clinical Psychology), read October 14, 2026.

The Numbers Behind the Hawaii Ranking

The figures below come from the two PsyD programs in Hawaii that this ranking includes, each read from the source named beside it.

  • 2

    APA-accredited PsyD programs ranked in Hawaii

    APA directory

  • 87th

    Highest national rank among PsyD programs in Hawaii

    This ranking

APPIC’s 2021 to 2025 match data put the accredited internship match rate at 80% for Hawaii School of Professional Psychology at Chaminade University of Honolulu and 42% for Hawaii Pacific University.

Yearly tuition is $44,480 at Hawaii School of Professional Psychology at Chaminade University of Honolulu. Each figure is the full-time yearly tuition in the program’s own cost table.

Psychologist Licensure in Hawaii

A PsyD is a degree, and the license comes from the state. These are the rules a graduate of PsyD programs in Hawaii meets for a license there, each linked to the page it was read on.

Licensing questionHawaii’s answer
Doctoral degree and accreditation
A doctorate from an APA-accredited program in clinical, counseling or school psychology, or from a professional psychology training program at an accredited institutionThe statute’s second route is a planned doctoral program blending science and practice, with practica and an internship, that is designated by ASPPB and the National Register, accredited by CPA, or offered at a regionally accredited institution. Source: Hawaii Revised Statutes 465-7, read October 21, 2026
Supervised experience
A 1,900-hour predoctoral internship, then 1,900 hours of postdoctoral experience in health service psychologyThe internship can be APA-accredited or a year of supervised health service work in an organized internship or residency program. Source: Hawaii Board of Psychology, psychologist application, read October 21, 2026
Associate psychologist license
A one-year provisional license for the postdoctoral year, under a section of the statute in force since July 1, 2026The license names the supervising psychologist, and the associate practices only under that psychologist’s direct supervision. Source: Hawaii Revised Statutes 465-7.2, read October 21, 2026
Licensing examination
The EPPPA provisional associate psychologist may sit for it while the provisional license is active and in good standing. Source: Hawaii Board of Psychology, associate psychologist FAQ, read October 21, 2026

Licensing board: Hawaii Board of Psychology.

Psychologist Pay in Hawaii

BLS counts 250 clinical and counseling psychologists in Hawaii, with a median annual wage of $117,860. School psychologists number 90 at a median of $82,110.

Clinical and Counseling Psychologists in Hawaii

$117,860

Median annual pay for clinical and counseling psychologists in Hawaii

  • BLS OEWS, May 2025
10th percentile
$86,770
25th percentile
$99,180
75th percentile
$138,510
90th percentile
$141,860

Occupation: Clinical and Counseling Psychologists, SOC 19-3033.BLS counts 250 employed in Hawaii.

Clinical and Counseling Psychologists Pay by Area in Hawaii

Median annual pay for clinical and counseling psychologists in Hawaii and its metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, BLS May 2025
AreaMedian annual pay
Hawaii statewide 250 employed $117,860
Urban Honolulu, HI 190 employed $119,420
Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area 30 employed $105,130

School Psychologists in Hawaii

$82,110

Median annual pay for school psychologists in Hawaii

  • BLS OEWS, May 2025
10th percentile
$77,190
25th percentile
$80,320
75th percentile
$82,940
90th percentile
$92,750

Occupation: School Psychologists, SOC 19-3034.BLS counts 90 employed in Hawaii.

Percentiles are points in each occupation’s pay distribution, not experience levels. BLS lists an area in every state its counties reach, so a metropolitan area that crosses a state line appears under each state.

Questions About a PsyD in Hawaii

Which Is the Best PsyD Program in Hawaii?

In the 2027 ranking, Hawaii School of Professional Psychology at Chaminade University of Honolulu in Honolulu, Hawaii is first among the PsyD programs in Hawaii, with a score of 46.2 out of 100 and 87th place nationally. Its program page is Hawaii School of Professional Psychology at Chaminade University of Honolulu’s Psy.D. page in Clinical Psychology. The score weighs cost, graduate earnings, completion, internship and licensure outcomes, track record, credential alignment and program reputation, and the methodology page shows each weight.

Does Hawaii Require an APA-Accredited PsyD?

No. Hawaii Revised Statutes 465-7 gives two routes: an APA-accredited program in clinical, counseling or school psychology, or a professional psychology training program. The statute’s definition of that program calls for a planned doctoral program that integrates science and practice, including practica and internship. Applicants outside an APA-accredited clinical program also send the board a training report on their graduate coursework.

What Is the Associate Psychologist License in Hawaii?

A provisional license for doctoral graduates doing postdoctoral supervised experience in a board-approved health service training program, created by a section of the statute in force since July 1, 2026. Under Hawaii Revised Statutes 465-7.2, it lasts one year, and the associate works only under the direct supervision of the psychologist named on the license. The postdoctoral year it covers is 1,900 hours on the board’s application.

Which Exam Does a Hawaii Psychologist Take?

The EPPP, which the board’s associate psychologist FAQ calls a requirement for full licensure. The statute lets an associate psychologist take the exam as soon as the provisional license is issued.

What Do Psychologists Earn in Hawaii?

BLS reports a median annual wage of $117,860 for clinical and counseling psychologists (SOC 19-3033) in Hawaii for May 2025. The 10th percentile is $86,770 and the 90th is $141,860. School psychologists (SOC 19-3034) have a median of $82,110. Percentiles mark points in the pay distribution of everyone in the occupation, not years of experience.

Sources for Hawaii PsyD Programs