By: Kendall Upton
Updated: October 27, 2026
Forensic psychologists contribute their knowledge of psychology and its interaction with the law to make legal and criminal justice proceedings as fair as possible.
Forensic psychologists impact the legal system in a variety of ways. Before you decide whether this is the right career for you, we need to understand what forensic psychology is—and what it is not.
In this Article
What is forensic psychology?
Forensic psychology is often broadly defined as the intersection of psychology and the law. Forensic psychologists apply their psychological expertise to address legal concerns in civil or criminal proceedings.
Indeed, a psychological expert who understands how our emotions and mental well-being affect a legal proceeding can be invaluable. Forensic psychologists collect psychological data to draw relevant conclusions that inform legal arguments and decision-making.
“There’s a lot of value in what we do,” said Dr. Breann Martin, a licensed psychologist and certified forensic evaluator. “No matter what the outcome is, we’re affecting somebody’s life.”
So what does this actually look like? Some of the job duties of a forensic psychologist often include:
- Lead psychological evaluations to determine if a defendant is fit to stand trial
- Provide counseling to suspects or victims
- Assist on child custody cases by conducting custody evaluations
- Study problems of crime prevention, rehabilitation programs in prisons or help select candidates for police work
What’s the difference between forensic psychology, criminal psychology and criminology?
All three disciplines have a lot of overlap in what they mean and what they do. After all, they are all concerned with crime and psychology to various extents. However, these three terms are distinct.
| Forensic psychology | Criminal psychology | Criminology |
|---|---|---|
| The study of how psychology can impact the legal system, and how we can use psychological knowledge to inform legal processes. | The study of the psyche and why individual people commit crimes. | The study of crime itself, why it occurs and how it can be prevented. Criminal psychology is often a part of criminology studies. |
Steps to become a forensic psychologist
Earn a bachelor’s degree.
Before you can pursue a graduate degree in psychology, you need to build an educational foundation. Bachelor’s degrees in psychology, sociology, criminal justice, criminology and similar disciplines can prepare you for graduate studies.
Earn a graduate degree in psychology.
After earning your bachelor’s degree, you can either move on to a master’s program or apply directly to doctorate programs. Moreover, you may need a doctorate eventually if you intend to become a licensed psychologist because it’s the minimum degree most states require to pursue licensure.
Earn your license to practice psychology in your state.
Check your state’s requirements to earn your psychology license, then complete any remaining steps. Most states require you to complete a certain number of supervised clinical hours and pass certain tests in addition to your doctorate degree. You may be able to accrue these hours during your degree program within a clinical internship, but it’s also common for states to require a certain number of post-doc hours as well.
Apply to forensic psychology jobs.
Provided that you have a doctoral degree and license to practice psychology in hand, you may be qualified for many forensic psychologist jobs.
Advance your credentials.
You can also bolster your credentials as a forensic psychologist by getting certified by the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP) in forensic psychology.
What degree do I need to become a forensic psychologist?
There is no exact degree that you need to be a forensic psychologist, but we can start by looking at what you need to become a licensed psychologist.
Most states require that you have a doctorate degree in psychology—such as a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in psychology or a Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)—in order to obtain licensure and practice. While a master’s degree may qualify you for some jobs in the field of forensic psychology, a doctorate is necessary if you want to work as a full-fledged psychologist.
Firstly, you’ll need a bachelor’s degree to apply for most doctorate programs. There are some degrees in forensic psychology, but it is also common to have a degree in a similar field—such as clinical psychology or criminal justice—with a concentration or specialization in forensic psychology.
Getting licensed
After completing your education, look into getting licensed to practice psychology in your state. The requirements to obtain licensure vary by state, but most require a doctorate degree and a certain number of clinical or internship hours working with a licensed psychologist to qualify.
You can also advance your credentials even further by pursuing certification through American Board of Professional Psychology in forensic psychology.
How much can I make as a forensic psychologist?
Although there is not much data available on how much forensic psychologists make specifically, psychologists in general can earn well above the median annual salary across all occupations. Currently, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics cites a median annual salary of $110,840 for psychologists. However, keep in mind that your location, experience and job type can all affect individual earnings.
