PhD or Professional Doctorate: What Is the Difference?

Earning a doctoral-level degree is a major accomplishment. Years of advanced study and practice go into becoming a doctor in whatever field you study. So, while there are many differences between a PhD and a professional doctorate that we will dive into in a moment, it is important to recognize that doctoral degree holders have gone through a rigorous and difficult academic process. Their academic experiences have gotten them to the tops of their fields.

A PhD is a Doctor of Philosophy degree. It can be earned in many fields of study. Traditionally, the PhD was considered the degree that prepares you to teach. However, many people who earn PhDs go on to work in practical fields using their foundational knowledge and applying it to the needs of their profession. Earning a PhD can be a long and complex process. The coursework and research that goes into becoming a PhD includes writing a dissertation and defending your work. A dissertation is original research that expands and contributes to the body of work already available in the field of study. A PhD candidate analyzes their data and evaluates their hypothesis coming up with new theories to present to the field.

What Are the Differences Between a PhD and Professional Doctorate?

The traditionally held belief that a PhD leads to a teaching role and a professional doctorate leads to a professional role is no longer the standard. Many business leaders hold PhD-level degrees and that additional business knowledge and foundation helps them make difficult decisions. Additionally, professional doctorate holders can become adjunct and even full-time faculty at universities in order to train the next generation of practical professionals.

PhD vs. Doctorate: Exploring the Differences and Similarities

Q: What Is a Professional Doctorate?

A professional doctorate generally leads to a professional career. Professional doctorate holders study within their field in order to apply knowledge directly to their career. In many cases, professional doctorates lead to a specific career. Professional doctorate holders may earn degrees in business administration, education, nursing practice or public health. Once these degrees are earned, the holders may qualify for specific leadership roles that require them to hold this terminal level degree, such as Doctor of Nursing Practice or MD. Professional doctorates focus on the practical problems addressed and faced by people working in the field. The dissertation process for professional doctorates usually includes formulating solutions to the issues or challenges faced by professionals in the field. With these solutions, the professional doctorate holder develops new practice standards within the field.

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GCE Editorial Team

Published on Aug 28, 2025

The main difference between a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) vs. professional doctorate is that each is designed to provide different opportunities for learning and lead to different potential career outcomes. A PhD is typically considered an academic degree, while a professional doctorate is associated with both academic and professional fields. Another difference is that a professional doctorate is focused on practical problems faced by professionals working in the field, while a PhD can also focus on practical problems; it typically takes a more theoretical approach to learning, looking closely at research in the field.¹

These are both doctoral-level degree programs, also known as terminal degrees, that are found at many different universities. Take some time to explore the answers to questions like, Is a PhD the same as a professional doctorate in terms of curriculum? before deciding which one best suits your goals.

What Is a Professional Doctorate?

These programs focus on helping individuals examine advanced competencies within their current field in order to apply knowledge directly to their specific career.1 Individuals can earn professional doctorates in business management, education, nursing practice or public health, along with many other fields and subfields. Professional doctorate holders may qualify for specific leadership roles that require this level of degree.¹

To choose between a PhD vs. professional doctorate, it can be helpful to take a look at what these programs focus on.

The major focus of work during a professional doctorate program includes:

Evaluating how relevant the current practices are within a field
Solving existing problems in a field
Designing and conducting research and applying the results of that research to practical problems
Expanding the body of knowledge around a topic in a field

What Is a PhD?

A PhD, or a Doctor of Philosophy, is a degree program that can prepare you to teach in the field of study of your choice.2 However, people who earn a PhD could also go on to work in their chosen fields outside of academia.1 They could apply the advanced competencies examined in a PhD program to the needs of their current profession.

As with a professional doctorate, you can earn a PhD in many different fields and subfields, including psychology, engineering, counseling, humanities, health or the arts.

The major emphases in a PhD program can include:

Analyzing existing theories in a field
Evaluating the seminal and current research happening in a field
Discovering gaps in research and literature that may lead to further study
Conducting original research to add to the body of knowledge in a field
Communicating the findings of research to an academic audience and stakeholders who would be impacted by new knowledge

Differences Between a PhD and Professional Doctorate

Both a PhD and a professional doctorate are doctorate-level degrees. However, there are some meaningful differences at the core of each program.

The differences between a professional doctorate vs. PhD can be summed up as follows:

Ideal Candidates

Because the focus of these two degrees differ, each program is designed to better suit different career goals. A PhD, for example, is geared toward teaching, leading and training PhD candidates to pursue expertise in their field through a research-intensive program.

Those who enroll in a PhD program are typically college graduates who have a bachelor’s and master’s degree in a related field to the field they want to pursue. Many learners who earn PhDs go on to conduct academic research and fill roles in academia, including teaching.²

A professional doctorate, which typically requires both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree for admission, is geared more toward practical application within a field. Those who earn a professional doctorate are typically already working professionals who want to increase their knowledge in their field to position themselves to potentially pursue career advancement.³

Dissertation

While both degrees may culminate in the completion and defense of a dissertation, the approach to the dissertation process in each program is different. In a PhD program, the foundation of the dissertation is often focused on the exploration and development of a theory that each doctoral candidate must defend. A PhD candidate analyzes their data and evaluates their hypothesis, sometimes coming up with new theories to contribute to the field.

The dissertation process for professional doctorates, on the other hand, often includes identifying existing issues within their field of study and working out a solution to these challenges faced by professionals. The candidate researches the problem and applies possible solutions to this problem while documenting their results. The end of the dissertation generally includes suggestions for how others in the field may use this information to solve problems in their own practices.

Post-Degree Career Options

While the potential types of career outcomes for a professional doctorate overlap with those for a PhD, the skills taught in each program are designed to equip graduates for certain roles over others.

PhD graduates typically pursue a career that lets them apply their academic research skills, such as:⁴

Professor
Researcher
Consultant
Subject matter expert

Because professional doctorate graduates usually are already rooted in a certain profession, they may use their degree to pursue a leadership position within their field, such as: ⁵

Chief executive officer
Nurse Manager
Logistician
Economist
Chief Nursing Officer

Similarities Between a Professional Doctorate and a PhD

Although there are many differences between a PhD and a professional doctorate, there are also a number of similarities. Both programs require an intensive curriculum that explores advanced concepts and skills, and both will tend to focus on a specific subfield or area of expertise within the chosen field. In addition, both programs are terminal degrees, which means they are the highest level of academic achievement in a field.

Additionally, both types of programs typically require that students complete a dissertation, which involves original research that expands and contributes to the body of work already available in the field of study. Some schools offer hybrid learning options for either type of doctoral program.

Is a PhD the Same as a Professional Doctorate In Terms of Curriculum?

The curriculum for a PhD program is typically different than that of a professional doctorate. In a PhD program, the curriculum emphasizes concepts, theories and field-specific research. In contrast, in a professional doctorate program, the curriculum tends to explore the practical application of theoretical research to the workplace in order to solve existing problems in the field.¹

Why Should I Earn a Professional Doctorate or PhD?

There are many compelling reasons to consider pursuing any type of doctoral degree. Earning either type means that you have reached the highest level of academic achievement in your field.

Candidates who are pursuing a terminal degree generally do so with the expectation that they may position themselves for:³

Enhanced professional credibility
Higher earning potential: According to the BLS, doctoral degree holders had median weekly earnings of $2,083 in 2024, compared to $1,919 for master’s and $1,574 for bachelor’s degree holders. This shows the financial value of pursuing advanced education.⁶
Opportunities to pursue high-level positions
Ability to examine key skills in one’s field

How To Earn a PhD or Professional Doctorate?

Once you have considered your career goals, you can determine whether earning a PhD or professional doctorate is the best choice for you.

Because many doctoral candidates are already working professionals, Grand Canyon University offers both in-person evening classes and online⁷ programs that can work around your already busy schedule. With these flexible options, it may be possible for you to continue in your current career while also advancing in your education and pursuing your career goals.

Grand Canyon University’s College of Doctoral Studies offers professional doctorate programs and PhDs that encompass a variety of fields, from a Doctor of Business Administration in Data Analytics to a PhD in General Psychology. Explore our full range of doctoral degrees and fill out the form on this page to connect with a university counselor.

Discover an Ideal Doctoral Degree

Gain the qualifications to explore possible leadership roles with a PhD or professional doctorate. Apply online at GCU today!

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U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2025, April 18). How to Become a Postsecondary Teacher. Occupational Outlook Handbook. Retrieved June 23, 2025.
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Coursera Staff. (2025, March 14). What Is a PhD? Coursera. Retrieved June 23, 2025.
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U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2025, May). Education Pays, 2024. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved July 15, 2025.
Program has residencies that take place on or near GCU's campus

Approved and verified accurate by the Dean of the College of Doctoral Studies on July 29, 2025.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Grand Canyon University. Any sources cited were accurate as of the publish date.