Psychologist Salaries: Clinical, Research, and School Psychologists

Psychologists hold doctoral degrees (Ph.D., Psy.D., or Ed.D.) and work in clinical practice, research, schools, and organizational settings. BLS OEWS data covers these distinct employment contexts — and the wage variation by setting is significant.

Clinical Psychologists

Clinical and counseling psychologists in private practice or hospital settings earn the most in the profession. With growing demand for mental health services, clinical psychologist wages have risen steadily. Browse the Healthcare Practitioners group for current wages.

School Psychologists

School psychologists work in K-12 settings under school district employment — which means wages follow the public school salary structure. They typically earn less than clinical peers but benefit from teacher-like schedules and strong benefits. Their occupation is categorized separately in BLS data under Educational Instruction.

Industrial-Organizational Psychologists

I-O psychologists apply psychological research to workplace behavior — selection, training, leadership development. They're among the highest-paid psychologists, employed by large corporations and consulting firms. The BLS typically tracks this under management occupations or social science categories.

Top States

California, Oregon, and New Jersey typically rank highest for clinical psychologist wages. Browse all states to compare your market.