The average salary for a psychologist in the United States is around $56,307 per year.
Avg Salary
Psychologists earn an average yearly salary of $56,307.
Wages typically start from $41,188 and go up to $132,226.
29% above national average Updated in 2018
Psychologist earnings by seniority
Top-level psychologist earnings begin at:
$63.57 per hour
$132,226 per year
Senior-level psychologist earnings begin at:
$39.01 per hour
$81,139 per year
Mid-level psychologist earnings begin at:
$27.07 per hour
$56,307 per year
Junior-level psychologist earnings begin at:
$21.79 per hour
$45,322 per year
Starting level psychologist earnings begin at:
$19.80 per hour
$41,188 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Psychologist salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| California | $46,840 |
| New York | $33,280 |
How much does a Psychologist earn?
Indeed.com reports the national psychologists salary average to be $67,000 as of April 17, 2015. The HR Report data from Salary.com, however, states that as of April 2015, the median salary for psychologists in the U.S. is $88,120. Salary.com varies from Indeed.com and the BLS by almost $19,000 which is most likely due to the fact that Salary.com uses real-time survey feedback. All reported salary averages are dependent on the sample size and the demographic and geographic spread of the respondents.
As with other careers, the best psychology salaries generally go to those with the most experience. Payscale.com has reported the average national salaries for psychologists with various years of experience:
Less than 1 year: $69,315
1-4 years: $80,911
5-9 years: $86,634
10-19 years: $106,374
20 years or more: $120,877
Psychologists Compensation by Geographical Region
Where psychologists choose to work will play a big part in determining how much they’ll earn. For instance, in New York City, salaries for qualified psychologists are typically much higher than in rural locations, such as Lincoln, Nebraska. However, when considering location, individuals must also take into account the cost of living. The cost of living in New York City is much higher than it is Lincoln, Nebraska.
How do psychologist salaries compare to similar careers?
Psychologists earn about the same as related careers in the United States. On average, they make less than biomedical engineers but more than audiologists.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Biomedical engineer salary | $89K |
| Informatics nurse specialist salary | $89K |
| Physical therapist salary | $88K |
| Occupational therapist salary | $84K |
| Radiation therapist salary | $82K |
| Psychologist salary | $56K |
| Clinical psychologist salary | $77K |
| Counseling psychologist salary | $77K |
| School psychologist salary | $77K |
| Audiologist salary | $76K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)