Arkansas Clinical Psychologist Salary Outlook
More than 1 in 5 adults in Arkansas have a mental illness. This includes common issues like depression and anxiety, which most people experience from time to time, but also extends to conditions more likely to cause serious impacts on a person’s life, such as OCD or bipolar disorder. Compared to the U.S. as a whole, adults in Arkansas have mental illness at a 20.3% rate, which is only slightly higher than the U.S. rate of 19%.
But there’s some good news. That’s because while the state has a higher-than-average rate of mental illness, it’s also got a higher rate of people seeking help for their emotional and behavioral health problems. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 17.1% of Arkansas adults sought mental health services in the most recent year for which data is available, compared to just 14.9% of all U.S. adults.
So while the need for mental health services in Arkansas is high, so, it seems, is the acceptance of actually receiving these services. Aside from this, what do prospective clinical psychologists, or professionals who are trained and licensed to provide mental health services, need to know about their career and salary outlook in Arkansas?
What’s On This Page
- How Much Do Clinical Psychologists Make in Arkansas?
- Who’s Hiring for Clinical Psychologists in Arkansas?
- Which Arkansas Cities Are Best for Clinical Psychologists?
How Much Do Clinical Psychologists Make in Arkansas?
The average U.S. clinical psychologist earns about $81,000, which is notably higher than the typical wage for this job in Arkansas. On average, clinical psychologists in Arkansas earn about $73,000, which is in the bottom quarter nationally.
Average annual clinical psychologist wage, bottom 15
| West Virginia | $54,780 |
| Idaho | $60,880 |
| Montana | $64,160 |
| Arizona | $65,400 |
| Oklahoma | $66,400 |
| Kentucky | $66,940 |
| South Carolina | $68,040 |
| Alabama | $69,190 |
| Kansas | $69,530 |
| Vermont | $70,120 |
| Nebraska | $71,130 |
| Mississippi | $72,470 |
| Arkansas | $73,050 |
| New Mexico | $73,550 |
| Texas | $73,920 |
Clinical psychologist wages in Arkansas may lag behind the national average, but these professionals still make considerably higher wages than the average resident of the state. The average wage for all jobs in the state is just under $43,000, which means clinical psychologists make more than 70% higher wages than the average worker in the state.
Average annual Arkansas wage, select occupations
| All Occupations | $42,690 |
| Advertising Sales Agents | $46,300 |
| Bakers | $24,950 |
| Carpenters | $37,580 |
| Clinical, Counseling and School Psychologists | $73,050 |
| Credit Counselors | $51,810 |
| Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary | $80,090 |
| Firefighters | $36,730 |
| Graphic Designers | $44,750 |
| Human Resources Specialists | $57,740 |
| Landscape Architects | $61,870 |
| Machinists | $42,880 |
| Nursing Assistants | $25,950 |
| Paralegals and Legal Assistants | $40,820 |
| Real Estate Sales Agents | $50,570 |
| Retail Salespersons | $26,480 |
| Security Guards | $29,590 |
| Special Education Teachers, Middle School | $50,760 |
| Tax Preparers | $31,410 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $20,960 |
Wages may be relatively low in Arkansas today, but rapid growth in job openings is expected, so increased demand could be helpful for those who want to command higher salaries. Through 2028, clinical psychologist job openings are expected to rise by more than 19% in Arkansas, putting the state in ninth place in the country. Short-term growth through 2021 also looks to be higher-than-average in Arkansas than in the country as a whole.
States by projected long- and short-term growth rate for clinical psychologist job openings
| State | Long-Term (2018-28) | Short-Term (2019-21) |
| Utah | 34.0% | 7.7% |
| Georgia | 32.4% | 6.0% |
| Colorado | 26.7% | 4.7% |
| New York | 25.6% | 3.4% |
| Maryland | 23.4% | 2.7% |
| Nevada | 22.2% | 3.3% |
| Oregon | 21.9% | 4.1% |
| South Dakota | 20.0% | 4.7% |
| Arkansas | 19.3% | 4.7% |
| Florida | 19.0% | 4.7% |
Note: Short-term 2019-2021; long-term 2018-2028
Which Arkansas Cities Are Best for Clinical Psychologists?
Wages for clinical psychologists in Arkansas vary considerably depending on the area of the state in question. They are highest in Jonesboro and lowest in Fort Smith.
Arkansas cities by average annual clinical psychologist wage
| Jonesboro | $65,970 |
| Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway | $62,950 |
| Fort Smith | $60,430 |
As with wages, the availability of jobs is variable across the state, peaking in the Little Rock metro area and being at the lowest in Fort Smith.
Arkansas cities and non-metro areas by average clinical psychologist employment per 1,000 jobs
| Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway | 1.127 |
| East Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | 0.81 |
| Jonesboro | 0.635 |
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers | 0.335 |
| Fort Smith | 0.32 |
Who’s Hiring for Clinical Psychologists in Arkansas?
When it comes to employers for clinical psychologists, there’s a world of possibility beyond setting up shop with your own private practice. In fact, companies, organizations and even government agencies all are in the market for clinical psychologists in Arkansas.
SEE ALSO: Steps to Become a Clinical Psychologist
Here’s a look at some of the Arkansas organizations that were seeking to hire clinical psychologists in the summer of 2020:
- Burrell Behavioral Health
- ARcare
- TeamHealth
- US Air Force
- Supportive Care
- The IMA Group
- Pinnacle Pointe Hospital
- Living Hope Southeast
- Siloam Springs Community Clinic
- Ouachita Behavioral Health & Wellness
- Ozarks Community Hospital
- University of Arkansas Medical Sciences Medical Center
- ReachLink
- Deer Oaks Behavioral Health
- Recovery Health Systems
- Conway Behavioral Health
- Forefront Telecare
- Mercy Northwest Arkansas
- Families Inc Counseling Services
- Beacon One Health Options
Conclusion
While wages are a bit lower in Arkansas than in other places across the country, rates of mental illness and mental health services utilization are higher, which makes the state an attractive one for current or potential clinical psychologists.
SEE ALSO: Arkansas Psychology Doctorate Programs
Additional References
- Information on clinical psychologist job openings in Arkansas was gathered from listings posted in summer 2020 on Indeed.com and Glassdoor.com
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2017-2018 NSDUH State Prevalence Estimates. (2019). Retrieved from https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2017-2018-nsduh-state-prevalence-estimates
- U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics Query System. (2020). Accessed from https://data.bls.gov/oes/#/home
- Projections Managing Partnership, Projections Central, Short Term Occupational Projections. (Undated). Accessed from https://projectionscentral.com/Projections/ShortTerm
- Projections Managing Partnership, Projections Central, Long Term Occupational Projections. (Undated). Accessed from https://projectionscentral.com/Projections/LongTerm
- Average Clinical Psychologist Salary by State. (2020). Retrieved from https://psydprograms.org/average-clinical-psychologist-salary-by-state/