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 $106,600. That’s right on par with the mean wage for this job in Arkansas: $106,330.
Average annual clinical psychologist salary, Southern states
| Maryland | $116,560 |
| Tennessee | $109,670 |
| Virginia | $108,130 |
| Arkansas | $106,330 |
| Kentucky | $105,140 |
| Alabama | $92,470 |
| North Carolina | $91,390 |
| Florida | $89,450 |
| Oklahoma | $89,380 |
| Georgia | $85,800 |
| Texas | $82,420 |
| West Virginia | $75,810 |
| South Carolina | $64,990 |
Clinical psychologist salaries in Arkansas are in line with the national average, plus these professionals earn considerably higher salaries than the average resident of the state. The average wage for all jobs in the state is $51,250, which means clinical psychologists make more than twice the state average.
Average annual Arkansas wage, select occupations
| All Occupations | $51,250 |
| Advertising Sales Agents | $44,990 |
| Clinical and Counseling Psychologists | $106,330 |
| Credit Counselors | $41,260 |
| Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary | $85,640 |
| Firefighters | $42,150 |
| Graphic Designers | $49,180 |
| Human Resources Specialists | $62,540 |
| Landscape Architects | $65,240 |
| Real Estate Sales Agents | $52,700 |
| Special Education Teachers, Middle School | $54,810 |
Rapid growth in job openings is expected, so increased demand could be helpful in pushing salaries higher. Through 2032, clinical psychologist job openings are expected to increase by more than 13% in Arkansas.
States by projected long- and short-term growth rate for clinical psychologist job openings
| State | Long-Term (2022-2032) | Short-Term (year over year) |
| Utah | 50.0% | 14.1% |
| Florida | 26.1% | 11.8% |
| Oregon | 23.4% | 4.9% |
| Colorado | 20.1% | 4.2% |
| South Dakota | 14.3% | – |
| Arkansas | 13.2% | 5.4% |
| Maryland | 12.6% | 4.4% |
| Nevada | 10.7% | 3.4% |
| Georgia | 10.5% | 4.6% |
| New York | – | 2.8% |
Note: Short-term year over year; long-term 2022-2032
Which Arkansas Cities Are Best for Clinical Psychologists?
Salaries for clinical psychologists in Arkansas vary considerably depending on the area of the state in question. They are highest in metro Memphis and lowest in South Arkansas.
Arkansas regions by average annual clinical psychologist wage
| Metro Memphis | $143,740 |
| East Arkansas | $85,940 |
| North Arkansas | $83,810 |
| South Arkansas | $72,560 |
As with salaries, the availability of jobs is variable across the state, with most openings in East Arkansas and the fewest in metro Fayetteville.
Arkansas cities by clinical psychologist employment per 1,000 jobs
| East Arkansas | 1.66 |
| North Arkansas | 0.94 |
| Metro Little Rock | 0.82 |
| South Arkansas | 0.40 |
| Metro Memphis | 0.32 |
| Metro Fayetteville | 0.24 |
May 2023 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics salary and labor market information for Psychologists is based on national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed January 2025.
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/