Average Clinical Psychologist Salary by State
About 1 in 5 American adults is dealing with a mental illness, and young people experience mental illness in roughly the same numbers. For all Americans, suicide is the 10th-leading cause of death, and it’s the second-leading cause of death for people between the ages of 10 and 34.
America is facing a veritable mental health crisis, but less than half of the people who have a mental illness seek treatment, with only about 4 in 10 getting any mental healthcare. For men, the percentages are even lower, with only about 35% of men experiencing a mental illness seeking treatment for it.
Still, the awareness of mental illness is growing, and the stigma around seeking help does seem to be creeping lower and lower, which is a good sign not only for the average American but for the entire mental healthcare landscape.
EXPERT VOICE: How much do clinical psychologists earn each year? Depends upon location, work site, specialization, salary vs contract or private practice or continuation, years of experience, population treated, etc. Starting salaries may be around $60-$75k, up to $100k at a VA. mid-career typically $85-$100k. If you manage others in a private practice, do forensic or neuropsych work, or consult you can earn more. –Denis Zavodny, PhD Psychologist/Board Certified Behavior Analyst
A crucial individual in that landscape is the licensed clinical psychologist, a highly trained professional who works with patients, clients and families to diagnose and treat mental health disorders as well as improve emotional and psychological behaviors.
The job outlook for these individuals is quite positive, with most states offering high wages and healthy growth rates. Let’s take a look at where each state stands when it comes to clinical psychologist salaries.
What’s On This Page
- Highest Clinical Psychologist Salaries
- Mid-Range Clinical Psychologist Salaries
- Lowest Clinical Psychologist Salaries
- 40+ Individual States in Detail
Highest Clinical Psychologist Salaries
In 11 states, the median annual wage for clinical psychologists is upwards of $80,000, and in one state, the average salary is in the six figures. Four of the 11 are in the West, while five others are on the East Coast.
High-range states (#1-#11)
| California | $100,850 |
| Oregon | $89,150 |
| Connecticut | $88,890 |
| New York | $88,710 |
| Rhode Island | $86,370 |
| New Jersey | $85,160 |
| District of Columbia | $84,780 |
| Alaska | $84,740 |
| Minnesota | $84,630 |
| Colorado | $84,410 |
| North Dakota | $83,730 |
#1, California
California is the only state with an average clinical psychologist salary that’s higher than $100,000 with the state’s average wage for the job coming in at $100,850. This is considerably higher than the second-place state and is likely due at least in part to the fact that of the 10 cities or geographic regions with the highest wages for this job, all 10 are in California.
#2, Oregon
Coming in second place, Oregon’s average annual wage for clinical psychologists is $89,150, which puts the state well behind California. Still, clinical psychologists in Oregon can expect to make almost double the wage for all jobs in the state, as Oregon’s median overall wage is just $39,582.
#3, Connecticut
Connecticut’s median salary of $88,890 puts the state in third place overall, though clinical psychologist wages still are considerably higher than the state’s overall median wage of $46,924. Also, outside of cities in California, Connecticut is home to the metro area with the fifth-highest wage, Hartford, with a median salary of $94,000.
#4, New York
New York comes in fourth place with a median clinical psychologist wage of $88,710, which is right at double the overall median wage for the state of $44,990. The greater New York City metro area boasts a median wage of $92,380 for clinical psychologists, which helps propel the state to the higher end of the list.
#5, Rhode Island
Fifth-place Rhode Island’s median overall wage of $42,036 is less than half the state’s average salary for clinical psychologists, which is $86,370. Additionally, Rhode Island has the highest concentration of clinical psychologist jobs with 1.824 clinical psychologists per 1,000 jobs. Vermont is second at 1.477.
#6, New Jersey
Also getting a boost from the relatively high wages in the New York City metro area, New Jersey’s average clinical psychologist salary of $85,160 puts the state in sixth place overall. Also, Trenton is among the top 25 cities in the concentration of clinical psychologist jobs.
#7, District of Columbia
Thanks to its high population concentration, the seventh-place District of Columbia’s average clinical psychologist wage of $84,780 is only about 15% higher than the overall wage for all jobs in the district, $71,676.
#8, Alaska
Alaska comes in eighth on the list with a median annual wage of $84,740 for clinical psychologists. In addition to being safely in the top 10, Alaska’s clinical psychologist wage is nearly double the overall median wage of $48,027. Alaska has the highest rate of short-term growth expected in clinical psychologist job openings, with a projected 7.7% surge expected through 2020.
#9, Minnesota
The highest-placing Midwestern state on the list, Minnesota’s median annual wage of $84,630 puts the state in ninth place overall. Clinical psychologists on average make about double what all workers earn, and Minnesota’s position on the list is partially buoyed by the Twin Cities — the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area has the 11th-highest clinical psychologist wage ($88,920) among all metro areas outside of California.
#10, Colorado
Rounding out the top 10 is Colorado, where a typical clinical psychologist earns $84,410 per year, just under double the overall wage for all workers of $42,307. Additionally, Colorado is home to the non-California city with the eighth-highest median wage, Grand Junction, with an average salary of $91,020. Colorado tops the nation in the projected long-term growth rate of clinical psychologist job openings, with an increase of 33.5% expected through 2026.
#11, North Dakota
North Dakota comes in at No. 11, the only other state with a median annual wage of more than $80,000 — $83,730, to be exact. Clinical psychologists in the state earn well over double the wage of all workers, as North Dakota’s overall median wage is just $41,329.
Mid-Range Clinical Psychologist Salaries
A total of 25 states have wages that are in the middle of the road, between $79,999 and $64,999. The mid-tier salary states are quite diverse geographically, ranging from Maine to Washington, though the Midwest is the region most well-represented in the bracket, claiming eight of the 25.
Mid-range states (#12-#36)
| Massachusetts | $79,810 |
| Maryland | $78,980 |
| Iowa | $78,810 |
| Hawaii | $78,440 |
| Nevada | $77,200 |
| Wisconsin | $77,090 |
| Michigan | $75,340 |
| Pennsylvania | $74,930 |
| Delaware | $74,390 |
| Wyoming | $74,350 |
| Virginia | $73,930 |
| New Hampshire | $73,840 |
| Ohio | $72,930 |
| Maine | $72,200 |
| Washington | $71,670 |
| Illinois | $71,340 |
| Georgia | $71,200 |
| Utah | $70,740 |
| Florida | $69,650 |
| South Dakota | $68,780 |
| Nebraska | $67,060 |
| New Mexico | $66,810 |
| Idaho | $66,140 |
| Texas | $66,070 |
| Missouri | $65,890 |
#12, Massachusetts
Massachusetts has the 12th-highest median annual wage for clinical psychologists, with a rate of $79,810. Though this is higher than the overall wage for all jobs of $48,672, Massachusetts has the seventh-smallest gap between the two. A pair of Massachusetts communities are hotbeds of clinical psychologist jobs, with both Barnstable and New Bedford having employment concentration levels in the top 10 among all cities. Additionally, Massachusetts has one of the highest rates of prevalence of mental illness, with about 21% of adults having any mental illness, and the state has the third-highest rate of treatment prevalence in the country.
#13, Maryland
Lucky No. 13 is Maryland, where the average clinical psychologist makes $78,980 per year. The overall median wage for Maryland is $44,699, so the gulf between clinical psychologists and other workers isn’t huge, but salaries are higher in a few Maryland cities and metro areas, led by the Salisbury metro area, which ranks (what else?) No. 13 among all cities with a median wage of $87,480.
#14, Iowa
Iowa comes in at No. 14 overall, with a median wage of $78,810, well over double the overall median salary of just $37,107. Iowa is also home to multiple cities and metro areas with even higher salaries — Davenport’s average salary is $97,820, third-highest in the U.S., and Des Moines boasts a median salary of $93,360, which is sixth-highest, higher even than New York City.
#15, Hawaii
Hawaii ranks in 15th place with an average annual wage of $78,440. While well outside the top 10, the rate is still considerably higher than the overall median wage in the state of $42,473.
#16, Nevada
Nevada’s average salary for clinical psychologists is $77,200, which puts the state in 16th place. This salary figure is well above the rate for all jobs in the state, with Nevada’s annual median wage for all occupations coming in at just $35,547. Reno’s median annual wage of $90,900 is No. 9 among all metro areas, and Nevada is expected to see an increase of about 22% in job openings through 2026.
#17, Wisconsin
A clinical psychologist in Wisconsin can expect to earn an annual salary of $77,090, which puts the state at No. 17 overall. This rate is more than double the overall state wage of $37,960, and the state enjoys some boost from the higher clinical psychology wages in the nearby Twin Cities.
#18, Michigan
Michigan’s median annual wage for clinical psychologists, $75,340, puts the state at No. 18 overall, and the rate is just over double the typical wage for all jobs of $37,606. Jackson, Michigan has a median wage among the top 15 of all cities at $87,530, helping elevate the state’s position.
#19, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania is No. 19 thanks to an average salary of $74,930, which is nearly double the average wage for all jobs of $38,459. Pennsylvania’s clinical psychologists enjoy some wage spillover effect from New York City, and a couple of other Pennsylvania cities have wages higher than the overall state average: Lancaster ($79,960) and Harrisburg ($78,900).
#20, Delaware
Delaware’s annual median wage of $74,390 puts the state at No. 20 overall, and the clinical psychologist salary figure is much higher than the state’s overall median wage of $39,894.
#21, Wyoming
Coming in at No. 21, Wyoming’s average salary of $74,350 for clinical psychologists compares favorably to the state’s overall median wage for all jobs of $40,227. Cheyenne’s annual median wage of $85,110 is the 23rd highest among all cities, helping elevate the state. Additionally, clinical psychologist job openings are expected to increase by 4% through 2020, the ninth-highest increase in the U.S.
#22, Virginia
The median annual wage in Virginia of $73,930 puts the state at No. 22 and is about 45% higher than the overall rate for all jobs of $40,830. Additionally, Virginia is projected to have the eighth-highest rate of long-term growth in clinical psychologist job openings, with an 18.2% increase expected through 2026.
#23, New Hampshire
New Hampshire’s average annual salary figure of $73,840 is the nation’s 23rd highest, and clinical psychologists in the state can expect to make nearly double the overall median wage, which is $39,873.
#24, Ohio
Ohio clinical psychologists, who make an average of $73,930, earn about double the average worker, who earns just $37,356 per year. Ohio’s average salary puts the state at No. 24 nationally, and Toledo wages are even higher ($84,890).
#25, Maine
Maine’s median annual wage of $72,200 puts the state at No. 25 nationally. Clinical psychologists in the state earn nearly double what the average Mainer earns, with the state’s overall median wage coming in at just $37,128.
#26, Washington
Washington’s average annual clinical psychologist salary of $71,670 is the national median, putting Washington at No. 26 among all the states and D.C. Washington also is one of the states with the narrowest gulf between clinical psychologists and all workers, with the state’s overall median wage reaching $46,113.
#27, Illinois
Illinois is the highest-wage state among the bottom half of all states at No. 27, with a median wage of $71,340 for clinical psychologists. Still, the wage is considerably higher than the overall salary for all workers in Illinois, which is $39,956.
#28, Georgia
Clinical psychologists in Georgia earn a median annual wage of $71,200, which puts the state at No. 28. But that wage is about double the overall annual salary for all workers in the state of $35,942. Additionally, the outlook in Georgia is one of the best in the nation, with the state placing in the top 10 for both long- and short-term growth in job openings, 17.4% and 3.9%, respectively.
#29, Utah
In Utah, the median wage for clinical psychologists is $70,740, which puts the state at No. 29 nationally. That’s still relatively high for Utah, though, as the overall median wage in the state is $36,795. Utah also has a healthy outlook, with both long- and short-term growth rates among the 10 highest in the country, 30.8% and 4.1%, respectively.
#30, Florida
Among all states with median salaries under $70,000, Florida’s rate is the highest, $69,650, putting the state at No. 30 overall. Also, the wage is well over double the overall wage in the state of $34,569. Florida has the nation’s seventh-highest long-term growth rate in job openings, with an increase of 19.9% projected through 2026.
#31, South Dakota
South Dakota is at No. 31 with a median salary rate of $68,780, which is well over double the average salary for all jobs in South Dakota, which is just $33,446. In fact, the gulf between clinical psychologist pay and wages for all jobs is fifth-highest in South Dakota.
#32, Nebraska
The median annual wage of $67,060 in Nebraska puts the Cornhusker State at No. 32 nationally, and clinical psychologists in the state make considerably more than their average fellow worker, with the median wage for all jobs in the state falling to $37,128.
#33, New Mexico
A typical clinical psychologist in New Mexico should expect to earn around $66,810, which is nearly double the overall median wage in the state of $34,112. Additionally, New Mexico has one of the highest concentrations of clinical psychologists, with such roles accounting for 1.152 per 1,000 jobs, the fifth-highest rate in the country.
#34, Idaho
Idaho is No. 34 in the nation with an average salary of $66,140 for clinical psychologists. This rate is almost twice that of the average worker in the state, who earns $34,257 per year.
#35, Texas
The median annual wage in Texas of $66,070 puts the state in 35th position nationally. Still, this wage is much higher than the overall annual rate of $37,107 for all workers. Also, Texas is expected to see an increase of 20% in clinical psychologist job openings through 2026.
#36, Missouri
With the lowest salary among our mid-tier states, Missouri’s annual median wage for clinical psychologists is $65,890, No. 36 nationally. This is still nearly double the overall wage for all workers in the state, which is $36,046.
Lowest Clinical Psychologist Salaries
Fifteen states have median annual clinical psychologist wages that are sub-$65,000; 10 of the 15 are Southern states, though every other region has at least one state in the lowest tier.
Low-range states (#37-#51)
| Tennessee | $64,330 |
| Indiana | $63,540 |
| Louisiana | $63,540 |
| North Carolina | $62,470 |
| Arkansas | $62,200 |
| Arizona | $61,500 |
| South Carolina | $61,030 |
| Vermont | $60,590 |
| Montana | $60,540 |
| Alabama | $60,370 |
| Kentucky | $59,300 |
| Kansas | $58,900 |
| Mississippi | $57,780 |
| West Virginia | $50,890 |
| Oklahoma | $49,830 |
#37, Tennessee
Among the bottom-tier states, Tennessee’s annual salary figure is the highest at $64,330, which is nearly double the overall annual median rate for all Tennessee workers of $34,902 and puts the state at No. 37 overall.
#38, Indiana
Indiana comes in at No. 38 with an annual wage amount of $63,540. That figure is higher than the overall median wage, which is $35,734. Indiana’s overall placement may be dragged down in part by the median wage in Fort Wayne of $61,750, which is the 13th-lowest among all cities and metro areas.
#39, Louisiana
Louisiana’s annual wage of $63,540 puts the state at No. 39 overall, and that rate is nearly double the overall wage in the state of $33,384. Louisiana’s placement on the list is low despite the state being home to the city with the highest wage (outside of California), Baton Rouge, where the median annual wage for clinical psychologists is $107,370.
#40, North Carolina
North Carolina comes in at No. 40 with an annual salary figure of $62,470. That rate is still far higher than the overall median wage in the state of $35,755. North Carolina’s position among all states is partially dragged down by multiple metro areas in the state with salaries that are lower than the overall state median: Durham-Chapel Hill ($59,960), Greensboro-High Point ($61,340) and Wilmington ($61,530).
#41, Arkansas
With a median annual wage of $62,200, Arkansas is in 41st among all the states. Despite placing near the bottom, clinical psychologists in Arkansas make nearly double the average other worker, who earns a median wage of $31,844, second-lowest in the U.S. Things could soon be looking up in Arkansas, though, as the state expects job openings in this area to grow by 17.7% through 2026, one of the highest rates in the nation.
#42, Arizona
Arizona clinical psychologists can expect an annual salary of $61,500, putting the state at No. 42. That compares to an annual wage for all workers of $37,024. Arizona expects the nation’s third-highest rate of growth in job openings for this role, with a growth rate of about 25% projected through 2026.
#43, South Carolina
South Carolina’s median annual wage of $61,030, puts the state at No. 43 for clinical psychology salaries, though that rate is nearly twice the average wage for all workers in the state of $33,758.
#44, Vermont
Vermont comes in at No. 44 with a median annual rate of $60,590, which is about 53% higher than the overall wage in the state of $39,728. Vermont’s salary amount is the lowest in the Northeastern region.
#45, Montana
Montana is No. 45 with a median annual wage of $60,540, the lowest wage among all Western states. Clinical psychologists can expect to earn salaries in Montana that are considerably higher than the typical worker, who earns $35,089 per year.
#46, Alabama
Alabama’s annual salary figure of $60,370 is No. 46 in the nation and compares to a median annual wage of $33,737 for all workers. The Birmingham metro area has an annual salary amount higher than the state’s average ($62,710) that’s nonetheless the 25th-lowest among the hundreds of metro areas in the U.S.
#47, Kentucky
In Kentucky, clinical psychologists earn an annual salary amount of $59,300, which is fifth-lowest in the country at No. 47 but still far above the typical wage for all workers of $34,652 per year.
#48, Kansas
A median annual wage of $58,900 puts Kansas at No. 48, though the gap between clinical psychologists and other workers is relatively low, with the median annual wage for all workers coming in at $35,942. Kansas has the lowest wages for clinical psychologists in the Midwest.
#49, Mississippi
Mississippi is in the 49th position with an annual salary figure of $57,780, which still compares favorably to the nation’s lowest overall median wage of $30,576.
#50, West Virginia
West Virginia comes in at No. 50 with an annual average salary figure of $50,890, which is still higher than the overall median wage of $32,635 for all workers in the state.
#51, Oklahoma
Oklahoma’s median annual wage of $49,830 for clinical psychologists is the lowest in the country, and the state’s gap between those workers and all workers is the second smallest in the country, as the state’s overall median annual wage is $34,569.
Salary Detail by State
Click below to see details about clinical psychologist salaries in your state.
| Alabama | Hawaii | Massachusetts | New Mexico | South Dakota |
| Alaska | Idaho | Michigan | New York | Tennessee |
| Arizona | Illinois | Minnesota | North Carolina | Texas |
| Arkansas | Indiana | Mississippi | North Dakota | Utah |
| California | Iowa | Missouri | Ohio | Vermont |
| Colorado | Kansas | Montana | Oklahoma | Virginia |
| Connecticut | Kentucky | Nebraska | Oregon | Washington |
| Delaware | Louisiana | Nevada | Pennsylvania | West Virginia |
| Florida | Maine | New Hampshire | Rhode Island | Wisconsin |
| Georgia | Maryland | New Jersey | South Carolina | Wyoming |
Conclusion
While we’ve seen that there’s a tremendous amount of geographic variation in what clinical psychologists can expect to earn per year, in every state, these highly trained professionals are compensated at rates far higher than the average worker.
SEE ALSO: How to Become a Clinical Psychologist?
Additional References
- U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wages, Clinical, Counseling, and School Psychologists. (2019.) Custom tables accessed from https://data.bls.gov/oes/#/home
- Projections Managing Partnership, Projections Central, Short Term Occupational Projections. (Undated). Custom tables accessed from https://projectionscentral.com/Projections/ShortTerm
- Projections Managing Partnership, Projections Central, Long Term Occupational Projections. (Undated). Custom tables accessed from https://projectionscentral.com/Projections/LongTerm
- National Institute of Mental Health, Mental Health Information, Statistics. (2019.) Retrieved from https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/mental-illness.shtml
- Highest Paying Psychology Careers in 2019. (2019). Retrieved from https://psydprograms.org/top-highest-paying-psychology-careers/
- 15 Great Places to Work in Clinical Psychology in 2019. (2019). Retrieved from https://psydprograms.org/15-great-places-to-where-clinical-psychologists-can-work/
- Clinical Psychologist Salary Outlook with Ph.D.. (2019). Retrieved from https://psydprograms.org/clinical-psychology-salary-outlook-phd/
- How Much Do Clinical Psychologists Make? (2019). Retrieved from https://psydprograms.org/how-much-do-clinical-psychologists-make/