Clinical Psychologist Salary Outlook with Ph.D.
For most students of psychology, earning a doctoral degree means they’ve reached the highest possible academic heights. In addition to signaling mastery of the subject, obtaining a doctoral opens up many new career opportunities. For clinical psychology students, a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Clinical Psychology is ideal.
Let’s learn more about the doctoral options within clinical psychology, what students need to know about the degrees and how earning potential may depend on where you live.
What’s On This Page
- Clinical Psychologist Doctorate Options
- Clinical Psychologist Career Tracks
- Clinical Psychologist PhD Salary Outlook
- Clinical Psychologist Ph.D. Salary by State
- Projected Clinical Psychologist Ph.D. Jobs
Clinical Psychology Doctorate Options
Within the study of psychology, there are two main types of doctoral degrees that have some important differences — the Ph.D. and the Psy.D., or Doctor of Psychology. In most cases, earning either type of degree will help a clinical psychology student prepare for their career of choice, but students should be aware of the differences.
SEE ALSO: 5+ Best Online PsyD Accredited Programs
Ph.D. degrees have been around for about as long as the concept of higher education, and professional doctorates began to grow in popularity in the United States in the early part of the 19th century. The Psy.D., on the other hand, is much newer, having been developed in the 1960s and 1970s as a clinical alternative to a Ph.D.
Traditionally, Ph.D. degrees are rooted in research, theory and academia, and this is still true to an extent, though it also depends heavily on the focus area. This is an important distinction for students of clinical psychology. Within its very name, clinical psychology is about the practice of psychology and not just the study of it.
SEE ALSO: 8 Most Affordable Online Psychology PhD Programs
For the typical clinical psychology student, the biggest difference between a Ph.D. and Psy.D. will be the focus of their coursework. Psy.D. tracks will probably be heavier with hands-on work, while Ph.D. programs will probably have students spending more time on major research projects or in lab settings.
Ph.D. programs also typically take at least a year or two longer, though for clinical psychology students, these added years can be very important, as the extra time may help them complete a pre-doctoral internship or practicum. These hours spent working directly with individuals in a clinical setting are typically required for state psychologist licensure.
Clinical Psychology PhD Career Tracks
Earning a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology doesn’t have to send students down just a single possible career path. In fact, the degree probably will have among the broadest applications of all psychology doctorates. That’s because of the research-based nature of a Ph.D. combined with the hands-on aspects of clinical psychology. For students, that means they can potentially secure satisfying employment in a host of areas and roles.
Clinical psychology Ph.D. career options by industry
| Counseling & Therapy | Medicine & Science | Business & Consulting | Education & Instruction |
| Clinical Psychologist | Lab Director | Human Resources Director | Psychology Professor |
| Licensed Clinical Social Worker | Clinical Researcher | Executive Coach | School Superintendent |
| Mental Health Counselor | Health Psychologist | Industrial-Organizational Psychologist | Program Administrator |
Potential career options will vary based on each individual’s personal areas of interest. Clinical psychology Ph.D. students who are interested in how to apply neuroscience research in therapeutic methods may want to take courses in experimental psychology, while those interested in working in educational spaces will want to load up on classes that cover developmental psychology.
SEE ALSO: 45+ Types of Psychology Careers & Salaries
While clinical psychology is a specialty unto itself, clinical training can extend into many niches and cover a range of population groups. Possible focus areas and groups for clinical psychology training include:
- Children
- Adolescents
- Neuroscience
- Behavioral Disorders
- Major Mental Illness
- Gerontology
- Criminal Justice
- Substance Use Disorder
- Group Dynamics
- Leadership
- Sports
Clinical Psychology PhD Salary Overview
The old saying “Education opens doors” is meant to evoke the idea that new opportunities become available as one pursues additional educational realms, and it’s certainly true when it comes to the study of psychology. But not only does education open doors to new possible careers, earning a doctoral degree can massively boost a person’s potential salary.
To understand what PhD graduates in the clinical psychology space can expect to earn depending on where they live, we start by looking at the national average annual salaries of nine occupations according to data published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics:
| Human Resources Director | $154,740 |
| Clinical and Counseling Psychologists | $106,600 |
| Post-secondary Psychology Professors | $93,990 |
| Psychologists | $92,740 |
| Marriage and Family Therapists | $68,730 |
| School and Career Counselors | $66,990 |
| Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers | $63,870 |
| Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder and Mental Health Counselors | $60,080 |
| Rehabilitation Counselors | $48,430 |
Taking a closer look specifically at state-level salaries for clinical and counseling psychologists, New Jersey offers the highest average salary at $148,370. Among all states, 20 offer six-figure annual salaries for this profession.
Average annual clinical psychology salary by state. Click for more details on each.
| New Jersey | $148,370 |
| California | $132,410 |
| Oregon | $129,470 |
| Rhode Island | $120,720 |
| Maine | $117,710 |
| Maryland | $116,560 |
| New York | $113,230 |
| Illinois | $111,300 |
| Utah | $110,630 |
| Wisconsin | $109,890 |
| Tennessee | $109,670 |
| Arizona | $109,550 |
| Alaska | $109,300 |
| Ohio | $108,690 |
| Washington | $108,650 |
| Virginia | $108,130 |
| Nevada | $106,830 |
| Arkansas | $106,330 |
| Kentucky | $105,140 |
| Massachusetts | $102,630 |
| Colorado | $99,690 |
| Vermont | $95,950 |
| Minnesota | $95,100 |
| Hawaii | $92,780 |
| Indiana | $92,700 |
| New Mexico | $92,530 |
| Alabama | $92,470 |
| North Carolina | $91,390 |
| Florida | $89,450 |
| Oklahoma | $89,380 |
| North Dakota | $88,500 |
| Missouri | $87,730 |
| Iowa | $87,360 |
| South Dakota | $86,160 |
| Georgia | $85,800 |
| Michigan | $82,770 |
| Texas | $82,420 |
| Pennsylvania | $80,400 |
| Montana | $80,310 |
| West Virginia | $75,810 |
| Idaho | $75,330 |
| Wyoming | $72,860 |
| Kansas | $72,570 |
| South Carolina | $64,990 |
| New Hampshire | $64,390 |
| Connecticut | – |
| Delaware | – |
| Louisiana | – |
| Mississippi | – |
| Nebraska | – |
Clinical psychology PhD jobs are expected to grow at rates that are much higher than average in most states between 2022 and 2032. Utah’s forecast rate of 50% far outpaces the rest of the nation. 11 states have projected growth rates that are higher than 20% over this period.
Projected growth in clinical psychology job openings by state, 2022-2032
| Utah | 50% |
| Arizona | 26.8% |
| Florida | 26.1% |
| Oregon | 23.4% |
| Tennessee | 23.4% |
| New Mexico | 23.3% |
| South Carolina | 22.8% |
| California | 20.7% |
| Iowa | 20.6% |
| Colorado | 20.1% |
| New Hampshire | 20% |
| Texas | 19.6% |
| North Carolina | 18.9% |
| Mississippi | 16% |
| New Jersey | 15.2% |
| Oklahoma | 14.6% |
| South Dakota | 14.3% |
| Indiana | 13.4% |
| Arkansas | 13.2% |
| Montana | 13% |
| Maryland | 12.6% |
| Kansas | 12.5% |
| North Dakota | 12.5% |
| West Virginia | 12.2% |
| Massachusetts | 11.9% |
| Virginia | 11.6% |
| Alabama | 11.4% |
| Nebraska | 11.4% |
| Michigan | 11.2% |
| Kentucky | 11.1% |
| Wyoming | 11.1% |
| Illinois | 11% |
| Missouri | 10.9% |
| Rhode Island | 10.9% |
| Louisiana | 10.8% |
| Nevada | 10.7% |
| Georgia | 10.5% |
| Minnesota | 9.9% |
| Pennsylvania | 9.5% |
| Connecticut | 9.1% |
| Wisconsin | 9.1% |
| Delaware | 8.3% |
| District of Columbia | 7.1% |
| Vermont | 5.6% |
| Ohio | 4.5% |
| Alaska | 0% |
| Idaho | 0% |
| Maine | 0% |
The projected national growth rates among these nine related jobs also show promise.
Projected growth rates, 2023-2033
| Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder and Mental Health Counselors | 18.8% |
| Marriage and Family Therapists | 16.2% |
| Clinical and Counseling Psychologists | 13.3% |
| Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers | 11.6% |
| Psychologists | 7.0% |
| Human Resources Director | 6.5% |
| Post-secondary Psychology Professors | 5.0% |
| School and Career Counselors | 4.5% |
| Rehabilitation Counselors | 1.8% |
May 2023 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics salary for Clinical and Counseling Psychologists and select occupations. National labor market information and state labor market information also sourced from the U.S. Department of Labor. Information based on national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed February 2025.
Conclusion
For most people, especially those trained in helping other people cope with emotional and behavioral health concerns, earning a high wage is not their sole concern. But it certainly doesn’t hurt. While earning potential for Clinical Psychology Ph.D. graduates may depend in large part on where in the country they live, for all of these jobs, the future appears bright, indeed.