Georgia Clinical Psychologist Salary Outlook
Nearly 1 in 5 U.S. adults has a diagnosable mental illness, from depression to schizophrenia. But sadly, less than 15% of adults are receiving any services related to mental health, which means that millions of Americans are needlessly suffering when they could be getting help to lead better lives. Georgia’s rate of adults who receive care for mental health issues is just over 13%, one of the lowest rates in the country.
Whether they specialize in helping adults, children or families or have experience in tackling addiction, PTSD or any of a range of other issues, licensed clinical psychologists can help people struggling with mental, emotional or behavioral health conditions.
SEE ALSO: Steps to Becoming a Clinical Psychologist
How attractive is the state of Georgia for these professionals? How much can they expect to earn here in our state, which cities are the best-paying, and what kinds of employers are looking for clinical psychologists in our state?
What’s On This Page
- How Much Do Clinical Psychologists Make in Georgia?
- Who’s Hiring for Clinical Psychologists in Georgia?
- Which Georgia Cities Are Best for Clinical Psychologists?
How Much Do Clinical Psychologists Make in Georgia?
On the national level, clinical psychologists enjoy a median wage of nearly $77,000 per year. Georgia’s median wage for clinical psychologists is lower than that, but it’s the fifth-highest wage for this job in the South.
Median annual clinical psychologist wage, Southern states
| District of Columbia | $84,780 |
| Maryland | $78,980 |
| Delaware | $74,390 |
| Virginia | $73,930 |
| Georgia | $71,200 |
| Florida | $69,650 |
| Texas | $66,070 |
| Tennessee | $64,330 |
| Louisiana | $63,540 |
| North Carolina | $62,470 |
| Arkansas | $62,200 |
| South Carolina | $61,030 |
| Alabama | $60,370 |
| Kentucky | $59,300 |
| Mississippi | $57,780 |
| West Virginia | $50,890 |
| Oklahoma | $49,830 |
Looking at the Georgia economy as a whole, clinical psychologists earn higher wages than people in many other jobs, including some of the most common in Georgia, and they make about double the overall state median for all occupations.
Median annual Georgia wage, select occupations
| All Occupations | $35,950 |
| Advertising Sales Agents | $49,290 |
| Barbers | $24,360 |
| Carpenters | $38,910 |
| Clinical, Counseling, and School Psychologists | $71,200 |
| Editors | $55,830 |
| Firefighters | $37,240 |
| Health Educators | $85,100 |
| Librarians | $61,260 |
| Machinists | $40,330 |
| Order Clerks | $31,570 |
| Personal Care Aides | $21,310 |
| Physics Teachers, Postsecondary | $75,940 |
| Radiation Therapists | $80,830 |
| Security Guards | $26,300 |
| Stonemasons | $41,180 |
| Tire Builders | $37,770 |
| Veterinarians | $84,040 |
| Web Developers | $78,070 |
| Writers and Authors | $56,420 |
While clinical psychologist wages today in Georgia may not be among the overall national leaders, this occupation is expected to see rapid growth in our state over the next decade. Even in the short-term, Georgia’s growth rate for clinical psychology (+3.9%) is among the 10 highest in the nation.
States by projected long-term growth rate for clinical psychologist job openings, top 10
| Colorado | 33.5% |
| Utah | 30.8% |
| Arizona | 24.9% |
| Nevada | 21.7% |
| Washington | 21.5% |
| Texas | 20.0% |
| Florida | 19.9% |
| Virginia | 18.2% |
| Arkansas | 17.7% |
| Georgia | 17.4% |
Note: Short-term 2018-2020; long-term 2016-2026
Which Georgia Cities Are Best for Clinical Psychologists?
Wages for clinical psychologists in Georgia vary pretty widely across the state, from a high in the Augusta area to a low in Athens.
Georgia cities and metro areas by median annual clinical psychologist wage
| Augusta-Richmond County | $80,510 |
| Columbus | $73,740 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $72,430 |
| Macon | $59,620 |
| Savannah | $58,410 |
| Gainesville | $53,200 |
| Athens-Clarke County | $48,490 |
Among Georgia cities, there’s also a great deal of variation on how available clinical psychology jobs are.
Georgia cities and metro areas by clinical psychologist employment per 1,000 jobs
| Columbus | 0.595 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | 0.547 |
| Savannah | 0.498 |
| Augusta-Richmond County | 0.479 |
| Gainesville | 0.369 |
| Macon | 0.324 |
Who’s Hiring for Clinical Psychologists in Georgia?
Dozens of clinical psychology jobs are open here in Georgia, and there’s a wide variety in the types of employers, including public and private sector work. Additionally, clinical psychologists who have specialty areas should find ample opportunities in Georgia.
SEE ALSO: Average Clinical Psychologist Salary
Here are several real-life examples of Georgia employers who were seeking to hire clinical psychologists in the summer of 2019:
- Zoe Pediatrics
- Psych Consultants
- First Step Kidz Therapy
- Emory University
- Cancer Treatment Centers of America
- National Security Agency
- Good Samaritan Health and Wellness Center
- Northstar Psychological Services
- The Center for Victims of Torture
- Sweetwater Psychological Associates
- WellStar Medical Group
- State of Georgia
- Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice
- Spelman College
- Mercer University
- HumanEdge
- Avita Community Partners
- Southside Medical Center
Conclusion
Georgia has one of the lowest mental health services utilization rates in the country, so there’s no doubt the state needs lots of qualified clinical psychologists to make Georgia their home. With salaries that are high among all occupations in the state and some of the highest projected growth rates in the nation, Georgia looks to remain an attractive state for licensed clinical psychologists.
SEE ALSO: Georgia: How to Earn a Psychology Doctorate Degree
Additional References
- Information on clinical psychologist job openings in Georgia was gathered from listings posted in July 2019 on Indeed.com and Glassdoor.com
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2016-2017 NSDUH State Prevalence Estimates. (Undated). Retrieved from https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2016-2017-nsduh-state-prevalence-estimates
- U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Psychologists. (2019). Retrieved from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/psychologists.htm#tab-5
- U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics Query System. (2019). 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. (2019). Retrieved from https://psydprograms.org/average-clinical-psychologist-salary-by-state/
- How Much Do Clinical Psychologists Make? (2019). Retrieved from https://psydprograms.org/how-much-do-clinical-psychologists-make/