Salary Outlook for Child Psychologist
A child psychologist provides mental health services to children 17 years and younger with social, mental, behavioral, or emotional problems. They are highly skilled counseling professionals with a master’s or doctoral degree in psychology.
Child psychologists utilize a multidisciplinary approach that considers the child’s school, home, and social environment. Child psychologists may work in schools, a large health clinic or private practice.
Child psychologists must have an interest in helping minors deal with the common problems and traumatic events of life. These professionals often help children and teenagers handle emotional issues specific to their age. The problems they help with can include learning disorders, anxiety, depression, eating disorders, aggression, and phobias.
SEE ALSO: List of Online PhD Child Psychology Doctorate Programs
Common duties of child psychologists include:
- Interviewing patients and families
- Counseling and providing psychotherapy to children and families
- Short-term or long-term interventions with patients involving mental health services
Becoming a child psychologist requires you to earn a bachelor’s degree in psychology. Next, you need to earn your master’s and often your doctoral degree in clinical or counseling psychology with a specialty in child psychology.
Below are details about the salary outlook for child psychologists.
Child Psychologist Salary Information
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) keeps extensive statistics, starting with the median national salary for all psychologists: $92,740. Psychologists with the most education and experience earn a top 10% salary that starts at $151,880.
The BLS also keeps data on different types of specialized psychologists. Unfortunately child psychologist aren’t included, but the BLS does maintain detailed information about the closely related category of school psychologists. Their salary breakdown is as follows:
- Bottom 25% salary – $70,520 and below
- Median salary – $84,940
- Average salary – $91,990
- Top 25% salary – $107,400 and up
- Top 10% salary – $131,470 and up
Type of workplace also has a significant effect on salary. The BLS tracks data on average school psychologist salaries by sector, listed here by which are most relevant for child psychologists:
- Childcare services – $142,500
- Offices of other health practitioners – $105,140
- Educational support services – $102,230
- Employment services – $94,140
- Elementary and secondary schools – $90,940
- Local government, excluding schools and hospitals – $90,010
- Junior colleges – $84,650
- Individual and family services – $73,510
- Outpatient care centers – $66,470
- Other residential care facilities – $63,790
Average Child Psychologist Salary by State
The BLS reports the following average salary data for school psychologists by state:
| Hourly | Annual | |
| Colorado | $53.71 | $111,720 |
| California | $52.80 | $109,830 |
| New Mexico | $51.41 | $106,940 |
| New York | $51.02 | $106,130 |
| Washington | $50.57 | $105,190 |
| Massachusetts | $50.09 | $104,180 |
| Alaska | $49.32 | $102,590 |
| Oregon | $49.00 | $101,920 |
| District of Columbia | $48.72 | $101,350 |
| Connecticut | $46.87 | $97,480 |
| Maryland | $46.26 | $96,210 |
| New Jersey | $45.22 | $94,060 |
| Ohio | $44.35 | $92,240 |
| Wyoming | $43.67 | $90,830 |
| Georgia | $43.08 | $89,610 |
| Nevada | $43.00 | $89,430 |
| Pennsylvania | $42.99 | $89,410 |
| Wisconsin | $41.26 | $85,820 |
| Rhode Island | $41.17 | $85,630 |
| Virginia | $40.96 | $85,200 |
| Arizona | $40.46 | $84,160 |
| Maine | $40.34 | $83,900 |
| Minnesota | $40.26 | $83,740 |
| Illinois | $39.93 | $83,060 |
| Delaware | $39.55 | $82,260 |
| New Hampshire | $39.41 | $81,960 |
| Nebraska | $39.13 | $81,390 |
| Michigan | $39.01 | $81,140 |
| South Dakota | $38.95 | $81,020 |
| Texas | $38.76 | $80,610 |
| Vermont | $38.00 | $79,040 |
| Indiana | $37.44 | $77,870 |
| Florida | $37.19 | $77,360 |
| Montana | $37.10 | $77,160 |
| South Carolina | $36.84 | $76,620 |
| Utah | $35.30 | $73,430 |
| Idaho | $35.13 | $73,070 |
| Kentucky | $34.85 | $72,480 |
| Tennessee | $33.82 | $70,340 |
| Kansas | $33.51 | $69,690 |
| West Virginia | $33.31 | $69,280 |
| North Dakota | $33.21 | $69,070 |
| North Carolina | $33.20 | $69,060 |
| Mississippi | $32.96 | $68,560 |
| Iowa | $32.81 | $68,250 |
| Oklahoma | $32.68 | $67,970 |
| Missouri | $32.61 | $67,830 |
| Alabama | $32.32 | $67,230 |
| Louisiana | $32.14 | $66,850 |
| Arkansas | $29.15 | $60,630 |
Job Outlook for Child Psychologists
The BLS reports the job demand for all psychologists in general should increase by 7% between 2023 and 2033, which is nearly double the national average for all jobs of 4%. School psychologists should see their numbers increase by 0.7% over this time.
Employment of school, clinical, and counseling psychologists will grow because of the growing population and more demand for psychologists in schools, hospitals, mental health clinics, and social service agencies.
SEE ALSO: How to Become a Child Psychologist
Employment of child and school psychologists will continue to grow as society becomes more aware of the connection between learning and mental health. This understanding is creating more demand for psychologists to work full time in elementary, middle, and high schools.
School and child psychologists will be needed to work with students with special needs, learning challenges, and behavioral problems.
Summary
Job demand for child psychologists is on the rise as more people want psychological services for their children with a variety of mental health and behavioral problems. Professionals who earn their doctoral degrees in psychology should be in high demand for their services in health clinics and private practice.
May 2023 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics salary and labor market information for Psychologists and School Psychologists is based on national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed February 2025.