Salary Outlook for Educational Psychologists
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The educational system in America today is complicated. There is not a single learning approach that is effective for everyone. That is why educational psychologists work to identify and study learning methods to have a better understanding of how people retain new information. (APA.org).
Educational psychologists apply human development theories to understand how individuals learn and absorb the instruction process. Interacting with students and teachers is a vital part of their work, but this is just one part of the job. Learning something people do all their lives. Learning continues at work, school, in social settings, and even in doing household chores and errands.
SEE ALSO: Top 10 Online Ph.D. in Educational Psychology Programs
A trained educational psychologist studies the emotional, cognitive, and social processes that are involved in learning. These processes are applied to enhance the learning process. Some psychologists focus on the educational development of one group, such as adults or children. Others may study a specific learning disability, such as dyslexia or ADHD.
To become an educational psychologist, it is necessary to earn a Ph.D. in educational psychology. Before you decide to get your doctoral degree in this field, learn more below about the salary potential for educational psychologists.
Educational Psychologist Salary Information
Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
BLS reports the median salary for all psychologists, including educational psychologists, is $79,000 as of 2018. However, the top 10% of wage earners made at least $129,000. Educational psychologists with their Ph.D. tend to make at the top of the salary scale. (BLS.gov)
Median wages for psychologists also depends on the industry:
- Government: $96,400
- Hospitals: $86,500
- Ambulatory healthcare services: $79,100
- Elementary and secondary schools: $75,800
If you earn your Ph.D. in educational psychology, you may want to be a college professor. BLS reports the median salary for psychology professors is $76,700. (BLS.gov). At public universities, the median income for a college instructor is $81,200. At private schools, the wage is $78,500.
Some professionals with this degree also become training and development specialists. These workers help to plan, conduct, and administer programs that provide training to employees to boost their skills and knowledge. The median salary in this field is $60,800, with the top 10% earning $102,000. Salaries in the top-paying industries include: (BLS.gov)
- Professional, scientific and technical services: $70,800
- Finance and insurance: $63,600
- Educational services: $61,600
- Healthcare and social assistance: $55,200
- Administrative and support services: $53,100
APA.org
The APA states the average salary for educational psychologists is $75,000. General psychologists earn $80,000, and counseling psychologists earn $85,000. (APA.org)
Payscale.com
Payscale.com reports the average salary for educational psychologists is $71,600, with a range between $46,000 and $112,000. Educational psychologists with a Ph.D. will often make more than $100,000 per year. (Payscale.com)
Educational psychologists also will make more based upon their years of experience. Payscale.com reports that an early career educational psychologist will make $69,200 on average, while after 20 years, the salary is $78,600.
Ziprecruiter.com
According to this source, educational psychologists make an average salary of $93,000, with a range between $23,000 and $215,000. Most in the profession earn between $63,500 and $99,000. (Ziprecruiter.com)
Average Educational Psychologist Salary by State
| State | Hourly Wage | Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|
| New York | $49.26 | $102,459 |
| Massachusetts | $48.79 | $101,490 |
| Washington | $48.45 | $100,782 |
| New Hampshire | $47.49 | $98,774 |
| Hawaii | $46.86 | $97,474 |
| Maryland | $45.22 | $94,057 |
| Connecticut | $45.21 | $94,027 |
| North Dakota | $44.91 | $93,411 |
| Alaska | $44.91 | $93,411 |
| Wyoming | $44.91 | $93,411 |
| Montana | $44.91 | $93,411 |
| Nevada | $44.91 | $93,411 |
| Idaho | $44.91 | $93,411 |
| Rhode Island | $44.84 | $93,263 |
| Vermont | $44.59 | $92,756 |
| Nebraska | $44.54 | $92,638 |
| California | $44.15 | $91,833 |
| Virginia | $43.95 | $91,424 |
| Kentucky | $43.07 | $89,584 |
| South Dakota | $42.97 | $89,373 |
| New Jersey | $42.88 | $89,180 |
| West Virginia | $42.82 | $89,071 |
| Pennsylvania | $42.62 | $88,640 |
| South Carolina | $42.39 | $88,181 |
| Minnesota | $42.36 | $88,101 |
| Oregon | $42.25 | $87,888 |
| Delaware | $42.25 | $87,876 |
| Tennessee | $42.22 | $87,814 |
| Colorado | $42.19 | $87,758 |
| Ohio | $41.91 | $87,181 |
| Wisconsin | $41.81 | $86,973 |
| Arizona | $41.73 | $86,792 |
| Kansas | $41.55 | $86,418 |
| Utah | $41.53 | $86,379 |
| Indiana | $41.46 | $86,235 |
| Oklahoma | $41.39 | $86,099 |
| Maine | $41.25 | $85,791 |
| Louisiana | $41.08 | $85,442 |
| Iowa | $40.65 | $84,562 |
| Georgia | $40.25 | $83,727 |
| Texas | $39.79 | $82,766 |
| New Mexico | $39.71 | $82,587 |
| Michigan | $39.60 | $82,377 |
| Arkansas | $39.58 | $82,317 |
| Illinois | $39.36 | $81,869 |
| Alabama | $39.31 | $81,768 |
| Mississippi | $38.91 | $80,941 |
| Missouri | $38.82 | $80,751 |
| Florida | $37.94 | $78,915 |
| North Carolina | $36.13 | $75,144 |
| Ziprecruiter.com June, 2020 |
Job Outlook for Educational Psychologists
The overall employment outlook for psychologists is excellent. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that jobs in the psychology field will grow 14% through 2028, which is much faster than average.
Employment of educational, clinical, counseling, and school psychologists should grow because of higher demand for psychological services in schools, mental health centers, hospitals, and social service agencies. Psychologists will be needed to provide more services to an aging US population. They will need help to deal with the physical and mental changes they have as they get older.
Employment for educational and school psychologists will increase because of better awareness of the link between learning and mental health. There also will be more educational psychologists needed in schools and universities. (BLS.gov)
Jobs for training and development specialists will rise by 9% through 2028, which is faster than average. Employees in many positions must take continuing education and skill development classes in their careers. This creates more demand for educational psychologists who lead the training. (BLS.gov)
Summary
Most psychology professions today offer good income potential and job demand. This is especially true if you earn your Ph.D. in educational psychology. Psychologists with the best salary potential almost always have their Ph.D. For the best work opportunities, consider working as a college professor or in private practice as an educational psychologist. It also is possible to earn a high salary as a psychologist working for the federal government.