Idaho Clinical Psychologist Salary Outlook
Idaho has the second-highest rate of mental illness of any state in the U.S., with nearly 1 in 4 adults having a diagnosable condition. This includes common issues like anxiety and less-common ones like bipolar disorder. About 24.4% of Idaho adults have a mental illness, combined with 19% of all Americans.
But while the state’s mental health picture isn’t ideal, there is some good news. While adults in the state have a higher-than-average rate of mental illness, they also are more likely to receive professional help for their problems. In fact, nearly 20% of Idaho adults received mental health services in the most recent year for which federal health data is available, compared to just 14.9% nationally.
A constellation of trained professionals is required to support a robust mental health services infrastructure, and key among those professionals are clinical psychologists. Let’s explore what such professionals can expect to earn in Idaho, and how the state compares to its counterparts across the U.S.
What’s On This Page
- How Much Do Clinical Psychologists Make in Idaho?
- Who’s Hiring for Clinical Psychologists in West Idaho?
- Which Idaho Cities Are Best for Clinical Psychologists?
How Much Do Clinical Psychologists Make in Idaho?
Idaho’s average salary for clinical psychologists, $75,330, is the fifth-lowest among all states for which data is available. Nationally, these professionals earn an average salary of about $106,600, putting Idaho towards the bottom of states in its region.
Average annual clinical psychologist wage, Western states
| California | $132,410 |
| Oregon | $129,470 |
| Utah | $110,630 |
| Arizona | $109,550 |
| Alaska | $109,300 |
| Washington | $108,650 |
| Nevada | $106,830 |
| Colorado | $99,690 |
| Hawaii | $92,780 |
| New Mexico | $92,530 |
| Montana | $80,310 |
| Idaho | $75,330 |
| Wyoming | $72,860 |
Clinical psychologist salaries in Idaho may lag behind the nation and neighboring states, but within Idaho, the salaries are relatively high compared to other professions. The average annual wage for all workers in the state is $55,640, and clinical psychologists earn 35% more than that.
Average annual Idaho wage, select occupations
| All Occupations | $55,640 |
| Property Appraisers and Assessors | $62,470 |
| Budget Analysts | $75,770 |
| Computer Programmers | $100,540 |
| Landscape Architects | $81,980 |
| Economists | $66,610 |
| Clinical and Counseling Psychologists | $75,330 |
| Graphic Designers | $53,880 |
| Interior Designers | $58,890 |
Idaho outperforms most other states when it comes to having a relatively high percentage of clinical and counseling psychologist jobs. In this category it does better than states like California, Pennsylvania, and Texas. Idaho clearly values these professionals.
States by counseling and clinical psychologists per 1,000 jobs, top 10
| West Virginia | 0.994 |
| Massachusetts | 0.921 |
| Maryland | 0.917 |
| Illinois | 0.820 |
| Rhode Island | 0.815 |
| New York | 0.776 |
| Idaho | 0.730 |
| Utah | 0.708 |
| California | 0.660 |
| Montana | 0.642 |
Which Idaho Cities Are Best for Clinical Psychologists?
Average salaries differ considerably depending on the area of the state in question. They’re highest in rural Southeast-Central Idaho and lowest, perhaps surprisingly, in Boise, the largest city in the state.
Idaho cities and non-metro areas by average annual clinical psychologist wage
| Rural Southeast-Central Idaho | $83,590 |
| Rural Northwestern Idaho | $83,330 |
| Pocatello | $81,790 |
| Idaho Falls | $75,600 |
| Coeur d’Alene | $75,160 |
| Boise | $72,270 |
Similarly, clinical psychologist employment is more common in some areas of the state than others.
Idaho cities and non-metro areas by clinical psychologist employment per 1,000 jobs
| Pocatello | 1.549 |
| Boise | 0.782 |
| Coeur d’Alene | 0.650 |
| Rural Southeast-Central Idaho | 0.584 |
| Idaho Falls | 0.539 |
| Rural Northwestern Idaho | 0.476 |
May 2023 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics salary and labor market information for Psychologists is based on national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed January 2025.
Who’s Hiring for Clinical Psychologists in Idaho?
A rewarding job in clinical psychology doesn’t look like just one thing, and it’s not available from just one single type of employer. Jobs include patient-facing or managerial, and they can be found across a diverse array of industries and organization types. Plus, for clinical psychologists who want to focus on a specific population group, chances are there’s a perfect job out there doing just that.
SEE ALSO: Steps to Becoming a Clinical Psychologist
This is a growing field, and new jobs come online every day, but here’s a look at some of the Idaho organizations that were seeking to hire clinical psychologists in the summer of 2020:
- Idaho State University
- State of Idaho
- US Department of Veterans Affairs
- AmeriBen
- Pearl Health Clinic
- Senior Counseling Group
- Center for Change
- Northwest Neurobehavioral Health
- Olympus Health
- Totius Therapies
- Essential HealthCare Solutions
- Twin Falls County
- Centerpoint Counseling Services
- AmeriHealth
- Monarch Behavioral Health
- Pathways of Idaho
- Luke’s Health System
- HighRoad Human Service
- Idaho Falls School District
- Boise School District
Conclusion
With one of the highest rates of adults with mental illness, the lagging salaries that clinical psychologists can expect in Idaho may be well worth the opportunity to make a huge difference in the lives of people struggling with mental health, substance abuse and other behavioral disorders.
SEE ALSO: Best Idaho Psychology Doctorate Programs
Additional References
- Information on clinical psychologist job openings in Idaho was gathered from listings posted in summer 2020 on Indeed.com and Glassdoor.com
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2017-2018 NSDUH State Prevalence Estimates. (2019). Retrieved from https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2017-2018-nsduh-state-prevalence-estimates
- U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics Query System. (2020). Accessed from https://data.bls.gov/oes/#/home
- Projections Managing Partnership, Projections Central, Long Term Occupational Projections. (Undated). Accessed from https://projectionscentral.com/Projections/LongTerm