Iowa Clinical Psychologist Salary Outlook
About 1 in 5 Iowa adults has a mental illness, including things like addiction, substance abuse disorder, depression, OCD and more. While the state’s mental illness rates are consistent with overall national rates, there’s a bit of good news: Iowa adults are more likely than their counterparts across the country to seek mental health treatment.
An average of about 15% of American adults received mental health services in the past year, according to the most recent data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, but in Iowa, the rate was 18.2%.
SEE ALSO: Steps to Becoming a Clinical Psychologist
What does broader acceptance of the importance of mental healthcare mean for licensed professionals, such as clinical psychologists, and what salaries they can expect to earn in Iowa?
What’s On This Page
- How Much Do Clinical Psychologists Make in Iowa?
- Who’s Hiring for Clinical Psychologists in Iowa?
- Which Iowa Cities Are Best for Clinical Psychologists?
How Much Do Clinical Psychologists Make in Iowa?
Nationally, clinical psychologists earn an average wage of $106,600. In Iowa, they can expect to earn somewhat less than that, and Iowa’s average wage for these professionals puts the state in the bottom half among other Midwestern states.
Average annual clinical psychologist wage, Midwestern states
| Illinois | $111,300 |
| Wisconsin | $109,890 |
| Ohio | $108,690 |
| Minnesota | $95,100 |
| Indiana | $92,700 |
| North Dakota | $88,500 |
| Missouri | $87,730 |
| Iowa | $87,360 |
| South Dakota | $86,160 |
| Michigan | $82,770 |
| Kansas | $72,570 |
Clinical psychologists in Iowa earn quite a bit more than the average Iowa worker. The overall average wage for all occupations in the state is $56,400, 35% lower than the average clinical psychologist salary.
Average annual Iowa wage, select occupations
| All Occupations | $56,400 |
| Economists | $96,720 |
| Clinical and Counseling Psychologists | $87,360 |
| Graphic Designers | $49,170 |
| Recreational Therapists | $53,200 |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $41,080 |
| Hearing Aid Specialists | $70,450 |
| Occupational Therapy Assistants | $63,120 |
| Medical Assistants | $42,660 |
| Firefighters | $53,590 |
| Agricultural Inspectors | $53,320 |
| Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals | $35,700 |
| Carpenters | $51,080 |
| Structural Iron and Steel Workers | $67,190 |
| Millwrights | $59,250 |
| Tool and Die Makers | $58,860 |
In addition to relatively high salaries, clinical psychologists in Iowa can also expect to see a healthy rate of job growth over the next several years. Between 2022 and 2032, clinical psychologist jobs in the U.S. should grow about 11%, but in Iowa the projected job growth rate for these professionals is 21%.
States by projected long-term growth rate for clinical psychologist job openings, top 15
| 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% |
Note: Long-term 2022-2032
Which Iowa Cities Are Best for Clinical Psychologists?
Expected salaries vary considerably across the state, peaking in Ames at $104,280, and falling to their lowest levels in Iowa City at $78,860.
Iowa cities and metro areas by average annual clinical psychologist wage
| Ames | $104,280 |
| Waterloo | $102,450 |
| Davenport | $90,340 |
| Des Moines | $89,690 |
| Cedar Rapids | $87,400 |
| Iowa City | $78,860 |
Most of the best-paying cities for clinical psychologists are in California, but taking those cities out of the equation, Ames and Waterloo both rank in the top-60 among all U.S. cities and metro areas.
Non-California cities and metro areas by average clinical psychologist wage within a similar range
| 47th | Ames, IA | $104,280 |
| 48th | Albany, NY | $103,910 |
| 49th | McAllen, TX | $103,540 |
| 50th | Bismarck, ND | $103,170 |
| 51st | Tampa-St. Petersburg, FL | $103,170 |
| 52nd | Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $102,450 |
| 53rd | Rochester, NY | $102,170 |
| 54th | Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC | $101,810 |
| 55th | Roanoke, VA | $101,500 |
| 56th | Burlington, VT | $101,440 |
| 57th | Anchorage, AK | $101,210 |
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 Iowa?
While setting up your own private practice and working directly with patients is certainly one possible career path for clinical psychologists, the reality is that there are virtually limitless possibilities when it comes to potential employers and industries.
SEE ALSO: Steps to Becoming a Clinical Psychologist
New openings are going up by the day, but here’s a look at a few of the employers who were looking to hire clinical psychologists in Iowa in the summer of 2020:
- Iowa Primary Care Association
- VocoVision
- UnityPoint Health
- State of Iowa
- US Department of Veterans Affairs
- Eyerly-Ball Community Mental Health Services
- Broadlawns Medical Center
- Strategic Behavioral Health
- Catholic Charities Diocese of Des Moines
- Mary Greeley Medical Center
- Crossroads Behavioral Health Services
- Resources for Human Development
- MercyOne
- Key Rehabilitation
- Mitchell County Regional Health Center
Conclusion
With relatively high wages and a stock of available employers, Iowa should remain an attractive state for clinical psychologists in the near-future and over the long haul. And the state’s high rate of mental health service utilization means many Iowa residents are open to receiving mental health services.
SEE ALSO: Best Iowa Psychology Doctorate Programs
Additional References
- Information on clinical psychologist job openings in Iowa 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
- Average Clinical Psychologist Salary by State. (2020). Retrieved from https://psydprograms.org/average-clinical-psychologist-salary-by-state/