Kansas Clinical Psychologist Salary Outlook
Nearly 20% of Kansas adults have a mental illness. This includes very common issues like anxiety and depression as well as less-common ones like bipolar disorder or schizophrenia. The 19.5% of adults in the state with a diagnosable mental illness is just slightly higher than the overall rate for the U.S., which is 19%.
But fortunately for residents of the state, adults in Kansas are more likely than their counterparts across the country to seek assistance for their behavioral and emotional troubles. According to the most recent data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, about 16.6% of Kansas adults received mental health services in the past year, compared to just 14.9% for all American adults.
SEE ALSO: Steps to Becoming a Clinical Psychologist
The increased use of mental health services will inevitably lead to higher demand for trained, qualified professionals in this area, including clinical psychologists. So let’s learn more about what clinical psychologists can expect to earn in Kansas and what the future might hold for them.
What’s On This Page
- How Much Do Clinical Psychologists Make in Kansas?
- Who’s Hiring for Clinical Psychologists in Kansas?
- Which Kansas Cities Are Best for Clinical Psychologists?
How Much Do Clinical Psychologists Make in Kansas?
The average U.S. clinical psychologist makes an annual salary of about $81,000 per year. In Kansas, though, salaries are considerably lower. In fact, the state’s average clinical psychologist salary ($69,530), is the lowest in the Midwest and ninth-lowest in the country.
Average annual clinical psychologist wage, Midwestern states
| North Dakota | $92,370 |
| Michigan | $90,700 |
| Wisconsin | $86,920 |
| Minnesota | $84,550 |
| Iowa | $83,090 |
| Missouri | $81,700 |
| Indiana | $80,750 |
| South Dakota | $77,560 |
| Ohio | $77,440 |
| Illinois | $75,050 |
| Nebraska | $71,130 |
| Kansas | $69,530 |
While clinical psychologists in Kansas may not enjoy some of the lofty salaries of counterparts across the country, when compared to other employees in the state, they are considerably better-paid. In fact, the average clinical psychologist in the state makes about 50% more than the average Kansas worker.
Average annual Kansas wage, select occupations
| All Occupations | $46,520 |
| Advertising Sales Agents | $53,580 |
| Carpenters | $42,670 |
| Clinical, Counseling and School Psychologists | $69,530 |
| Correctional Officers and Jailers | $37,920 |
| Dental Hygienists | $68,340 |
| Editors | $50,910 |
| Firefighters | $37,250 |
| Graphic Designers | $46,270 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $47,660 |
| Interior Designers | $57,180 |
| Legislators | $20,240 |
| Medical Assistants | $31,450 |
| Office and Administrative Support Occupations | $37,190 |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $34,390 |
| Public Relations Specialists | $57,310 |
| Recreational Therapists | $36,910 |
| Roofers | $42,280 |
| Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School | $54,330 |
| Veterinary Technologists and Technicians | $34,200 |
Long-term growth in job openings in Kansas also lags behind much of the rest of the country. But it’s important to note that clinical psychologists jobs are still expected to increase in frequency in Kansas through 2028.
States by projected long-term growth rate for clinical psychologist job openings, bottom 10
| Mississippi | 2.4% |
| Maine | 6.4% |
| Alaska | 7.7% |
| Michigan | 7.7% |
| Kansas | 8.4% |
| Illinois | 9.3% |
| New Mexico | 9.7% |
| South Carolina | 9.7% |
| Wisconsin | 10.4% |
| New Jersey | 11.7% |
Note: Short-term 2019-2021; long-term 2018-2028
Which Kansas Cities Are Best for Clinical Psychologists?
Expected salaries vary across the state, though none of the cities and other geographic areas for which data is available have a higher average annual wage than the state overall. Still, non-metro areas of the state may actually have the best chances for high wages.
Kansas cities and non-metro areas by average annual clinical psychologist wage
| Kansas nonmetropolitan area | $59,650 |
| Wichita | $58,340 |
| Topeka | $52,240 |
| Lawrence | $51,480 |
Similarly, various geographic regions and cities vary when it comes to the concentration of clinical psychologist jobs in the broader job market, with Topeka having the highest rate.
Kansas cities and non-metro areas by average clinical psychologist employment per 1,000 jobs
| Topeka | 0.815 |
| Lawrence | 0.676 |
| Wichita | 0.67 |
| Kansas nonmetropolitan area | 0.58 |
Who’s Hiring for Clinical Psychologists in Kansas?
A rewarding job in clinical psychology doesn’t just look like one thing. That’s because jobs run the gamut from patient-facing to administrative, and from public-sector to private enterprise. Additionally, every clinical psychologist who has a passion for a specific population group can probably find a job that focuses on that subset of people.
That said, here’s a look at a handful of the Kansas organizations that were seeking to hire clinical psychologists in the summer of 2020:
- Kansas State University
- US Department of Justice
- Irwin Army Community Hospital
- El Camino Health
- State of Kansas
- Johnson County Mental Health Center
- Health Partnership Clinic
- Deer Oaks Behavioral Health
- PsyPhyCare
- University of Kansas
- UnitedHealth Group
- El Dorado Correctional Facility
- The Center for Counseling & Consultation
- Professional Renewal Center
- Key Rehabilitation
- Blue Valley School District
- Prairie View
- Wichita Public Schools
- Four County Mental Health Center
- Pawnee Mental Health Services
Conclusion
While the average pay for clinical psychologists in Kansas is on the lower end of the spectrum nationally, the state is ahead of the curve when it comes to the rate at which people in the state seek and receive professional help for their mental health and behavioral disorders. So if trends keep moving in the right direction, Kansas could become a much more attractive locale.
SEE ALSO: Best Kansas Psychology Doctorate Programs
Additional References
- Information on clinical psychologist job openings in Kansas 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