Mississippi Clinical Psychologist Salary Outlook
About 1 in 5 American adults are dealing with a mental illness, from anxiety and depression to bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Regardless of their diagnosis, about 19% of U.S. adults have a diagnosable mental illness. Despite this, only about 15% of adults receive mental health services in a typical year.
In Mississippi, the numbers are even worse. While a similar percentage of adults have a mental illness (19.5% in Mississippi), the state has one of the lowest rates of mental health services utilization. According to the most recent data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, about 13.7% of Mississippi adults received mental health services in the past year, well over a full percentage point lower than the U.S. rate.
SEE ALSO: How to Become a Clinical Psychologist
One reason why the state lags behind the curve in treatment of mental health could be a lack of qualified professionals in the field. That’s why many clinical psychologists and psychology students who are traveling down that career path may be considering setting up shop in Mississippi. What do these people need to know about their salary and career prospects in the state?
What’s On This Page
- How Much Do Clinical Psychologists Make in Mississippi?
- Who’s Hiring for Clinical Psychologists in Mississippi?
- Which Mississippi Cities Are Best for Clinical Psychologists?
How Much Do Clinical Psychologists Make in Mississippi?
On average, a clinical psychologist earns about $81,000 per year in the U.S. In Mississippi, that’s closer to $72,000, which puts the state in the bottom 15 when it comes to salaries.
Average annual clinical psychologist wage, bottom 15
| West Virginia | $54,780 |
| Idaho | $60,880 |
| Montana | $64,160 |
| Arizona | $65,400 |
| Oklahoma | $66,400 |
| Kentucky | $66,940 |
| South Carolina | $68,040 |
| Alabama | $69,190 |
| Kansas | $69,530 |
| Vermont | $70,120 |
| Nebraska | $71,130 |
| Mississippi | $72,470 |
| Arkansas | $73,050 |
| New Mexico | $73,550 |
| Texas | $73,920 |
Clinical psychologist wages in Mississippi may lag behind the U.S. average, but these professionals can still expect to earn a high wage relative to many of their neighbors. That’s because the overall average wage for all occupations in Mississippi is just over $40,000, which means clinical psychologists make more than 80% above that.
Average annual Mississippi wage, select occupations
| All Occupations | $40,090 |
| Agricultural Inspectors | $38,960 |
| Bill and Account Collectors | $34,010 |
| Carpenters | $38,550 |
| Chiropractors | $87,280 |
| Clinical, Counseling and School Psychologists | $72,470 |
| Credit Analysts | $59,770 |
| Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers | $62,940 |
| Firefighters | $30,180 |
| Gambling Managers | $77,880 |
| Healthcare Social Workers | $47,460 |
| Insurance Sales Agents | $58,260 |
| Legislators | $36,170 |
| Mechanical Engineers | $81,170 |
| News Analysts, Reporters and Journalists | $37,790 |
| Occupational Therapy Assistants | $62,290 |
| Public Relations Specialists | $44,220 |
| Security Guards | $26,090 |
| Tile and Stone Setters | $37,160 |
| Veterinarians | $81,950 |
The long-term outlook for clinical psychologist jobs in Mississippi isn’t bright, though positive growth is still expected through 2028. Still, Mississippi’s projected growth rate for clinical psychologist employment is the lowest in the country.
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 Mississippi Cities Are Best for Clinical Psychologists?
In some areas of the state, wages are higher, though none of the cities and non-metro areas for which data is available have salary rates that are above the state level.
Mississippi cities and non-metro areas by average annual clinical psychologist wage
| Jackson | $69,070 |
| Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula | $66,010 |
| Northeast Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $58,150 |
Similarly, job availability varies by geography, with the Gulfport metro area likely providing the most opportunity for clinical psychologists to find jobs.
Mississippi cities and non-metro areas by average clinical psychologist employment per 1,000 jobs
| Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula | 0.252 |
| Jackson | 0.19 |
| Northeast Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | 0.156 |
Who’s Hiring for Clinical Psychologists in Mississippi?
Those with a desire to help others improve their mental and emotional well-being have a wide range of options when it comes to the type of organization they want to work for. Jobs are regularly available in the public and private sectors, in a range of industries and with the ability to focus on a variety of population groups.
While new openings are posted all the time, here’s a look at some of the Mississippi organizations that were seeking to hire clinical psychologists in the summer of 2020:
- PainStop Spine Clinic
- ERP International
- Methodist Rehabilitation Center
- Mississippi Center for Advanced Medicine
- Freedom Magnolia
- US Department of Veterans Affairs
- Canopy Children’s Solutions
- Panola Medical Center
- Mississippi State Personnel Board
- Will’s Way
- CoreCivic
- North State
- Defining Wellness
- Jackson State University
- Potomac Healthcare Solutions
- Spectrum Health Resources
- Mississippi Behavioral Health Services
- Region 8 Mental Health
- Hinds County Sheriff
- The Center for Violence Prevention
Conclusion
Though salaries for clinical psychologists in Mississippi may leave something to be desired, there’s little doubt that the state is in tremendous need of help from those with the disposition, training and licensure necessary to make a real difference in people’s lives.
SEE ALSO: Best Mississippi Psychology Doctorate Programs
Additional References
- Information on clinical psychologist job openings in Mississippi 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/