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 $102,740 per year in the U.S. In Mississippi, that figure is $76,460, which puts the state at the lower end of the scale, but well aligned with neighboring states.
Average annual clinical psychologist wage among states in a similar range
| Georgia | $79,730 |
| South Carolina | $79,480 |
| New Hampshire | $79,270 |
| Kansas | $77,220 |
| Mississippi | $76,460 |
| Alabama | $76,040 |
| Missouri | $75,810 |
| Pennsylvania | $73,700 |
| West Virginia | $72,720 |
| Wyoming | $70,360 |
Clinical psychologist salaries 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.
Median – Top 10% Mississippi wage for clinical psychologists
| Average | $76,460 |
| Median | $67,040 |
| 75th percentile | $94,990 |
| Top 10th percentile | $151,370 |
When it comes to outlook, clinical psychologist jobs in Mississippi are projected to increase by 16% between 2022 and 2032. That’s the 14th-best rate of all states in the nation.
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 Mississippi Cities Are Best for Clinical Psychologists?
In Memphis, salaries are considerably higher than the state average, and other parts of the state.
Mississippi cities and non-metro areas by average annual clinical psychologist wage
| Metro Memphis | $152,600 |
| Rural Northeast Mississippi | $83,560 |
| Jackson | $70,900 |
| Rural Northwest Mississippi | $70,800 |
Similarly, job availability varies by geography. For example, rural Northwest Mississippi is home to 39 clinical psychologists for every 20 clinical psychologists in Jackson, per capita.
Mississippi cities and non-metro areas by clinical psychologist employment per 1,000 jobs
| Rural Northwest Mississippi | 0.39 |
| Metro Memphis | 0.23 |
| Jackson | 0.20 |
May 2022 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 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/