Nevada Clinical Psychologist Salary Outlook

About 21% of Nevada’s adults have a mental illness, putting the state in the top quarter of the country when it comes to mental illness. That means that more than 1 in 5 adults in the state has anxiety, substance abuse disorder, OCD or another diagnosable mental health condition, compared to the U.S. rate of 19%.

To compound matters, Nevada adults seek treatment for their mental health disorders at a lower-than-average rate. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, about 14.2% of Nevada adults received mental health services in the most recent year for which data is available. This compares to a U.S. rate of about 15%.

So with more people needing help and fewer people getting it, there’s a huge need in Nevada for trained, licensed professionals who can help others deal with their mental and behavioral health needs. That includes clinical psychologists, so let’s take a look at their salary and career outlook in the state.

What’s On This Page

• How Much Do Clinical Psychologists Make in Nevada?
• Who’s Hiring for Clinical Psychologists in Nevada?
• Which Nevada Cities Are Best for Clinical Psychologists?

How Much Do Clinical Psychologists Make in Nevada?

The average clinical psychologist in the United States makes about $81,000 per year, while salaries are just a bit higher in Nevada. On average, clinical psychologists in the state make about $83,280. That equates to about 3% more than the U.S. average. This puts Nevada in the top 25 among all states.

Average annual clinical psychologist wage, top 25

Not only do clinical psychologists in Nevada made more than many of their counterparts across the U.S., they can expect to earn quite a bit more than the average worker in the state. With an overall average wage for all occupations of about $47,000, the typical employee in Nevada earns about 76% less than the average clinical psychologist in the state.

Average annual Nevada wage, select occupations

Wages in the state for clinical psychologists could be due for an upward spike, thanks to a robust long-term growth rate projected for job openings through 2028. Clinical psychologist jobs in Nevada are expected to grow by more than 22%, the sixth-highest rate in the nation. These jobs are also expected to become more common over just the next couple of years as well.

States by projected long- and short-term growth rate for clinical psychologist job openings

Note: Short-term 2019-2021; long-term 2018-2028

Which Nevada Cities Are Best for Clinical Psychologists?

Salary figures vary depending on the area of the state in question, with Reno setting the bar at more than $96,000.

Nevada cities and non-metro areas by average annual clinical psychologist wage

Compared to cities outside of California, which has several cities with remarkably high wages, Reno has one of the highest average salary figures among the 300-some cities and metro areas for which data is available.

Non-California cities and metro areas by average clinical psychologist wage, top 20

Who’s Hiring for Clinical Psychologists in Nevada?

Jobs for clinical psychologists should become much more prevalent in Nevada over the next several years, but that doesn’t mean the state is a job desert currently. Quite the opposite, in fact, as dozens of employers have sought to hire clinical psychologists in the state over the summer of 2020.

Here’s a look at just a handful of them:

• Oasis Counseling
• Washoe Tribe of Nevada & California
• Nevada Behavioral Health Systems
• Psychology Specialists
• Maxim Healthcare Services
• Tahoe Forest Hospital District
• University of Nevada-Reno
• US Department of Veterans Affairs
• O.P.E. Counseling Services
• Creative Behavioral Connections
• Clark County School District
• The Stepping Stones Group
• Luxe Treatment Center
• Therapy Today
• Eden Treatment
• City of Henderson
• Catalyst Professional Services
• Carson City School District
• Bridge Counseling
• Reno-Sparks Indian Colony

Conclusion

Higher-than-average rates of mental illness combined with lower-than-average rates of mental health services utilization means that Nevada is in great need of trained professionals, including clinical psychologists. And with relatively generous salaries and rapid growth in job openings, Nevada looks to be one of the most attractive states for these professionals.

SEE ALSO: Nevada Psychology Doctorate Programs

Additional References

• Information on clinical psychologist job openings in Nevada 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, Short Term Occupational Projections. (Undated). Accessed from https://projectionscentral.com/Projections/ShortTerm
• 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/