New Jersey Clinical Psychologist Salary Outlook
According to the most recent federal mental health data, nearly 1 in 5 American adults has a diagnosable mental illness, including depression, bipolar, schizophrenia, PTSD and more. But only 14% of adults have received services for mental health in the past year, meaning millions of people are needlessly suffering from mental or behavioral disorders when they could be getting help to lead better lives.
That’s often where a licensed clinical psychologist comes in. These mental health professionals are trained and licensed to help individuals understand and deal with their behavioral, emotional and mental health.
SEE ALSO: Top 5 Online PsyD in Clinical Psychology Programs
New Jersey is in a better situation than most states with regard to mental health. In fact, New Jersey’s mental illness prevalence of 16.2% is the lowest in the nation. That may have something to do with the fact that New Jersey offers among the most lucrative wages for licensed clinical psychologists.
What can these professionals expect to earn in our state, how do we stack up with the rest of our region and the U.S., and what are some examples of actual openings for clinical psychologists in New Jersey?
What’s On This Page
- How Much Do Clinical Psychologists Make in New Jersey?
- Who’s Hiring for Clinical Psychologists in New Jersey?
- Which New Jersey Cities Are Best for Clinical Psychologists?
How Much Do Clinical Psychologists Make in New Jersey?
In New Jersey, the median annual wage for clinical psychologists is more than 10% higher than the overall U.S. median of nearly $77,000, and New Jersey ranks No. 6 among all the states.
Median annual clinical psychologist wage
| Top 10 | |
| California | $100,850 |
| Oregon | $89,150 |
| Connecticut | $88,890 |
| New York | $88,710 |
| Rhode Island | $86,370 |
| New Jersey | $85,160 |
| District of Columbia | $84,780 |
| Alaska | $84,740 |
| Minnesota | $84,630 |
| Colorado | $84,410 |
| Bottom 10 | |
| Arizona | $61,500 |
| South Carolina | $61,030 |
| Vermont | $60,590 |
| Montana | $60,540 |
| Alabama | $60,370 |
| Kentucky | $59,300 |
| Kansas | $58,900 |
| Mississippi | $57,780 |
| West Virginia | $50,890 |
| Oklahoma | $49,830 |
In addition to boasting clinical psychologist salaries among the top 10 of all states, such jobs tend to be more lucrative than other occupations in New Jersey, and the pay is nearly double that of the overall median for all jobs in the state.
Median annual New Jersey wage, select occupations
| All Occupations | $43,600 |
| Adult Basic and Secondary Education and Literacy Teachers and Instructors | $63,200 |
| Animal Breeders | $37,980 |
| Bailiffs | $49,310 |
| Clinical, Counseling, and School Psychologists | $85,160 |
| Coaches and Scouts | $45,550 |
| Dishwashers | $21,890 |
| Electrical Engineers | $108,470 |
| Exercise Physiologists | $49,860 |
| Firefighters | $76,380 |
| Food Service Managers | $79,320 |
| Genetic Counselors | $83,410 |
| Highway Maintenance Workers | $44,270 |
| Interpreters and Translators | $64,600 |
| Machinists | $49,440 |
| Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary | $92,380 |
| Order Clerks | $35,410 |
| Pest Control Workers | $37,860 |
| Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers | $85,330 |
| Tellers | $32,020 |
In terms of job growth, New Jersey is expected to see a relatively modest increase of nearly 8% in clinical psychologist job openings through 2026. Still, that equates to thousands of jobs.
Northeastern states by projected long- and short-term growth rate for clinical psychologist job openings
| State | Long-term | Short-term |
| New York | 15.6% | 3.4% |
| New Hampshire | 12.2% | 2.0% |
| Massachusetts | 11.9% | 2.8% |
| Pennsylvania | 9.3% | 2.4% |
| New Jersey | 7.6% | 1.5% |
| Connecticut | 7.4% | 1.8% |
| Vermont | 6.4% | 1.4% |
| Maine | 5.3% | 0.0% |
| Rhode Island | 4.3% | 1.3% |
Note: Short-term 2018-2020; long-term 2016-2026
Which New Jersey Cities Are Best for Clinical Psychologists?
Clinical psychologist wages in New Jersey are highest in the New York City metro area, but they vary dramatically by city.
New Jersey cities and metro areas by median annual clinical psychologist wage
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $92,380 |
| Vineland | $81,300 |
| Atlantic City | $73,530 |
Among the 300-plus largest cities and metro areas in the U.S. with the highest wages for clinical psychologists, each of the top 10 and most of the top 20 are in the state of California. Excluding those, though, median wages in the New York City metro area are seventh-highest.
U.S. cities and metro areas by clinical psychologist median wage, top 20, excl. California
| Baton Rouge, LA | $107,370 |
| Bend-Redmond, OR | $106,260 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $97,820 |
| Chambersburg-Waynesboro, PA | $95,280 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $94,000 |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $93,360 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | $92,380 |
| Grand Junction, CO | $91,020 |
| Reno, NV | $90,900 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $88,920 |
| Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO | $88,590 |
| Kingston, NY | $87,900 |
| Jackson, MI | $87,530 |
| Salisbury, MD-DE | $87,480 |
| Leominster-Gardner, MA | $87,170 |
| Fort Collins, CO | $87,110 |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $86,770 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT | $86,650 |
| Utica-Rome, NY | $86,090 |
| Springfield, MA-CT | $86,080 |
Who’s Hiring for Clinical Psychologists in New Jersey?
Licensed clinical psychologists in New Jersey will enjoy a wide range of career options when it comes to employers. Jobs are plentiful in both the public and private sector, and they include many types of settings, from healthcare to the military.
SEE ALSO: 15 Great Places to Work in Clinical Psychology
Here are several examples of actual employers who were seeking to hire clinical psychologists in New Jersey in summer 2019:
- MedOptions
- Integrative Therapy Institute of New Jersey
- Van Reipen Counseling and Psychological Services
- Behavior Therapy Associates
- Rutgers University
- Evolve Psychological Services
- Positive Developments
- Monmouth University
- S. Department of Veterans Affairs
- RWJ Barnabas Health
- Peter’s Healthcare System
- AtlantiCare
- Little Hands Family Services
- Middlesex County College
- The Kraft Group
- Hackensack Meridian Health
- Eva’s Village
- Montgomery Township School District
Conclusion
For individuals with the training and passion for helping others cope with their mental illnesses and behavioral disorders, the desire to make a difference in the lives of others is the primary drive, but adequate financial compensation certainly doesn’t hurt. With its place among the states with the highest median wages for clinical psychologists, New Jersey looks to continue being attractive for such professionals to set up shop.
SEE ALSO: New Jersey: How to Earn a Psychology Doctorate Degree
Additional References
- Information on clinical psychologist job openings in New Jersey was gathered from listings posted in July 2019 on Indeed.com and Glassdoor.com
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2016-2017 NSDUH State Prevalence Estimates. (Undated). Retrieved from https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2016-2017-nsduh-state-prevalence-estimates
- U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Psychologists. (2019). Retrieved from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/psychologists.htm#tab-5
- U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics Query System. (2019). Accessed from https://data.bls.gov/oes/#/home
- Average Clinical Psychologist Salary by State. (2019). Retrieved from https://psydprograms.org/average-clinical-psychologist-salary-by-state/
- How Much Do Clinical Psychologists Make? (2019). Retrieved from https://psydprograms.org/how-much-do-clinical-psychologists-make/