New Mexico Clinical Psychologist Salary Outlook
Just under 1 in 5 American adults has a mental illness, which can include common problems like depression but also can extend to potentially debilitating disorders like schizophrenia. In New Mexico, that rate is nearly identical, with 19.1% of adults in the state having some form of mental illness.
While the state has an average rate of mental illness compared to other states, the percentage of adults actually seeking help for these issues is below the national rate. According to the most recent data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, about 15% of U.S. adults received mental health services in the past year, while New Mexico’s rate was only about 14%.
SEE ALSO: New Mexico Psychology Doctorate Programs
One reason for lagging utilization of mental health services could be that there simply aren’t enough qualified, licensed professionals to help people cope with their mental and behavioral health problems. One possible remedy would be for the state to become more attractive to those with advanced psychology training, such as clinical psychologists. What can such professionals expect to make in New Mexico, and what is their career outlook in the state?
What’s On This Page
- How Much Do Clinical Psychologists Make in New Mexico?
- Who’s Hiring for Clinical Psychologists in New Mexico?
- Which New Mexico Cities Are Best for Clinical Psychologists?
How Much Do Clinical Psychologists Make in New Mexico?
The average clinical psychologist in New Mexico makes $92,530 per year. This puts the state in the bottom half of its region, and it’s also lower than the overall U.S. average of $106,600.
Average annual clinical psychologist wage, Western states
| California | $132,410 |
| Oregon | $129,470 |
| Utah | $110,630 |
| Arizona | $109,550 |
| Alaska | $109,300 |
| Washington | $108,650 |
| Nevada | $106,830 |
| Colorado | $99,690 |
| Hawaii | $92,780 |
| New Mexico | $92,530 |
| Montana | $80,310 |
| Idaho | $75,330 |
| Wyoming | $72,860 |
While salaries in New Mexico for psychologists may be behind the curve of the nation as a whole, these professionals are among the best-paid workers in the state. The overall average annual wage for all jobs in New Mexico is $57,520.
Median – Top 10% New Mexico wage for clinical psychologists
| Average | $92,530 |
| Median | $81,640 |
| 75th percentile | $103,210 |
| Top 10th percentile | $156,990 |
The long-term growth rate for clinical psychologist job openings in New Mexico is among the 10 best in the country.
States by projected long-term growth rate for clinical psychologist job openings, top 10
| 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% |
Note: Long-term 2022-2032
Which New Mexico Cities Are Best for Clinical Psychologists?
Predictably, salaries vary quite a bit by geography within the vast state. In fact, among areas for which data is available, Albuquerque has the highest average clinical psychologist wage in the state, while Las Cruces has the lowest.
New Mexico cities by average annual clinical psychologist wage
| Albuquerque | $90,460 |
| Santa Fe | $86,050 |
| Las Cruces | $80,990 |
Similarly, the availability of jobs varies by geography as well, with Albuquerque having the lowest concentration of employment in this field.
New Mexico cities by clinical psychologist employment per 1,000 jobs
| Santa Fe | 0.63 |
| Las Cruces | 0.63 |
| Albuquerque | 0.39 |
May 2023 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 New Mexico?
When it comes to employers for clinical psychologists, there’s a world of possibility beyond establishing your own private practice. In fact, companies, organizations, nonprofits, schools and even government agencies all are in the market for clinical psychologists in New Mexico.
SEE ALSO: How to Become a Clinical Psychologist
While openings are posted all the time, here’s a look at some of the New Mexico employers that were seeking to hire clinical psychologists in the summer of 2020:
- Presbyterian Mental Health Services
- The GEO Group
- Thriving Mind Psychology
- State of New Mexico
- University of New Mexico Hospitals
- Decypher
- Prairie Band Health Services
- Chiricahua Community Health Centers
- Las Cruces Public Schools
- La Clinica de Familia
- US Department of Veterans Affairs
- Mescalero Apache Tribe
- Eating Disorders Treatment Center
- First Choice Community Health Care
- New Mexico Solutions
- Cognitive Behavioral Institute of Albuquerque
- Southwest Cares
- Rio Rancho Public Schools
- Bernalillo County Government
- Red Mountain Family Services
Conclusion
Though it’s a fact that clinical psychologist salaries are lower in New Mexico than in most other states, a high rate of mental health services utilization, combined with nearly double-digit job growth over the next few years, make the state an excellent option for transplants or new psychology students.
Additional References
- Information on clinical psychologist job openings in New Mexico 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/