North Carolina Clinical Psychologist Salary Outlook
Federal health data estimates that about 18% of U.S. adults have a diagnosable mental illness, from anxiety to borderline personality disorder. But far fewer Americans — well under 15%, in fact — receive any treatment or services for any mental illnesses.
What that means is that millions of Americans have mental health conditions that could be impacting their day-to-day lives. That’s where clinical psychologists can help. These highly trained, licensed individuals can help people build the tools to cope with their mental, behavioral and emotional issues so that they no longer hold them back.
SEE ALSO: How to Become a Clinical Psychologist
In North Carolina, a similar percentage of adults receive mental illness services, which means there’s potentially an uphill battle in the state for clinical psychologists. But how much can such professionals expect to earn, which cities are the most attractive, and what kinds of employers exist across the state for clinical psychologists?
What’s On This Page
- How Much Do Clinical Psychologists Make in North Carolina?
- Who’s Hiring for Clinical Psychologists in North Carolina?
- Which North Carolina Cities Are Best for Clinical Psychologists?
How Much Do Clinical Psychologists Make in North Carolina?
The typical clinical psychologist in the U.S. earns about $77,000 per year, but wages are considerably lower in North Carolina.
Median annual clinical psychologist wage, Southern states
| District of Columbia | $84,780 |
| Maryland | $78,980 |
| Delaware | $74,390 |
| Virginia | $73,930 |
| Georgia | $71,200 |
| Florida | $69,650 |
| Texas | $66,070 |
| Tennessee | $64,330 |
| Louisiana | $63,540 |
| North Carolina | $62,470 |
| Arkansas | $62,200 |
| South Carolina | $61,030 |
| Alabama | $60,370 |
| Kentucky | $59,300 |
| Mississippi | $57,780 |
| West Virginia | $50,890 |
| Oklahoma | $49,830 |
North Carolina’s $62,470 median wage for clinical psychologists may place the state in the bottom half of the nation, but that figure is far higher than many other common occupations in North Carolina, meaning that clinical psychology is among the more lucrative jobs in the state.
Median annual North Carolina wage, select occupations
| All Occupations | $35,750 |
| Accountants and Auditors | $69,840 |
| Biological Technicians | $41,970 |
| Clinical, Counseling, and School Psychologists | $62,470 |
| Electricians | $43,110 |
| Fashion Designers | $67,200 |
| Genetic Counselors | $72,030 |
| Hearing Aid Specialists | $62,240 |
| Interior Designers | $51,270 |
| Medical Assistants | $32,710 |
| Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary | $64,520 |
| Paralegals and Legal Assistants | $43,530 |
| Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers | $46,160 |
| Real Estate Sales Agents | $47,690 |
| Security Guards | $26,720 |
| Stonemasons | $37,470 |
| Teacher Assistants | $23,380 |
| Transportation Inspectors | $83,560 |
| Veterinary Technologists and Technicians | $32,600 |
| Web Developers | $68,520 |
Over just the next couple of years, North Carolina is expected to add hundreds of jobs in clinical psychology, and the growth rate for those jobs here in the state is among the 15 highest in the country.
States by projected short-term growth rate for clinical psychologist job openings, top 15
| Alaska | 7.7% |
| Arizona | 5.8% |
| Washington | 4.9% |
| Oregon | 4.3% |
| Colorado | 4.1% |
| Utah | 4.1% |
| Florida | 4.0% |
| California | 4.0% |
| Wyoming | 4.0% |
| Georgia | 3.9% |
| Montana | 3.8% |
| North Carolina | 3.7% |
| Ohio | 3.5% |
| District of Columbia | 3.5% |
| New York | 3.4% |
Note: Short-term 2018-2020; long-term 2016-2026
Which North Carolina Cities Are Best for Clinical Psychologists?
Clinical psychology wages vary quite a bit depending on the city or metro area in question, ranging from a low in New Bern of $49,970 to a high of $71,690 in Raleigh.
North Carolina cities and metro areas by median annual clinical psychologist wage
| Raleigh | $71,690 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $63,730 |
| Asheville | $62,980 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton | $62,090 |
| Winston-Salem | $62,080 |
| Wilmington | $61,530 |
| Greensboro-High Point | $61,340 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill | $59,960 |
| Greenville | $58,710 |
| Fayetteville | $58,250 |
| Burlington | $52,590 |
| New Bern | $49,970 |
Job availability also varies by city, with the highest concentrations of clinical psychologist employment being in Greenville and the Winston-Salem area.
North Carolina cities and metro areas by clinical psychologist employment per 1,000 jobs
| Greenville | 1.35 |
| Winston-Salem | 1.17 |
| Fayetteville | 0.96 |
| Asheville | 0.95 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill | 0.93 |
| New Bern | 0.75 |
| Wilmington | 0.69 |
| Raleigh | 0.69 |
| Burlington | 0.62 |
| Greensboro-High Point | 0.62 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | 0.56 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton | 0.56 |
Who’s Hiring for Clinical Psychologists in North Carolina?
While it’s a specific job title, clinical psychologists don’t have just one type of employer or specialty they could look for. Jobs in North Carolina for clinical psychologists include employment in the public or private sector as well as across an array of organizations, including healthcare, corporate environments or even the military.
SEE ALSO: North Carolina: How to Earn a Psychology Doctorate Degree
Here is a look at some actual examples of companies or organizations that were seeking to hire clinical psychologists in North Carolina in the summer of 2019:
- Appalachian Counseling & Psychological Services
- Daymark Recovery Services
- Prana Health
- University of North Carolina Wilmington
- Sandhills Behavioral Care
- State of North Carolina
- Krippa Family Psychology & Wellness Services
- GEO Corrections & Detentions
- S. Department of Veterans Affairs
- Carolina East Medical Center
- Novant Health
- New Leaf Behavioral Health
- Clarity Psychological Wellness
- North Carolina Division of Public Health
- WakeMed Health and Hospitals
- Fayetteville State University
- New Mentality PC
- Pinnacle Family Services
Conclusion
For individuals who have followed the calling to help others deal with their mental, behavioral and emotional health issues, money is usually not the biggest concern. After all, other jobs are better-paying, but few offer the reward of helping another person bring order and peace to their minds and become the best version of themselves. Still, the money helps, and while North Carolina doesn’t have the highest salaries for clinical psychologists, it doesn’t have the lowest either. And thanks to a rapid growth rate over the next couple of years, new jobs are becoming available all the time.
Additional References
- Information on clinical psychologist job openings in North Carolina was gathered from listings posted in July 2019 on Indeed.com and Glassdoor.com
- U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics Query System. (2019). Accessed from https://data.bls.gov/oes/#/home
- 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
- 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. (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/