Oregon Clinical Psychologist Salary Outlook
The state of Oregon ranks No. 4 among all states when it comes to the percentage of adults with a mental illness, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. More than 22% of adults in Oregon have a diagnosable mental illness, compared to just 19% for all U.S. adults.
But there’s good news — people in Oregon are more likely to seek professional help for their behavioral and mental health disorders than in the rest of the country. About 17% of Oregon adults received mental health services in the most recent year for which data is available, compared to just under 15% for the nation as a whole.
So what does this mean for psychology students in Oregon and what the career outlook is in the state for those with advanced psychology degrees, such as clinical psychologists?
What’s On This Page
- How Much Do Clinical Psychologists Make in Oregon?
- Who’s Hiring for Clinical Psychologists in Oregon?
- Which Oregon Cities Are Best for Clinical Psychologists?
How Much Do Clinical Psychologists Make in Oregon?
Oregon’s average annual wage for clinical psychologists is the highest in the country at more than $112,000 per year. Not only is this the No. 1 highest wage for this occupation, it’s considerably higher than the national average of about $81,000 — 38% higher, to be exact.
Average annual clinical psychologist wage, top 10
| Oregon | $112,010 |
| California | $111,750 |
| District of Columbia | $106,900 |
| New York | $96,170 |
| Louisiana | $96,040 |
| New Jersey | $95,680 |
| Colorado | $92,840 |
| Connecticut | $92,790 |
| North Dakota | $92,370 |
| Georgia | $90,760 |
To be expected, wages in Oregon for clinical psychologists are quite a bit higher than the overall wage for all workers in the state. In fact, clinical psychologists in Oregon can expect to make more than double what the average worker in the state earns.
Average annual Oregon wage, select occupations
| All Occupations | $53,890 |
| Advertising Sales Agents | $49,670 |
| Barbers | $43,100 |
| Carpenters | $54,010 |
| Clinical, Counseling and School Psychologists | $112,010 |
| Credit Counselors | $49,800 |
| Dental Assistants | $46,940 |
| Electrical Engineers | $90,510 |
| Fence Erectors | $35,230 |
| Gas Plant Operators | $78,770 |
| Health Education Specialists | $56,950 |
| Information Security Analysts | $98,550 |
| Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | $51,570 |
| Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | $28,770 |
| Nursing Assistants | $34,780 |
| Pest Control Workers | $41,910 |
| Speech-Language Pathologists | $86,800 |
| Surveyors | $69,010 |
| Tax Preparers | $50,750 |
| Veterinary Technologists and Technicians | $36,620 |
Not only are clinical psychologist wages in Oregon the highest in the country, but these jobs are expected to become much more plentiful in the state over the next few years. In fact, Oregon has one of the highest long-term growth rate projections for clinical psychologist job openings.
States by projected long-term growth rate for clinical psychologist job openings, top 10
| Utah | 34.0% |
| Georgia | 32.4% |
| Colorado | 26.7% |
| New York | 25.6% |
| Maryland | 23.4% |
| Nevada | 22.2% |
| Oregon | 21.9% |
| South Dakota | 20.0% |
| Arkansas | 19.3% |
| Florida | 19.0% |
Note: Short-term 2019-2021; long-term 2018-2028
Which Oregon Cities Are Best for Clinical Psychologists?
The state’s overall average wage for clinical psychologists is generous, but some areas of the state lag quite a bit. Still, even the lowest wage geographically — in Eugene — is only slightly below the national average for clinical psychologists.
Oregon cities by average annual clinical psychologist wage
| Corvallis | $102,290 |
| Salem | $84,880 |
| Bend-Redmond | $78,450 |
| Eugene | $75,750 |
Most of the cities that offer the highest wages for clinical psychologists are in California, but taking those cities out of the list, Corvallis ranks No. 8 for its average annual salary.
Non-California cities by average clinical psychologist wage, top 10
| Jefferson City, MO | $118,920 |
| Trenton, NJ | $114,740 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $113,930 |
| Manchester, NH | $108,080 |
| Bismarck, ND | $103,070 |
| Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island, FL | $102,570 |
| Asheville, NC | $102,450 |
| Corvallis, OR | $102,290 |
| Provo-Orem, UT | $101,210 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | $100,320 |
Who’s Hiring for Clinical Psychologists in Oregon?
Clinical psychologist jobs certainly can consist of helping patients and clients directly by opening up their own private practice. But that’s far from the only form that a rewarding clinical psychologist career can take, and there are virtually limitless options for types of jobs, employers and industries.
SEE ALSO: Steps to Becoming a Clinical Psychologist
Here’s a look at some of the Oregon organizations that were seeking to hire clinical psychologists in the summer of 2020:
- InSight + Regroup
- Eugene Therapy
- Professional Therapeutic Community Network
- US Department of Justice
- Oregon Youth Academy
- Northwest ADHD Treatment Center
- Legacy Health
- LifeWorks NW
- Cascade Health
- Still Serving Counseling Services
- Samaritan Health Services
- Catholic Community Services
- PediaStaff
- Oregon Department of Education
- Portland Mental Health & Wellness
- Lane County
- State of Oregon
- Mid-Columbia Medical Center
- The Children’s Program
- Rosewood Family Health Center
Conclusion
As a people, Americans are becoming increasingly comfortable with the need for mental healthcare services, and as this acceptance continues to grow, so will the demand for trained, licensed professionals to provide these services. For clinical psychologists in Oregon, or those considering making the move, the present and future both appear quite positive.
SEE ALSO: Best Oregon Psychology Doctorate Programs
Additional References
- Information on clinical psychologist job openings in Oregon 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