Salary Outlook for Master’s in Clinical Psychology
Nearly 28,000 students earned master’s degrees in psychology during the 2017-18 school year, making psychology one of the most popular focus areas for graduate studies in the U.S., according to federal education officials.
But while psychology is a popular and growing field of study, it’s also quite a diverse one, and the career outlook for psychology students could very well come down to the niche they choose to study. For many students, getting a Master’s in Clinical Psychology could be the final step in their educational journey, or it could be an important middle ground between a bachelor’s degree and a doctoral in the field.
Let’s take a look at what students with a Master’s in Clinical Psychology can expect to earn and how salary figures vary across the country.
Masters in Clinical Psychology Career Paths
There is no single career objective for clinical psychology students, which means there’s great variety when it comes to educational needs and options. Generally, the more closely psychology students hope to work with members of the public or within clinical settings, the greater the educational expectations.
For example, as we mentioned, a Master’s in Clinical Psychology often is the step taken before embarking upon a doctoral program in the field, and the most natural career option after earning that degree would be becoming a clinical psychologist. In that case, because the individual in question would be working directly with patients and clients to provide mental health services, they would need extensive education and professional experience that they are unlikely to receive in a master’s program.
On the other hand, many professionals who study psychology go on to jobs where they don’t use their knowledge of human behavior to help treat others who have emotional or mental health disorders. One example of this type of job would be in market research or advertising, where understanding the biological and behavioral factors that impact decision-making is helpful.
Let’s take a look at a couple of sample educational paths depending on the desired job:
Clinical psychology degree options by desired occupation
| Clinical Psychologist | Marketing Director | Career Counselor | Psychology Professor |
| Bachelor’s in Psychology | Bachelor’s in Marketing | Bachelor’s in Sociology | Bachelor’s in Psychology |
| Master’s in Clinical Psychology | Master’s in Clinical Psychology | Master’s in Clinical Psychology | Master’s in Clinical Psychology |
| PhD or PsyD in Clinical Psychology | PhD or PsyD in Clinical Psychology |
Some but not all professionals who work directly with patients to help them cope with behavioral and mental health problems require professional licensure. But for those who will go on to seek a state-issued psychologist license, almost every state requires (or strongly prefers) applicants for this licensure to first obtain a doctorate in psychology. This typically will come in the form of either a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Psychology or a Doctor of Psychology (PsyD).
Salary Outlook for Master’s in Clinical Psychology
33,661 students earned master’s degrees in psychology during the 2022 school year, making psychology one of the most popular focus areas for graduate studies in the U.S., according to federal education officials.
But while psychology is a popular and growing field of study, it’s also quite a diverse one, and the career outlook for psychology students could very well come down to the niche they choose to study. For many students, getting a master’s in clinical psychology could be the final step in their educational journey, or it could be an important middle ground between a bachelor’s degree and a doctoral in the field.
Let’s take a look at what students with a master’s in clinical psychology can expect to earn and how salary figures vary across the country.
Masters in Clinical Psychology Career Paths
There is no single career objective for clinical psychology students, which means there’s great variety when it comes to educational needs and options. Generally, the more closely psychology students hope to work with members of the public or within clinical settings, the greater the educational expectations.
For example, as we mentioned, a master’s in clinical psychology often is the step taken before embarking upon a doctoral program in the field, and the most natural career option after earning that degree would be becoming a clinical psychologist. In that case, because the individual in question would be working directly with patients and clients to provide mental health services, they would need extensive education and professional experience that they are unlikely to receive in a master’s program.
On the other hand, many professionals who study psychology go on to jobs where they don’t use their knowledge of human behavior to help treat others who have emotional or mental health disorders. One example of this type of job would be in market research or advertising, where understanding the biological and behavioral factors that impact decision-making is helpful.
Let’s take a look at a couple of sample educational paths depending on the desired job:
Clinical psychology degree options by desired occupation
| Clinical Psychologist | Marketing Director | Career Counselor | Psychology Professor |
| Bachelor’s in Psychology | Bachelor’s in Marketing | Bachelor’s in Sociology | Bachelor’s in Psychology |
| Master’s in Clinical Psychology | Master’s in Clinical Psychology | Master’s in Clinical Psychology | Master’s in Clinical Psychology |
| PhD or PsyD in Clinical Psychology | PhD or PsyD in Clinical Psychology |
Some but not all professionals who work directly with patients to help them cope with behavioral and mental health problems require professional licensure. But for those who will go on to seek a state-issued psychologist license, almost every state requires (or strongly prefers) applicants for this licensure to first obtain a doctorate in psychology. This typically will come in the form of either a doctor of philosophy (PhD) in psychology or a doctor of psychology (PsyD).
Master’s in Clinical Psychology Salary Overview
In addition to a master’s in clinical psychology possibly being a necessary step to obtaining an individual’s ideal job in psychology, this type of degree can help provide an immediate shot in the arm when it comes to earning potential.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that for people whose highest degree is a master’s, their median salary is nearly double that of those whose highest level of education is a high school diploma. And comparing master’s to bachelor’s holders, those with a master’s earn a median salary that’s 16% more.
Tracking salary data for master’s-level clinical psychologists can’t be done directly. The BLS does track data for clinical psychologists, but to practice as a clinical psychologist you need a doctoral degree.
The closest occupational category to a master’s-level clinical psychologist that the BLS tracks is a master’s-level clinical social worker, specifically: child, family, and school social workers. We’ll use this as a stand-in for master’s-level clinical psychologists.
Here’s a chart comparing the salary breakdown of doctoral-level clinical psychologists versus master’s-level clinical psychologists:
| Clinical Psychologist-Master’s | Clinical Psychologist-Doctoral | |
| Bottom 25th% salary | $45,120 | $66,050 |
| Median salary | $53,940 | $96,100 |
| Average salary | $59,160 | $106,600 |
| Top 25th% salary | $68,450 | $129,020 |
| Top 10th% salary | $85,590 | $168,870 |
These statistics are for the national level. The BLS also tracks state-level statistics for master’s-level clinical psychologists.
Average annual clinical psychology master’s degree salary by state
| District of Columbia | $76,330 |
| New York | $74,080 |
| New Jersey | $73,680 |
| Maryland | $71,870 |
| Connecticut | $70,200 |
| California | $69,340 |
| Minnesota | $68,510 |
| Rhode Island | $67,540 |
| Hawaii | $67,300 |
| Alaska | $65,840 |
| Washington | $64,860 |
| Massachusetts | $64,750 |
| Colorado | $64,690 |
| Illinois | $63,590 |
| Maine | $63,030 |
| Oregon | $62,780 |
| North Dakota | $62,510 |
| Virginia | $61,680 |
| New Hampshire | $60,810 |
| Vermont | $60,090 |
| Idaho | $59,520 |
| Nevada | $59,060 |
| Wisconsin | $57,380 |
| Michigan | $56,760 |
| New Mexico | $54,760 |
| Pennsylvania | $54,160 |
| Utah | $53,720 |
| Indiana | $53,690 |
| North Carolina | $53,630 |
| Wyoming | $53,390 |
| Iowa | $52,540 |
| Tennessee | $52,070 |
| Kansas | $51,810 |
| Ohio | $51,210 |
| Georgia | $50,810 |
| Louisiana | $50,710 |
| Texas | $50,630 |
| Florida | $50,160 |
| South Dakota | $49,770 |
| Arizona | $49,770 |
| Montana | $49,330 |
| Delaware | $48,210 |
| Arkansas | $47,930 |
| Alabama | $47,650 |
| Nebraska | $47,620 |
| Kentucky | $46,390 |
| West Virginia | $46,260 |
| South Carolina | $44,960 |
| Missouri | $44,380 |
| Oklahoma | $43,610 |
| Mississippi | $42,750 |
The sectors offering the highest average salaries for master’s-level clinical psychologists are:
| Scientific research and development services | $90,180 |
| Home health care services | $75,440 |
| Business schools and computer management and training | $72,840 |
| Religious organizations | $71,440 |
| Technical and trade schools | $71,130 |
Of course, possible salaries today are subject to rapid change. So it’s also helpful to examine what’s expected when it comes to job openings.
Projected growth in clinical psychology master’s degree job openings by state, 2022-2032
| Utah | 23.9% |
| New York | 21.9% |
| Tennessee | 17% |
| Florida | 15.5% |
| Colorado | 14.7% |
| North Carolina | 14.2% |
| Arizona | 13.9% |
| Montana | 13.8% |
| Texas | 13.4% |
| Idaho | 13.3% |
| New Mexico | 13.3% |
| Oregon | 12.7% |
| Georgia | 12.4% |
| South Carolina | 12.2% |
| Iowa | 11.4% |
| Washington | 11.3% |
| Maryland | 9.8% |
| Wyoming | 9.8% |
| District of Columbia | 9.7% |
| California | 9.6% |
| New Hampshire | 8.7% |
| Rhode Island | 8.7% |
| Virginia | 8.5% |
| Connecticut | 8.4% |
| Mississippi | 8.3% |
| North Dakota | 8.1% |
| Vermont | 7.8% |
| Alaska | 7.7% |
| Louisiana | 7.3% |
| Massachusetts | 7.3% |
| Nebraska | 6.9% |
| New Jersey | 6.3% |
| West Virginia | 6.1% |
| Delaware | 5.7% |
| Minnesota | 5.7% |
| Kansas | 5.6% |
| South Dakota | 5.6% |
| Indiana | 5.2% |
| Nevada | 4.9% |
| Oklahoma | 4.9% |
| Wisconsin | 4.9% |
| Pennsylvania | 4.5% |
| Ohio | 4.3% |
| Michigan | 4.1% |
| Illinois | 3.9% |
| Arkansas | 3.8% |
| Kentucky | 3% |
| Alabama | 2.9% |
| Missouri | 2.3% |
| Maine | -1% |
Utah, New York, Tennessee, Florida, and Colorado have the best projected growth rates. 16 states have double-digit growth rates. The national growth rate for jobs in this profession is anticipated to be 5.3%, and all but 13 states have projected growth rates higher than this.
May 2023 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics salary and labor market information for Child, Family, and School Social Workers and Clinical and Counseling Psychologists is based on national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed February 2025.
Conclusion
As understanding of human behavior continues to grow and people become more accepting of the need to consider psychological factors in all areas of life, the need for people with a deep knowledge of human behavior and emotions will continue to grow. Whether it’s a terminal degree or simply the next step on a long and fulfilling academic journey, a Master’s in Clinical Psychology could be quite a lucrative prospect.
