Salary Outlook with Ph.D. in Trauma Psychology Degree
Trauma and crises are a sad part of our lives. There are many devastating life events that can have a major impact on the psychology and lives of the victims.
Some major traumas that can lead to psychological problems are:
- Major acts of violence such as war, terrorism and armed robbery with serious injury or death
- Natural disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes, fires, earthquakes and floods
- Family violence such as rape, child abuse or suicide of a loved one
- A serious car accident or workplace accident
Trauma psychology is a subspecialty of clinical and counseling psychology. Trauma psychologists work with victims of traumatic events to help them deal with their feelings, develop effective strategies for recovery, and devise skills that will encourage closure so they can move on with a better life.
Students interested in this field can earn their Ph.D. in Trauma Psychology. Earning this degree can take from four to six years, so it is important to understand the compensation you can enjoy after you graduate. Below is more information about the salary outlook with a Ph.D. in Trauma Psychology.
Trauma Psychology Salary Outlook
A good source for overall psychologist salary information is the Bureau of Labor Statistics or BLS. It states the median salary for psychologists is $92,740. The lowest 10% salary range tops out at $52,430, representing new professionals with a bachelor’s or master’s degree and limited experienced. Those with the most experience and PhD degrees can consider the top 10% salaries that start at $151,880 per year.
The yearly salary profile for clinical and counseling psychologists, a broad category used by the BLS that includes trauma psychologists, looks like this:
- Bottom 25% salary – $66,050 and lower
- Median salary – $96,100
- Average salary – 106,600
- Top 25% salary – $129,020 and higher
- Top 10% salary – $168,870 and higher
Some professionals with their PhD in trauma psychology may want to work as part-time or full-time college instructors. The BLS states the median salary for all post-secondary psychology instructors is $82,140.
High Salary Growth in Ph.D. in Trauma Psychology
For the best possible salary in trauma psychology, it is recommended to earn your PhD and work in private practice as a trauma psychologist. The BLS reports the following sectors offer the highest average salaries for clinical and counseling psychologists, which include trauma psychologists:
- Scientific research and development services – $131,050
- Specialty hospitals, except psychiatric and substance abuse – $117,940
- Offices of other health practitioners – $114,900
- Physicians’ offices – $113,970
- Educational support services – $111,340
BLS data shows that high-end psychologists with a PhD can potentially earn within the top 10% salary range for clinical and counseling psychologists, which starts at $168,870.
Government can also be a valuable employer for trauma psychologists. Both the state and federal governments are interested in employing these professionals to help victims of major disasters to deal with the aftermath of their trauma.
General Ph.D. Job Outlook
The job outlook for psychologists with a PhD is strong. The BLS projects a 7% increase in demand for psychologists in general between 2023 and 2033, which is above average. Jobs for clinical and counseling psychologists are also anticipated to increase by 13.3%.
Trauma psychology is a form of a clinical psychology. There will be more need for psychological services in hospitals, mental health centers and social services agencies to help people who are dealing with major trauma in their lives and communities.
If you want to teach as a college psychology instructor with your PhD, the BLS forecasts a 5% increase in demand for these academic professionals over that same period.
Trauma Psychology Career Opportunities
Obtaining your Ph.D. in Trauma Psychology will make you eligible for many exciting careers. Below are some actual current job listings for professionals with a master’s or Ph.D. in Trauma Psychology.
- Behavioral health clinician: Focused on knowledge of family trauma and culturally sensitive substance and mental abuse.
- Clinical psychologist: Work in a stress and anxiety center to work with patients with significant trauma and major depression and anxiety.
- Psychologist in behavioral medicine: Work with people who struggle will issues related to chronic pain and trauma.
- Psychologist: Experience in crisis interventions; experience with clinical case management such as crisis response, suicide assessment, etc.
- Clinical psychologist: Work in a military sexual trauma center and have high and advanced practice skills and judgment in trauma.
- Clinical psychologist – integrative pain: Work with patients undergoing mental and physical trauma from chronic pain issues. Administer depression, anxiety, risk and other assessment tests, addiction counseling and more.
Featured Online Ph.D. in Trauma Psychology
Northcentral University offers an Online Ph.D. in Psychology with a specialization in Trauma Psychology. This online Ph.D. program has been designed in growing response to higher interest in the field because of the need for more advanced skills and educational opportunities in trauma psychology. (Visit NCU.edu)
In this five-year program, you will grow your critical thinking skills, expand your base of knowledge in trauma psychology to be able to evaluate problems with individuals, as well as deal with trauma as it affects society, organizations and the world community.
You will learn in this program that exposure to disaster and trauma can cause major emotional and behavioral issues for victims, survivors, relief workers and bystanders. The Northcentral Trauma and Disaster Relief specialization will prepare you to understand needs of people who were witnesses to natural disasters, accidents, abuse, physical injury, bullying and more, and who are dealing with how to deal with feelings related to these traumas.
Required courses in this specialty include:
- Research Models
- Statistics I
- Tests and Measurements
- Introduction to Quantitative and Qualitative Methods
- Advanced Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis and Design
- Research Design Planning
- Psychology of Violence
- Psychology of Traumatic Stress
- Disaster, Terrorism, and Mass Violence: Impacts on Mental Health
- Trauma-Informed Assessment, Risk and Diagnosis
- Trauma-Information Interventions with Disaster and Trauma Survivors
- Gender and Cultural Considerations in Disaster Trauma and Response
Conclusion
Earning a PhD in Trauma Psychology can be a good fit for you if you want to work with patients who are dealing with various serious trauma in their life, from natural disasters to terrorism to sexual and mental abuse, among many others. Working with these types of patients can be very intense and demanding, but many psychologists find it deeply rewarding.
You also can earn a high salary of $168,870 and above if you earn your PhD in psychology and get your license to practice. You further can expect strong demand for highly educated and experienced clinical psychologists with highly developed skills in treating trauma subjects.
May 2023 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics salary and labor market information for Psychologists, Clinical and Counseling Psychologists, and Post-Secondary Psychology Teachers is based on national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed February 2025.
