Salary Outlook Ph.D vs Psy.D. in School Psychology
Thanks to our society’s growing understanding of the connection between emotional health and learning outcomes, individuals with a background and education in school psychology are finding more plentiful jobs with higher-level salaries.
School psychologists (along with clinical and counseling psychologists) are looking at a very healthy job market, with the Bureau of Labor Statistics projecting 14 percent growth through 2026 and median annual wages more than twice the national median ($75,090 vs. $37,690).
SEE ALSO: Top 5 Online PhD in School Psychology Programs
For those with a Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) in school psychology, the employment outlook, including for wages and salary, is very bright indeed. Let’s take a look at what school psychology degree-holders can expect to make, which areas are the country are the most lucrative and what specific jobs in the field pay the best.
School Psychology Salaries
There are a couple of ways federal data classifies psychologists and counselors working within schools, and the distinction is based largely on their degree. For individuals with doctorates, such as a PsyD degree, expected salaries are much higher than for those with job titles like “school counselor,” though it’s possible an individual with a PsyD degree could have a job with that title.
But because of this distinction in education, school psychologists are classified in their own group. Conversely, school counselors are grouped with career and guidance counselors because they are not required to have a doctoral degree, along with state-level certifications specific to where they hope to work.
While it can’t be said that these two roles are interchangeable, they often are confused for one another, and school psychologists almost certainly will do one-on-one counseling with individual students, but school counselors make $25,000 less per year on average than school psychologists.
It’s helpful when painting the national picture of the school psychology job market to consider statistics for both jobs, and within some institutions there may be overlap in their job duties.
School Psychologist
Among psychologists, school psychologists have some of the lowest median salaries, though they still are far above the national median of $48,069.
Median annual wage by psychologist occupation
| Industrial-organizational psychologists | $147,420 |
| Psychologists, all other | $117,750 |
| Clinical and counseling psychologists | $96,100 |
| Social Scientist | $89,440 |
| School psychologists | $84,940 |
States by average annual income for School Psychologists, Top 10
| Colorado | $111,720 |
| California | $109,830 |
| New Mexico | $106,904 |
| New York | $106,130 |
| Washington | $105,190 |
| Massachusetts | $104,180 |
| Alaska | $102,590 |
| Oregon | $101,920 |
| Connecticut | $97,480 |
| Maryland | $96,210 |
School Counselor
Half of school counselors are employed at the elementary and secondary schools, and they make higher wages than other counselors or social workers.
Median wage by occupation
| School and career counselors | $61,714 |
| Counselors, social workers, and other community and social service specialists | $51,958 |
States by average annual income, Top 10
| California | $85,820 |
| Washington | $81,280 |
| Massachusetts | $79,670 |
| New Jersey | $79,030 |
| Maryland | $76,250 |
| Oregon | $73,540 |
| New York | $72,930 |
| Alaska | $71,660 |
| Connecticut | $70,800 |
| Rhode Island | $69,240 |
Where the Jobs Are
While we’ve seen which states have the highest average salaries for school psychologists and school counselors, where you live affects the availability of jobs. For those investing in a PsyD in school psychology, it can be instructive to know which areas have the highest rates of job openings they could fill.
Fortunately the BLS tracks data on the concentration of school counselor and school psychologist jobs.
School Psychologist
States with the most school psychologists per 1,000 jobs, Top Five
| New York | 0.775 |
| Vermont | 0.768 |
| Delaware | 0.766 |
| New Mexico | 0.653 |
| California | 0.622 |
States with the least school psychologists per 1,000 jobs, Bottom Five
| Alabama | 0.116 |
| Mississippi | 0.146 |
| Maine | 0.168 |
| Nevada | 0.172 |
| Georgia | 0.177 |
Data is also available on the number of school psychologists per 1,000 jobs for hundreds of cities across the nation.
Cities with the most school psychologists per 1,000 jobs, Top 10
| St. George, UT | 1.404 |
| Merced, CA | 1.346 |
| Leominster-Gardner, MA | 1.263 |
| Las Cruces, NM | 1.248 |
| El Centro, CA | 1.218 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | 1.128 |
| Salinas, CA | 1.114 |
| Rochester, NY | 1.056 |
| Fresno, CA | 1.025 |
| Kingston, NY | 0.947 |
Cities with the least school psychologists per 1,000 jobs, Bottom 10
| New Orleans, LA | 0.150 |
| Louisville, KY | 0.156 |
| Las Vegas, NV | 0.158 |
| Jackson, MS | 0.159 |
| Greenville, SC | 0.162 |
| Orlando, FL | 0.181 |
| Atlanta, GA | 0.185 |
| Miami, FL | 0.190 |
| Toledo, OH | 0.195 |
| Fort Wayne, IN | 0.199 |
School counselor
States with the most school psychologists per 1,000 jobs, Top Five
| New Hampshire | 3.481 |
| Louisiana | 3.354 |
| Delaware | 3.156 |
| Vermont | 3.065 |
| Missouri | 3.050 |
States with the least school psychologists per 1,000 jobs, Bottom Five
| Nevada | 1.371 |
| Minnesota | 1.463 |
| Alaska | 1.483 |
| Pennsylvania | 1.498 |
| Wisconsin | 1.596 |
Cities with the most school counselors per 1,000 jobs, Top 10
| Lake Charles, LA | 8.942 |
| Columbia, MO | 7.223 |
| Ames, IA | 6.765 |
| Waco, TX | 6.131 |
| Provo-Orem, UT | 6.012 |
| Ithaca, NY | 5.736 |
| Auburn-Opelika, AL | 5.529 |
| Champaign-Urbana, IL | 5.419 |
| Lawrence, KS | 5.123 |
| College Station-Bryan, TX | 5.016 |
Cities with the least school counselors per 1,000 jobs, Bottom 10
| Anchorage, AK | 0.790 |
| Elkhart-Goshen, IN | 0.839 |
| Billings, MT | 0.850 |
| Bloomsburg-Berwick, PA | 0.882 |
| Rochester, MN | 0.911 |
| Chambersburg-Waynesboro, PA | 1.014 |
| Punta Gorda, FL | 1.015 |
| Midland, MI | 1.017 |
| Lancaster, PA | 1.109 |
| Lebanon, PA | 1.109 |
Salary Outlook for Jobs in School Psychology
Jobs in school psychology extend beyond school psychologist or counselor, and a PsyD in school psychology can be applied to jobs across a huge range of industries, both inside and outside the educational sphere, though individuals with degrees in school psychology will likely be most attracted to jobs related in some way to education or young people.
SEE ALSO: Highest-paying psychology jobs
This is a non-exhaustive list of the different job titles you can apply for with a PsyD in school psychology:
- Behavioral Scientist
- Learning Design Manager
- Psychometrician
- School Counselor
- Grief Counselor
- Mental Health Counselor
- Adolescent Therapist
- Psychological Consultant
- Applied Social Scientist
- Assessment Psychologist
- Leadership Counselor
- Military Readjustment Counselor
May 2023 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics salary for School Psychologists, Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors, and select occupations. Information based on national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed February 2025.
Conclusion
A school psychologist is more than just the person who helps you sign up for the SATs (though they might do that, too). Because learning and education are such crucial parts of development into a well-rounded individual, it’s necessary to ensure that while students’ minds are being expanded and they’re taking in new information, that educational institutions are also considering their emotional well-being and their long-term mental fitness.
SEE ALSO: Top 5 Educational Psychology Ph.D. Online Programs
For those with a School Psychology PsyD, there’s never been a better time to look for a new job or start your career.
