South Carolina Clinical Psychologist Salary Outlook
Nearly 20% of American adults is dealing with a mental illness, including issues like PTSD, bipolar or anxiety disorder. But few people who have mental illnesses or are dealing with other problematic behavioral or emotional issues actually seek help. In fact, only about 15% of adults in any given year seek treatment or other mental health services, which is helping deepen the mental health crisis in the U.S.
Statistically, South Carolina is quite representative of the nation when it comes to the prevalence both of mental illness and the rate at which people seek mental health services, with the state being less than a percentage point away from the overall U.S. rate in both cases. What this means is that many people in our state are suffering needlessly from mental, emotional and behavioral disturbances.
SEE ALSO: Steps to Becoming a Clinical Psychologist
Tackling the mental health crisis throughout the U.S. will mean giving more people access to regular care, and there’s a specific occupation that can have a big impact — clinical psychologists. These individuals are qualified to diagnose and treat mental and behavioral disorders and can help people deal with their problems so they can lead better lives.
What can such professionals expect to earn here in South Carolina, and how does our state compare to others?
What’s On This Page
- How Much Do Clinical Psychologists Make in South Carolina?
- Who’s Hiring for Clinical Psychologists in South Carolina?
- Which South Carolina Cities Are Best for Clinical Psychologists?
How Much Do Clinical Psychologists Make in South Carolina?
The typical clinical psychologist in the U.S. earns just under $77,000. Most Southern states have wages lower than this, including South Carolina, where the median salary for clinical psychologists is just over $61,000.
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 |
While South Carolina’s median wage for clinical psychologists is among the lowest in its region, these professionals still make nearly double the overall median wage for all occupations, making these jobs relatively lucrative within South Carolina.
Median annual South Carolina wage, select occupations
| All Occupations | $33,750 |
| Animal Trainers | $35,240 |
| Bailiffs | $24,660 |
| Brickmasons and Blockmasons | $38,620 |
| Clinical, Counseling, and School Psychologists | $61,030 |
| Computer Programmers | $75,680 |
| Dental Hygienists | $60,240 |
| Emergency Management Directors | $58,430 |
| Fence Erectors | $33,920 |
| Financial Examiners | $59,030 |
| Food Preparation Workers | $22,540 |
| General and Operations Managers | $82,130 |
| Healthcare Social Workers | $56,460 |
| Information Security Analysts | $70,550 |
| Legal Secretaries | $37,330 |
| Management Analysts | $68,900 |
| Medical Assistants | $31,220 |
| Nuclear Technicians | $67,910 |
| Postmasters and Mail Superintendents | $79,360 |
| Purchasing Managers | $99,760 |
| Respiratory Therapists | $55,190 |
| Sheet Metal Workers | $37,280 |
| Surveyors | $48,970 |
| Tellers | $29,960 |
| Urban and Regional Planners | $59,100 |
While today’s median wage for clinical psychologists in South Carolina may not be incredibly high, the state does have a healthy outlook when it comes to the growth of these jobs, which could help push salaries up over the next decade.
Southern states by projected long-term and short-term clinical psychologist job growth
| State | Long-term | Short-term |
| Alabama | 12.80% | 2.50% |
| Arkansas | 17.70% | 2.80% |
| Delaware | 11.80% | 0.00% |
| District of Columbia | 12.20% | 3.50% |
| Florida | 19.90% | 4.00% |
| Georgia | 17.40% | 3.90% |
| Kentucky | 12.10% | 2.10% |
| Louisiana | 11.40% | 2.70% |
| Maryland | 15.20% | 3.40% |
| Mississippi | NA | 2.60% |
| North Carolina | 15.30% | 3.70% |
| Oklahoma | 15.90% | 2.40% |
| South Carolina | 13.70% | 1.30% |
| Tennessee | 13.90% | 2.50% |
| Texas | 20.00% | 3.10% |
| Virginia | 18.20% | 2.50% |
| West Virginia | 13.00% | 0.00% |
Note: Short-term, 2018-2020; long-term, 2016-2026
Which South Carolina Cities Are Best for Clinical Psychologists?
As one might assume, some South Carolina cities and metro areas offer median wages that are higher than the state as a whole, with Myrtle Beach, Columbia and Spartanburg all boasting wages over the state’s median wage for clinical psychologists.
South Carolina cities by median annual clinical psychologist wage
| Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach | $78,060 |
| Columbia | $71,170 |
| Spartanburg | $64,020 |
| Florence | $58,260 |
| Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin | $57,840 |
| Charleston-North Charleston | $56,630 |
Worrying about how high your salary is only becomes possible once you find a job opening, and cities across South Carolina vary widely when it comes to how prevalent clinical psychologist jobs are, ranging from a high in Columbia to a low in the Myrtle Beach metro area.
South Carolina cities by clinical psychologist employment per 1,000 jobs
| Columbia | 0.932 |
| Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin | 0.729 |
| Florence | 0.626 |
| Charleston-North Charleston | 0.414 |
| Spartanburg | 0.348 |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach | 0.252 |
Who’s Hiring for Clinical Psychologists in South Carolina?
Many clinical psychologists will seek to open their own private practices, where they can take on their own clients. This allows them to specialize in particular areas or work solely with certain demographics. But for those who prefer a more traditional employment arrangement, these specializations are widely available across a range of industries, from the military and law enforcement to healthcare settings.
Here’s a look at some of the jobs for clinical psychologists that were posted in fall 2019 in South Carolina:
- Magnolia Psychological Services
- LifeSource
- Skycare Services
- State of South Carolina
- Midlands Neurology & Pain Associates
- University of South Carolina
- Greenville Health System
- S. Department of Veterans Affairs
- Platinum Business Corp.
- JusticeWorks
- Synergy Psych
- Aliron International
- S. Air Force
- Wellpath
- The Citadel
- Furman University
- Aiken County Public Schools
Conclusion
It’s true that the typical wage for a clinical psychologist in South Carolina isn’t among the highest in the nation or even in the South, the wide range of job openings and the robust growth rates projected for these jobs over the coming years should keep South Carolina top of mind for many new graduates in the field.
SEE ALSO: Best South Carolina Psychology Doctorate Programs
Additional References
- Information on clinical psychologist job openings in South Carolina was gathered from listings posted in November 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 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
- 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
- Projections Managing Partnership, Projections Central, Long Term Occupational Projections. (Undated). Accessed from https://projectionscentral.com/Projections/LongTerm