Tennessee Clinical Psychologist Salary Outlook
Nearly 20% of U.S. adults, according to federal mental health data, have at least one diagnosable mental illness. This could include depression, PTSD or schizophrenia, and everything in between.
But while having mental illnesses is very common, getting help for mental health issues is much less common. In fact, less than 15% of adults have received any mental health services in the past year, which means that thousands of people are needlessly suffering from emotional or behavioral disturbances.
Many of them are here in Tennessee; the state is in the bottom half of the nation when it comes to the percentage of adults who have availed themselves of mental health services — 14.9%. Part of the reason Tennessee lags in treatment of mental health could be because typical salaries for licensed clinical psychologists in the state are not among the most generous in the nation.
SEE ALSO: Steps to Becoming a Clinical Psychologist
So what can a clinical psychologist expect to earn here in Tennessee, how do those salaries compare to those in other states or for other jobs in Tennessee, and what types of employers are available for clinical psychologists who want to practice in Tennessee?
What’s On This Page
- How Much Do Clinical Psychologists Make in Tennessee?
- Who’s Hiring for Clinical Psychologists in Tennessee?
- Which Tennessee Cities Are Best for Clinical Psychologists?
How Much Do Clinical Psychologists Make in Tennessee?
The typical U.S. clinical psychologist earns a wage of $96,100 per year. Tennessee’s median salary in this category of $89,980 is close to that national figure. Compared with other Southern states Tennessee’s median is relatively good.
Median annual clinical psychologist wage, Southern states
| Maryland | $102,680 |
| Kentucky | $95,130 |
| Alabama | $94,740 |
| Tennessee | $89,980 |
| Virginia | $89,520 |
| Georgia | $79,410 |
| Florida | $78,730 |
| North Carolina | $78,630 |
| Oklahoma | $76,190 |
| Texas | $75,140 |
| Arkansas | $65,440 |
| West Virginia | $65,350 |
| South Carolina | $59,580 |
Compared with the overall median salary of $43,826 in Tennessee for all workers, clinical psychologists are at the high-end of the salary spectrum.
Median – Top 10% Tennessee wage for clinical psychologists
| Average | $109,670 |
| Median | $89,980 |
| 75th percentile | $124,120 |
| Top 10th percentile | $143,890 |
Tennessee is expected to see double-digit growth in clinical psychologist job openings, which could help the most qualified people command higher salaries.
Southern states by projected long- and short-term growth rate for clinical psychologist job openings
| State | Long-term | Short-term |
| Florida | 26.1% | 11.8% |
| Tennessee | 23.4% | 0.0% |
| South Carolina | 22.8% | 5.1% |
| Texas | 19.6% | 6.1% |
| North Carolina | 18.9% | 4.5% |
| Mississippi | 16.0% | 0.0% |
| Oklahoma | 14.6% | 3.8% |
| Arkansas | 13.2% | 5.4% |
| Maryland | 12.6% | 4.4% |
| West Virginia | 12.2% | 1.4% |
| Virginia | 11.6% | 3.4% |
| Alabama | 11.4% | 2.2% |
| Kentucky | 11.1% | 3.6% |
| Louisiana | 10.8% | 2.6% |
| Georgia | 10.5% | 4.6% |
| Delaware | 8.3% | 0.0% |
| District of Columbia | 7.1% | 0.0% |
Note: Short-term, year over year; long-term, 2022-2032
Which Tennessee Cities Are Best for Clinical Psychologists?
A number of Tennessee cities have higher salaries for clinical psychologists than the state median for this profession, and two even exceed the national median.
Tennessee cities and metro areas by median annual clinical psychologist wage
| Chattanooga | $110,140 |
| Knoxville | $104,670 |
| Memphis | $91,550 |
| Nashville | $89,980 |
Just as salaries vary by geography, job availability is also not consistent across the state, with Nashville having a higher concentration of clinical psychologists than Memphis.
Tennessee cities by clinical psychologist employment per 1,000 jobs
| Nashville | 0.264 |
| Knoxville | 0.248 |
| Chattanooga | 0.167 |
| Memphis | 0.150 |
May 2023 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics salary and labor market information for Psychologists is based on national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed January 2025.
Who’s Hiring for Clinical Psychologists in Tennessee?
There is no one single typical job for a clinical psychologists, as roles vary depending on whether they’re in the public or private sector or whether they focus on particular conditions, such as depression or anxiety.
Consequently, there are dozens of different possible employers across Tennessee for clinical psychologists. Here are several examples of real-world organizations that were looking to hire clinical psychologists in the state in summer 2019:
- S. Air Force
- Oak Plains Academy
- PediaStaff
- The Sexual Assault Center
- Omni Community Health
- University of Tennessee
- Murfreesboro City Schools
- Haven of Hope of DeKalb County
- Ballad Health
- Fairhaven Treatment Center
- Vanderbilt University Medical Center
- Luke & Associates
- Chattanooga Autism Center
- Truecore Behavioral Services
- S. Department of Veterans Affairs
- Wayne Provision
- Nashville Public Schools
- Siskin Children’s Institute
Conclusion
For individuals who have devoted their lives to the study and treatment of mental, emotional and behavioral health disorders, the desire to help other people lead happier, healthier lives is the primary drive. But earning a fair wage doesn’t hurt, and while the state of Tennessee isn’t yet among the leaders in that area, double-digit job opening growth could change all of that.
SEE ALSO: Best Tennessee Psychology Doctorate Programs
Additional References
- Information on clinical psychologist job openings in Tennessee was gathered from listings posted in October 2019 on Indeed.com and Glassdoor.com
- 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
- 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 Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics Query System. (2019). Accessed from https://data.bls.gov/oes/#/home
- Projections Managing Partnership, Projections Central, Short Term Occupational Projections. (Undated). Accessed from https://projectionscentral.com/Projections/ShortTerm
- Projections Managing Partnership, Projections Central, Long Term Occupational Projections. (Undated). Accessed from https://projectionscentral.com/Projections/LongTerm