Utah Clinical Psychologist Salary Outlook
More than one-quarter of Utah adults have a diagnosable mental illness. This includes common issues like anxiety or depression, as well as more unusual conditions like OCD and bipolar disorder. Utah’s prevalence of mental illness is the highest rate in the country, and it’s well above the overall national average for adults (19%).
But, fortunately for everyone, while Utah has a higher-than-average mental illness prevalence rate, it’s also got a higher-than-average rate of adults using mental health services. According to the most recent data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 19.5% of Utah adults had availed themselves of mental health services in the past year, compared to just 14.9% of all American adults.
With such a high usage and need, Utah is among the epicenters for careers in clinical psychology, and it’s not tough to see why. Let’s explore what clinical psychologists can expect to earn in Utah and what their career outlook holds.
What’s On This Page
- How Much Do Clinical Psychologists Make in Utah?
- Who’s Hiring for Clinical Psychologists in Utah?
- Which Utah Cities Are Best for Clinical Psychologists?
How Much Do Clinical Psychologists Make in Utah?
The average American clinical psychologist earns about $81,000 per year. In Utah, the average annual salary for clinical psychologists is $88,480, No. 15 among all states.
Average annual clinical psychologist wage, top 15
| Oregon | $112,010 |
| California | $111,750 |
| District of Columbia | $106,900 |
| New York | $96,170 |
| Louisiana | $96,040 |
| New Jersey | $95,680 |
| Colorado | $92,840 |
| iowa | $92,790 |
| North Dakota | $92,370 |
| Georgia | $90,760 |
| Michigan | $90,700 |
| Massachusetts | $90,180 |
| New Hampshire | $89,000 |
| Virginia | $88,880 |
| Utah | $88,480 |
Not only do clinical psychologists in Utah earn a higher-than-average salary, they’re also much better-paid than the average Utah worker. Considering all occupations, the average worker in Utah makes just over $49,000, or about 79% less than clinical psychologists.
Average annual Utah wage, select occupations
| All Occupations | $49,420 |
| Advertising Sales Agents | $61,860 |
| Bakers | $28,920 |
| Carpenters | $43,920 |
| Clinical, Counseling and School Psychologists | $88,480 |
| Dental Hygienists | $69,320 |
| Education Administrators, Postsecondary | $97,630 |
| Firefighters | $38,360 |
| Gas Plant Operators | $64,810 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $48,070 |
| Industrial Engineers | $87,330 |
| Landscape Architects | $60,410 |
| Manicurists and Pedicurists | $32,920 |
| Medical Assistants | $34,090 |
| Nursing Assistants | $28,890 |
| Parking Attendants | $25,620 |
| Parking Enforcement Workers | $36,110 |
| Public Relations Specialists | $62,770 |
| Tree Trimmers and Pruners | $42,750 |
| Veterinary Technologists and Technicians | $30,610 |
While Utah is near the top in salaries, the state sets the bar when it comes to growth rates for clinical psychologist job openings. Through 2028, these jobs are expected to grow by 34%, No. 1 in the country, and through 2021, they’re projected to expand by 7.7%, tied with Alaska at the top of the scale.
States by projected long- and short-term growth rate for clinical psychologist job openings
| State | Long-Term (2018-28) | Short-Term (2019-21) |
| Utah | 34.0% | 7.7% |
| Georgia | 32.4% | 6.0% |
| Colorado | 26.7% | 4.7% |
| New York | 25.6% | 3.4% |
| Maryland | 23.4% | 2.7% |
| Nevada | 22.2% | 3.3% |
| Oregon | 21.9% | 4.1% |
| South Dakota | 20.0% | 4.7% |
| Arkansas | 19.3% | 4.7% |
| Florida | 19.0% | 4.7% |
Note: Short-term 2019-2021; long-term 2018-2028
Which Utah Cities Are Best for Clinical Psychologists?
Expected wages vary across the state, reaching their highest levels in the Provo-Orem metro area and falling to their lowest in Logan.
Utah cities by average annual clinical psychologist wage
| Provo-Orem | $101,210 |
| Salt Lake City | $76,390 |
| Logan | $66,440 |
Most U.S. cities with the highest annual wages for clinical psychologists are in the state of California, but taking those cities out of the equation moves the Provo-Orem area into the top 10.
Non-California cities and metro areas by average clinical psychologist wage, top 10
| Jefferson City, MO | $118,920 |
| Trenton, NJ | $114,740 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $113,930 |
| Manchester, NH | $108,080 |
| Bismarck, ND | $103,070 |
| Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island, FL | $102,570 |
| Asheville, NC | $102,450 |
| Corvallis, OR | $102,290 |
| Provo-Orem, UT | $101,210 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | $100,320 |
Who’s Hiring for Clinical Psychologists in Utah?
When it comes to employers for clinical psychologists, there’s a world of possibility beyond going into business for yourself with a private practice. In fact, companies, organizations and even government agencies all are in the market for clinical psychologists in Utah.
Openings are posted every day, but here’s a look at some of the Utah employers hiring clinical psychologists in the summer of 2020:
- Northern Utah Counseling
- Neurobehavioral Center for Growth
- Utah Psychological Associates
- Loyal Source
- Juab County
- State of Utah
- Evolutis Health
- Blomquist Hale
- Intermountain Healthcare
- Clearfield Job Corps Center
- Mountainland Headstart
- Utah Center for Evidence Based Treatment
- Utah State University
- ProCare Therapy
- Wasatch Mental Health
- Valley Behavioral Health
- University of Utah
- Christian Counseling Centers of Utah
- Midtown Community Health Center
- Fourth Street Clinic
Conclusion
From high wages to blistering growth rates for job openings, Utah is an attractive place to continue or begin a career as a clinical psychologist. And there’s no doubt the need in Utah is great, as more than 25% of Utah adults are in need of mental health services.
SEE ALSO: Best Utah Psychology Doctorate Programs
Additional References
- Information on clinical psychologist job openings in Utah was gathered from listings posted in summer 2020 on Indeed.com and Glassdoor.com
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2017-2018 NSDUH State Prevalence Estimates. (2019). Retrieved from https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2017-2018-nsduh-state-prevalence-estimates
- U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics Query System. (2020). 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
- Average Clinical Psychologist Salary by State. (2020). Retrieved from https://psydprograms.org/average-clinical-psychologist-salary-by-state/