Washington Clinical Psychologist Salary Outlook
Nationally, about 18% of adults currently have at least one diagnosable mental illness, including depression, bipolar or schizophrenia. In the state of Washington, that number is even higher — 22.8%, the fifth-highest rate in the country.
But despite the relatively high prevalence of mental health issues, few people seek help for their behavioral or emotional problems. In fact, according to the most recent available federal data, only about 14% of adults have received any mental health services in the past year.
Making a difference in the struggle for better mental health are licensed clinical psychologists, who are highly trained in identifying and treating disorders and conditions related to mental, behavioral and emotional health.
SEE ALSO: Clinical Psychology Phd vs PsyD
For clinical psychologists who want to practice their trade in the state of Washington, what is a typical wage they can expect, where in the state are wages the highest, and what types of employers are available?
What’s On This Page
- How Much Do Clinical Psychologists Make in Washington?
- Who’s Hiring for Clinical Psychologists in Washington?
- Which Washington Cities Are Best for Clinical Psychologists?
How Much Do Clinical Psychologists Make in Washington?
Clinical psychologists earn a national median wage in the U.S. of about $77,000. The median wage for the job in Washington is a bit lower than that. In fact, Washington’s median wage for clinical psychologists places the state in the bottom half among all Western states.
Median annual clinical psychologist wage, Western states
| California | $100,850 |
| Oregon | $89,150 |
| Alaska | $84,740 |
| Colorado | $84,410 |
| Hawaii | $78,440 |
| Nevada | $77,200 |
| Wyoming | $74,350 |
| Washington | $71,670 |
| Utah | $70,740 |
| New Mexico | $66,810 |
| Idaho | $66,140 |
| Arizona | $61,500 |
| Montana | $60,540 |
While it’s true that clinical psychologists in Washington earn a typical wage that’s lower than the national rate for this job, there are many other common clinical psychology careers that earn even less in the state.
Median annual Washington wage, select occupations
| All Occupations | $46,100 |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,600 |
| Baggage Porters and Bellhops | $28,290 |
| Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters | $38,640 |
| Clinical, Counseling, and School Psychologists | $71,670 |
| Dental Assistants | $42,260 |
| Electricians | $65,650 |
| Firefighters | $75,200 |
| Graphic Designers | $58,450 |
| Health Educators | $59,140 |
| Industrial Machinery Mechanics | $58,990 |
| Labor Relations Specialists | $76,460 |
| Manicurists and Pedicurists | $29,760 |
| New Accounts Clerks | $39,520 |
| Occupational Therapists | $80,300 |
| Paralegals and Legal Assistants | $57,670 |
| Real Estate Brokers | $61,050 |
| Roofers | $54,200 |
| Tax Preparers | $31,130 |
| Web Developers | $89,660 |
While Washington’s current median wage for clinical psychologists isn’t among the national leaders, the state is expected to add hundreds of these jobs over the next several years, earning Washington one of the highest growth rates in the country.
States by projected long-term growth rate for clinical psychologist job openings, top 15
| Colorado | 33.5% |
| Utah | 30.8% |
| Arizona | 24.9% |
| Nevada | 21.7% |
| Washington | 21.5% |
| Texas | 20.0% |
| Florida | 19.9% |
| Virginia | 18.2% |
| Arkansas | 17.7% |
| Georgia | 17.4% |
| North Dakota | 17.2% |
| Missouri | 16.2% |
| Oklahoma | 15.9% |
| New York | 15.6% |
| Oregon | 15.5% |
Note: Short-term 2018-2020; long-term 2016-2026
Which Washington Cities Are Best for Clinical Psychologists?
Clinical psychologist wages vary pretty widely across the state, though none of the cities or metro areas for which data is available have wages higher than the overall U.S. median.
Washington cities and metro areas by median annual clinical psychologist wage
| Spokane-Spokane Valley | $76,690 |
| Yakima | $76,690 |
| Olympia-Tumwater | $76,310 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue | $74,080 |
| Kennewick-Richland | $68,750 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale | $64,020 |
In addition to the great variety in wages, job availability varies a bit.
Washington cities and metro areas by clinical psychologist employment per 1,000 jobs
| Yakima | 0.773 |
| Kennewick-Richland | 0.772 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley | 0.76 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale | 0.748 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue | 0.68 |
| Olympia-Tumwater | 0.566 |
Who’s Hiring for Clinical Psychologists in Washington?
For the highly skilled and educated individuals who seek work as clinical psychologists, the state of Washington offers dozens of different types of employers and workplace settings, from education to the military.
SEE ALSO: 15 Great Places to Work in Clinical Psychology
Here’s a look at some actual examples of employers in Washington who were seeking to hire clinical psychologists in the summer of 2019:
- Seattle Children’s
- Greater Lakes Mental Healthcare
- S. Department of Veterans Affairs
- Seneca Family of Agencies
- Concentric Methods
- Advanced Medical
- Columbia River Mental Health
- Washington State University
- Catholic Charities Serving Central Washington
- Willapa Behavioral Health
- Northwest Pediatric Center
- Discovery Behavioral Healthcare
- Frontier Behavioral Health
- Saratoga Medical
- Senior Connections
- Western Washington University
- Seattle Public Schools
- Bluestone Psychological Services
Conclusion
Washington has one of the highest rates of adults who have at least one diagnosable mental illness. An untreated mental illness can negatively impact an individual’s life in virtually every way, from their personal relationships to their jobs and even their physical health. That’s why Washington is in such need of trained, compassionate clinical psychologists.
Additional References
- Information on clinical psychologist job openings in Washington state was gathered from listings posted in August 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
- 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
- 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
- Average Clinical Psychologist Salary by State. (2019). Retrieved from https://psydprograms.org/average-clinical-psychologist-salary-by-state/
- How Much Do Clinical Psychologists Make? (2019). Retrieved from https://psydprograms.org/how-much-do-clinical-psychologists-make/