West Virginia Clinical Psychologist Salary Outlook
Nearly 1 in 4 adults in West Virginia has a diagnosable mental illness, which could include anxiety, depression, addiction, bipolar disorder, OCD and more. This ranks the state at No. 3 nationally, with 23.8% of all adults having a mental illness, compared to just 19% of all Americans.
But there is a bit of good news. That’s because while West Virginia has higher-than-average rates of mental illness, residents of the state also embrace getting help at a higher-than-average rate. In fact, while only about 14.9% of American adults received mental health services in the most recent year for which data is available, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, in West Virginia, that number was closer to 19%.
It takes a vast network of trained professionals to provide helpful counseling and therapy services to those struggling with mental health and behavioral disorders. Key in that network are clinical psychologists, who provide many crucial mental health services. Let’s take a look at what these professionals can expect to earn in West Virginia and how the state compares to the rest of the U.S.
What’s On This Page
- How Much Do Clinical Psychologists Make in West Virginia?
- Who’s Hiring for Clinical Psychologists in West Virginia?
- Which West Virginia Cities Are Best for Clinical Psychologists?
How Much Do Clinical Psychologists Make in West Virginia?
The average clinical psychologist salary in West Virginia ($54,780) is the lowest in the country. With an overall U.S. average of about $81,000, clinical psychologists in West Virginia can expect to make about 48% less than that.
Average annual clinical psychologist wage, Southern states
| District of Columbia | $106,900 |
| Louisiana | $96,040 |
| Georgia | $90,760 |
| Virginia | $88,880 |
| North Carolina | $80,670 |
| Delaware | $80,060 |
| Maryland | $79,870 |
| Tennessee | $78,270 |
| Florida | $77,460 |
| Texas | $73,920 |
| Arkansas | $73,050 |
| Mississippi | $72,470 |
| Alabama | $69,190 |
| South Carolina | $68,040 |
| Kentucky | $66,940 |
| Oklahoma | $66,400 |
| West Virginia | $54,780 |
Taking into account all jobs in the state, wages for clinical psychologists begin to look a bit more attractive. That’s because the average worker in the state makes about $43,000, and the average wage for clinical psychologists is more than 26% higher.
Average annual West Virginia wage, select occupations
| All Occupations | $43,420 |
| Air Traffic Controllers | $79,180 |
| Athletic Trainers | $43,400 |
| Bill and Account Collectors | $35,240 |
| Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters | $34,470 |
| Clinical, Counseling and School Psychologists | $54,780 |
| Computer Programmers | $74,180 |
| Credit Counselors | $40,250 |
| Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers | $36,010 |
| Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers | $66,560 |
| Fence Erectors | $31,460 |
| Graphic Designers | $46,890 |
| Highway Maintenance Workers | $34,490 |
| Interior Designers | $45,530 |
| Loan Officers | $60,670 |
| Medical Transcriptionists | $33,850 |
| Paralegals and Legal Assistants | $48,580 |
| Pipelayers | $41,320 |
| Roofers | $36,770 |
| Tax Preparers | $31,860 |
The next couple of years don’t look to be a seller’s market for clinical psychologists, as job openings are expected to increase by only about 1.5% through 2021, the slowest non-zero growth rate in the country for clinical psychologists.
States by projected short-term growth rate for clinical psychologist job openings, Southern states
| Georgia | 6% |
| District of Columbia | 4.90% |
| Arkansas | 4.70% |
| Florida | 4.70% |
| Virginia | 4.60% |
| North Carolina | 4.30% |
| Texas | 3.70% |
| Alabama | 3.40% |
| Louisiana | 3.40% |
| Kentucky | 3.20% |
| Maryland | 2.70% |
| Tennessee | 2.60% |
| Oklahoma | 2.50% |
| South Carolina | 2.20% |
| Delaware | 1.50% |
| West Virginia | 1.50% |
| Mississippi | 0% |
Note: Short-term 2019-2021; long-term 2018-2028
Which West Virginia Cities Are Best for Clinical Psychologists?
The state as a whole may not be setting any records for clinical psychologist salaries, but several cities in West Virginia have average salaries that are considerably higher than the state’s average. The Parkersburg-Vienna area leads the way, while salaries in Beckley are the lowest.
West Virginia cities by average annual clinical psychologist wage
| Parkersburg-Vienna | $77,970 |
| Charleston | $62,350 |
| Morgantown | $60,110 |
| Wheeling | $57,250 |
| Huntington-Ashland | $53,250 |
| Beckley | $48,300 |
Similarly, job openings fluctuate across the state, with the rate of employment per 1,000 jobs is highest in Beckley and lowest in Morgantown.
West Virginia cities by average clinical psychologist employment per 1,000 jobs
| Beckley | 1.54 |
| Wheeling | 1.43 |
| Parkersburg-Vienna | 1.12 |
| Huntington-Ashland | 1.077 |
| Charleston | 0.997 |
| Morgantown | 0.743 |
Who’s Hiring for Clinical Psychologists in West Virginia?
A rewarding job in clinical psychology doesn’t just take one form across the board. That’s because jobs include patient-facing or administrative, jobs can be found across every conceivable industry. Plus, for professionals with a passion for a specific population group, there are probably plenty of jobs catering to that group.
Here’s a look at some of the West Virginia organizations that were seeking to hire clinical psychologists in the summer of 2020:
- The Pain Center
- Federal Bureau of Prisons
- West Virginia University
- US Department of Justice
- Prairie Band Health Services
- West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine
- United Summit Center
- University Health Associates
- Aspire Psychological Services
- West Liberty University
- Logan Mingo Area Mental Health
- Highland-Clarksburg Hospital
- Hope for Tomorrow
- Southwestern Regional Day Report Center
- Community Care of West Virginia
- Seneca Health Services
- Pendleton Community Care
- Youth Advocate Programs
- The IMA Group
- The Counseling Connection
Conclusion
While salaries for clinical psychologists in West Virginia may be at the bottom of the list compared to other states, the truth is that West Virginia is among the most in-need states when it comes to demand for professional mental health services providers. For clinical psychologists, with their demanding and specialized training, the chance to make a huge impact on the emotional well-being of others may be well worth a less-than-generous salary package.
SEE ALSO: Best West Virginia Psychology Doctorate Programs
Additional References
- Information on clinical psychologist job openings in West Virginia 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
- Average Clinical Psychologist Salary by State. (2020). Retrieved from https://psydprograms.org/average-clinical-psychologist-salary-by-state/