Wisconsin Clinical Psychologist Salary Outlook
The United States is in the midst of a mental health crisis: About 1 in 5 adults has a mental illness, but only about 15% of people get any treatment for mental health issues in a given year. That means huge swaths of Americans aren’t receiving the mental healthcare they need to cope with mental illness or everyday stresses.
Mental illness among Wisconsin adults is just under the national rate (18.5% of Wisconsin adults have a mental illness), which means the state will continue to need a steady stream of trained, compassionate professionals who can help people deal with their emotional and behavioral issues, including licensed clinical psychologists, who are trained and certified to diagnose and treat a range of mental health problems.
SEE ALSO: Steps to Becoming a Clinical Psychologist
For clinical psychologists working in the Midwest, Wisconsin has wages that are among the highest in the region, and a solid job market is likely to continue for these professionals in Wisconsin. Let’s dive deep into what clinical psychologists can expect to earn in Wisconsin and which areas of the state might be more lucrative than others.
What’s On This Page
- How Much Do Clinical Psychologists Make in Wisconsin?
- Who’s Hiring for Clinical Psychologists in Wisconsin?
- Which Wisconsin Cities Are Best for Clinical Psychologists?
How Much Do Clinical Psychologists Make in Wisconsin?
Wisconsin’s median annual wage for clinical psychologists, $97,080, is a touch over the national median of $96,100, making the state a fair analog for the nation as a whole. Clinical psychologists in Wisconsin earn higher salaries than all but two states in the region.
Median annual clinical psychologist wage, Midwestern states
| Ohio | $105,680 |
| Minnesota | $101,160 |
| Wisconsin | $97,080 |
| Iowa | $86,300 |
| Illinois | $85,990 |
| Missouri | $83,840 |
| South Dakota | $83,470 |
| Indiana | $80,480 |
| Michigan | $77,530 |
| North Dakota | $74,110 |
| Kansas | $66,390 |
Not only are clinical psychologist salaries in Wisconsin high relative to most others in the Midwest. These professionals earn salaries that are considerably higher than all jobs in Wisconsin, where the general average annual salary for all workers is $59,500.
Median – Top 10% Wisconsin wage for clinical psychologists
| Average | $109,890 |
| Median | $97,080 |
| 75th percentile | $129,960 |
| Top 10th percentile | $170,150 |
While Wisconsin is near the top of the region when it comes to typical salaries for clinical psychologists, the state has relatively low projected rates of growth in clinical psychologist job openings.
Midwestern states by projected short-term and long-term clinical psychologist job growth rate
| State | Long-term | Short-term |
| Iowa | 20.6% | 1.9% |
| South Dakota | 14.3% | 0.0% |
| Indiana | 13.4% | 4.0% |
| North Dakota | 12.5% | 0.0% |
| Kansas | 12.5% | 4.9% |
| Michigan | 11.2% | 2.9% |
| Illinois | 11.0% | 2.9% |
| Missouri | 10.9% | 3.4% |
| Minnesota | 9.9% | 3.1% |
| Wisconsin | 9.1% | 2.2% |
| Ohio | 4.5% | 1.9% |
Note: Short-term, year over year; long-term, 2022-2032
Which Wisconsin Cities Are Best for Clinical Psychologists?
La Crosse offers the highest salaries for clinical psychologists. On the other end of the spectrum, clinical psychologists in Janesville earn relatively low salaries.
Wisconsin cities by median annual clinical psychologist wage
| La Crosse | $134,940 |
| Madison | $108,640 |
| Milwaukee | $101,610 |
| Appleton | $95,960 |
| Racine | $90,380 |
| Oshkosh | $86,250 |
| Green Bay | $81,220 |
| Eau Claire | $81,070 |
| Wausau | $79,510 |
| Janesville | $79,370 |
Typical salary figures are only one part of the equation when it comes to how attractive a state is for a particular profession, and the availability of jobs is also of paramount importance. The percentage of clinical psychology jobs per capita varies widely across Wisconsin cities.
Wisconsin cities by clinical psychologist employment per 1,000 jobs
| Madison | 0.891 |
| Janesville | 0.815 |
| Oshkosh | 0.732 |
| Wausau | 0.635 |
| Racine | 0.609 |
| La Crosse | 0.553 |
| Eau Claire | 0.507 |
| Green Bay | 0.438 |
| Milwaukee | 0.381 |
| Appleton | 0.328 |
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 Wisconsin?
While many people who become clinical psychologists will open their own private practices, there also are many opportunities for clinical psychologists who wish to go to work for an employer, whether in a for-profit setting, a medical center or even for the government.
Here’s a look at some of the jobs for clinical psychologists in Wisconsin that were posted in fall 2019:
- Beloit Health System
- Behavioral Care Solutions
- University of Wisconsin Health
- State of Wisconsin
- Menominee Tribal Clinic
- Milwaukee Health Services
- Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin
- Caravel Autism Health
- InBloom Autism Services
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
- American Psychological Association
- Mediscan
- Deer Oaks Mental Health Association
- Advocate Aurora Health
- U.S. Navy
- Mayo Clinic
- LifeSource
- Milwaukee County
- WellQor
- University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Conclusion
With wages among the highest in the Midwest and stable job growth, Wisconsin looks to be an attractive place for clinical psychologists for the next several years, regardless of the industry or population served.
SEE ALSO: Best Wisconsin Psychology Doctorate Programs
Additional References
- Information on clinical psychologist job openings in Wisconsin was gathered from listings posted in November 2019 on Indeed.com and Glassdoor.com
- Projections Managing Partnership, Projections Central, Long Term Occupational Projections. (Undated). Accessed from https://projectionscentral.com/Projections/LongTerm
- 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
- 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