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 is a touch over the national median of about $77,000, making the state a fair analog for the nation as a whole. Clinical psychologists in Wisconsin earn higher wages than all but three states in the region.
Median annual clinical psychologist wage, Midwestern states
| Minnesota | $84,630 |
| North Dakota | $83,730 |
| Iowa | $78,810 |
| Wisconsin | $77,090 |
| Michigan | $75,340 |
| Ohio | $72,930 |
| Illinois | $71,340 |
| South Dakota | $68,780 |
| Nebraska | $67,060 |
| Missouri | $65,890 |
| Indiana | $63,540 |
| Kansas | $58,900 |
Not only are clinical psychologist wages in Wisconsin high relative to most others in the Midwest, these professionals earn wages that are considerably higher than all jobs in Wisconsin and compare favorably to many other popular occupations.
Median annual Wisconsin wage, select occupations
| All Occupations | $37,970 |
| Animal Trainers | $23,170 |
| Bailiffs | $27,700 |
| Bus Drivers, School or Special Client | $33,410 |
| Clinical, Counseling, and School Psychologists | $77,090 |
| Compliance Officers | $59,200 |
| Database Administrators | $84,380 |
| Editors | $46,350 |
| Firefighters | $35,130 |
| Interior Designers | $46,060 |
| Legal Secretaries | $41,330 |
| Loan Officers | $62,850 |
| Massage Therapists | $42,400 |
| Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | $58,260 |
| Occupational Therapy Aides | $29,330 |
| Parking Enforcement Workers | $38,970 |
| Phlebotomists | $34,940 |
| Plant and System Operators, All Other | $56,310 |
| Radiation Therapists | $73,310 |
| Registered Nurses | $70,150 |
| Roofers | $41,590 |
| Sheet Metal Workers | $51,840 |
| Skincare Specialists | $35,970 |
| Substitute Teachers | $31,610 |
| Veterinarians | $83,820 |
While Wisconsin is near the top of the region when it comes to typical wages for clinical psychologists, the state has relatively low projected rates of growth in clinical psychologist job openings, though it’s possible the lower growth rate could equate to higher wages for individuals who are among the best in the industry.
Midwestern states by projected short-term and long-term clinical psychologist job growth rate
| State | Long-term | Short-term |
| Ohio | 13.40% | 3.50% |
| Indiana | 15.40% | 3.30% |
| Minnesota | 11.90% | 2.80% |
| Nebraska | 11.30% | 2.70% |
| Missouri | 16.20% | 2.60% |
| Kansas | 9.30% | 2.40% |
| Michigan | 13.50% | 1.60% |
| Iowa | 12.20% | 1.60% |
| Illinois | 5.90% | 1.40% |
| Wisconsin | 9.70% | 1.10% |
| North Dakota | 17.20% | 0.00% |
| South Dakota | 11.40% | 0.00% |
Note: Short-term, 2018-2020; long-term, 2016-2026
Which Wisconsin Cities Are Best for Clinical Psychologists?
Perhaps not surprisingly, Milwaukee, the state’s largest city, and the surrounding metro area offer the highest wages for clinical psychologists among the state’s biggest cities and metro areas. On the other end of the spectrum, clinical psychologists in Green Bay earn wages that are considerably lower than those in Wisconsin as well as the state’s median wage.
Wisconsin cities by median annual clinical psychologist wage
| Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis | $85,040 |
| Oshkosh-Neenah | $81,370 |
| Eau Claire | $76,850 |
| Madison | $75,640 |
| Sheboygan | $75,250 |
| Appleton | $73,430 |
| Racine | $71,540 |
| Janesville-Beloit | $70,540 |
| La Crosse-Onalaska | $64,420 |
| Green Bay | $63,760 |
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 good news for Wisconsin clinical psychologists is that three metro areas in the state have concentrations of clinical psychologist jobs that are among the 20 highest in the nation.
Metro areas by clinical psychologist employment per 1,000 jobs, top 20*
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | 3.625 |
| Madera, CA | 2.968 |
| Mankato-North Mankato, MN | 2.624 |
| College Station-Bryan, TX | 2.459 |
| Vallejo-Fairfield, CA | 2.089 |
| Fairbanks, AK | 2.03 |
| Barnstable Town, MA | 1.98 |
| New Bedford, MA | 1.953 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, CA | 1.872 |
| Missoula, MT | 1.819 |
| Bakersfield, CA | 1.803 |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | 1.794 |
| La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | 1.784 |
| Boulder, CO | 1.66 |
| Kingston, NY | 1.657 |
| Billings, MT | 1.609 |
| Prescott, AZ | 1.603 |
| Burlington-South Burlington, VT | 1.574 |
| Eau Claire, WI | 1.57 |
| Madison, WI | 1.567 |
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