Psychologists working in the United States generally earn salaries in the range from $40,809 to $144,845 a year including bonuses and contributions from profit sharing according to the salary information reported by Payscale.
Professionals with the certification of Licensed Psychologist generally report earning an annual pay in the range from $43,030 to $112,360 according to Payscale’s salary data. Psychologists employed by Kaiser Permanente are typically paid between $75,000 and $129,000 a year.
Earnings from profit sharing depend on a variety of factors, including work experience. Psychologists with 1 to 4 years of experience report getting $100 a year on average, those with 5 to 9 years of experience typically earn around $2,500 annually, and professionals with 20 or more years of experience earn $5,750 a year on average according to Payscale.
The job outlook for this occupation, as reported by the BLS, is pretty good, with a faster than average growth rate (22%) estimated for the period between 2010 and 2020.
Average salary
The average salary for psychologists employed in the United States is $71,358 a year according to Payscale’s salary figures. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports an average salary of $68,640 a year for psychologists in general, $87,330 a year for industrial-organizational psychologists, $66,810 a year for clinical, counseling, and school psychologists, and $89,900 a year for all other psychologists.
Starting salary
The average starting salary for psychologists in their first year of practice is typically in the range from $30,000 to $79,949 a year according to Payscale’s salary data.
Hourly rate
The hourly rate for psychologists working in the U.S. depends on a wide range of factors, including work experience. Psychologists with 1 to 4 years of experience generally earn between $15.96 and $153.89 per hour, and those with 5 to 9 years of experience are usually paid between $26.93 and $168.86 per hour. Psychologists with 10 to 19 years of work experience under their belt generally make between $28.60 and $241.44 per hour, and professionals with 20 or more years of experience in the field report earning an hourly salary in the range from $28.05 to $154.03 according to Payscale’s salary figures.
The hourly pay for these professionals can vary considerably depending on location. Psychologists based in California typically earn between $20 and $256.02 per hour, those working in Pennsylvania are generally paid between $28 and $100 per hour, and professionals employed in New York earn an hourly wage in the range from $41.82 to $104.80 according to Payscale.
Psychologists employed in Colorado make between $44.22 and $140 per hour, and those working in Ohio are typically paid between $30 and $56 per hour. Professionals based in Florida earn an hourly salary in the range between $29.16 and $37.64 per hour, and those employed in Maryland are generally paid an hourly wage in the range from $26.96 to $152.60 according to Payscale’s data.
The hourly wage can also vary dramatically from city to city. For example, psychologists based in Los Angeles typically make between $54.50 and $325 per hour, while professionals employed in Philadelphia earn an hourly pay in the range from $28 to $84.
Professionals with the certification of Licensed Psychologists generally earn an hourly salary in the range from $24.82 to $157.81 according to Payscale.
Women generally earn between $24.66 and $148.48 per hour, and men are usually paid between $28 and $245.66 per hour.
In terms of industry, psychologists employed at clinical psychologists’ offices earn between $29.80 and $250.56 per hour, those working in community mental health centers make between $21.33 and $99.67 per hour, and professionals working in counseling services earn an hourly pay in the range from $20.61 to $150.67. Psychologists working in the health care sector are typically paid between $16.34 and $244.68 per hour, and those employed at psychiatric hospitals generally report earning an hourly salary in the range from $30 to $137 according to Payscale’s salary statistics.
Area of specialty is another factor that can affect a psychologist’s hourly wage. For instance, professionals specializing in clinical psychology typically earn between $25.75 and $154.69 per hour, while those who specialize in counseling generally make between $19.38 and $179.47 per hour.
The hourly rate for these professionals also varies considerably depending on the type of employer. Psychologists employed by private practices and firms generally earn an hourly pay in the range from $20.13 to $175.07, those working at hospitals are typically paid between $20.13 and $79.46 per hour, and professionals who are self-employed earn an hourly wage in the range from $58.72 to $180.32 according to Payscale. Psychologists employed by the state and local government are generally paid between $20.35 and $43.06 per hour, and those employed by companies typically earn an hourly salary in the range from $25.24 to $47.17 according to Payscale’s data.
Psychologists’ hourly pay can also vary depending on the size of the company or organization that employs them. For example, based on Payscale’s figures, psychologists working for organizations that employ between 1 and 9 people typically earn between $21.36 and $150 per hour, those working for organizations with 10 to 49 employees are paid between $16.11 and $148.32 per hour, and professionals working for organizations that employ between 200 and 599 people generally report earning an hourly wage in the range from $31.58 to $72.50.
In terms of academic degree, psychologists with a Doctorate (PhD) generally earn between $27.49 and $147.42 per hour, those with a PsyD in Clinical Psychology make between $26.47 and $154.56 per hour, and professionals with a PhD in Clinical Psychology are typically paid an hourly salary in the range from $25.50 to $120. Professionals with a PhD in Psychology earn an hourly wage in the range between $49.13 and $101.74, and those with a PhD in Counseling Psychology are paid between $45.35 and $96.65 per hour according to Payscale.
Salary range
Psychologist salaries vary depending on a wide range of factors, including work experience. Psychologists with 1 to 4 years of experience typically report earning salaries in the range from $35,675 to $89,449 a year, and those with 5 to 9 years of work experience under their belt are generally paid between $41,217 and $102,315 a year. Professionals with 10 to 19 years of experience make between $46,674 and $118,619 a year, and those with 20 or more years of professional experience in the field generally report earning an annual pay in the range from $55,149 to $133,898 according to Payscale’s salary statistics.
Psychologists’ salaries also depend on these professionals’ skills and area of specialty among other factors. Psychologists specializing in clinical psychology generally earn an income in the range from $41,844 to $110,125 a year, and those specializing in counseling are usually paid between $39,228 and $96,428 annually. Professionals specializing in clinical supervision typically make between $49,316 and $111,504 a year, and those whose expertise lies in forensic psychology generally earn salaries in the range from $65,138 to $132,000 a year according to Payscale’s salary data. The most popular skills among psychologists are clinical psychology, counseling, clinical supervision, forensic psychology, case management, clinical research, and health and wellness.
Salaries also vary considerably from industry to industry. Psychologists working in the health care industry generally earn between $40,645 and $119,913 a year, those employed at clinical psychologists’ offices are paid between $39,395 and $130,910 annually, and professionals working in counseling services earn salaries in the range from $38,916 to $88,796 a year. Psychologists working in community mental health centers typically make between $35,355 and $77,281 a year, and those employed at prisons or correctional facilities are generally paid an annual income in the range from $58,510 to $116,604. Psychologists working in the education sector are typically paid between $43,887 and $90,677 annually, and those employed by universities and colleges earn salaries in the range from $49,533 to $81,703 a year according to the salary figures reported by Payscale.
Women generally earn salaries in the range from $36,144 to $95,595 a year, and men are typically paid between $49,213 and $125,730 annually.
Psychologists’ annual salaries can also vary depending on hospital setting. Psychologists working at general hospitals make between $40,976 and $96,337 annually, those working at physicians’ offices are typically paid between $40,000 and $102,936 a year, and professionals working in ambulatory care and surgery centers generally report earning an income in the range from $55,000 to $110,500 a year. Psychologists employed in other settings typically earn salaries in the range between $41,217 and $120,228 a year according to Payscale’s data.
Benefits
Along with the basic annual salary and bonus earnings, psychologists typically get a variety of perks and benefits, and these can sometimes reflect their annual pay.
Psychologists who have 401(k) plans as part of their benefits package typically make between $46,259 and $118,176 a year, those who have paid holidays and vacations earn between $46,461 and $110,927 annually, and professionals who have paid sick leave report earning an annual pay in the range from $46,608 to $112,771 according to Payscale.
Psychologists who have 403(b) plans generally earn salaries in the range from $48,603 to $111,881 a year, and those who have life and disability insurance make between $44,307 and $105,000 annually. Professionals who have malpractice and liability insurance are generally paid between $51,821 and $120,807 annually, and those who get reimbursement for professional training, education, tuition, or certification typically eport earning an income in the range from $48,000 to $119,061 a year according to Payscale’s salary data.
The most popular benefits and perks among psychologists, as reported by Payscale, are 401(k) plans, paid vacations, paid sick leave, life and disability insurance, and malpractice and liability insurance.
Salary by state
Psychologists’ yearly income depends on geographical location among other factors, and can vary considerably from state to state. Psychologists based in California typically earn between $48,722 and $122,157 annually, those employed in New York are generally paid between $39,911 and $125,407 a year, and professionals working in Texas earn salaries in the range from $37,500 to $99,031 a year according to the salary data provided by Payscale.
Psychologists in Pennsylvania report earning salaries in the range from $29,590 to $91,392 a year, and those working in Florida are typically paid between $34,521 and $106,436 a year. Professionals employed in Illinois generally make between $29,479 and $92,000 a year, and those based in Maryland are typically paid a yearly income in the range from $40,089 to $99,362 according to Payscale.
Salary by city
Psychologists’ salaries also vary from city to city. Professionals based in New York typically earn salaries in the range from $39,866 to $133,492 a year, and those working in Los Angeles are generally paid an annual income in the range from $45,302 to $124,162.
Psychologists employed in Dallas earn between $23,489 and $99,488 annually, those based in San Diego make between $59,180 and $151,254 a year, and professionals working in Chicago earn an annual income in the range from $28,906 to $94,799. Psychologists working in Washington are typically paid between $44,456 and $150,981 annually, and those based in Baltimore generally report earning salaries in the range from $40,547 to $118,359 a year according to Payscale.
Other income factors
Academic qualifications are another factor that can affect a psychologist’s annual salary. Psychologists with a Doctorate (PhD) generally earn between $47,810 and $114,953 a year. Professionals with the degree of Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) in Clinical Psychology are typically paid between $39,840 and $106,521 annually, and those with the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Clinical Psychology generally make between $47,500 and $118,166 a year according to Payscale’s salary figures.
Professionals with a PhD in Psychology typically report earning salaries in the range from $50,684 and $122,784 a year, and those with a PhD in Counseling Psychology are generally paid an annual income in the range from $44,385 to $111,504 a year. Psychologists with a bachelor’s degree earn salaries in the range from $24,511 to $156,954 annually, and those with a Master of Science in Psychology are typically paid between $20,273 and $88,818 a year. Professionals with a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Psychology usually make between $30,201 and $86,913 a year, those with a Master of Arts (MA) in Psychology typically earn a yearly income in the range from $45,240 to $66,050, and psychologists with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Psychology generally earn salaries in the range from $35,608 to $157,222 a year according to Payscale’s salary data.
Salaries can also vary depending on the type of employer. Psychologists working at hospitals generally earn between $41,819 and $103,581 a year, those employed by private practices and firms make between $40,851 and $102,200 annually, and professionals employed by companies are typically paid between $35,276 and $120,951 a year according to Payscale.
Psychologists working for the federal government generally earn an annual pay in the range from $62,861 to $128,222 a year, and those employed by the state or local government are paid between $45,570 and $103,396 annually. Psychologists employed by universities and colleges earn salaries in the range from $46,125 to $81,256 a year, those working for schools or school districts make between $36,493 and $90,000 annually, and professionals employed by non-profit organizations earn between $34,877 and $89,418 a year.
Psychologists working for other organizations generally report earning an income in the range from $35,235 to $89,396 a year, those who work as contractors typically make between $65,445 and $158,709 a year, and professionals who are self-employed earn an annual pay in the range from $38,978 to $153,834 according to Payscale’s salary data.