Psychologist earnings by seniority

90th percentile

Top-level psychologist earnings begin at:

$51.00 per hour

$106,080 per year

75th percentile

Senior-level psychologist earnings begin at:

$41.00 per hour

$85,280 per year

50th percentile

Mid-level psychologist earnings begin at:

$16.00 per hour

$33,280 per year

25th percentile

Junior-level psychologist earnings begin at:

$13.00 per hour

$27,040 per year

10th percentile

Starting level psychologist earnings begin at:

$8.65 per hour

$18,000 per year

Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.

Psychologist salary by state

State Name Average Salary
California $46,840
New York $33,280

How much does a Psychologist earn?

Indeed.com reports the national psychologists salary average to be $67,000 as of April 17, 2015. The HR Report data from Salary.com, however, states that as of April 2015, the median salary for psychologists in the U.S. is $88,120. Salary.com varies from Indeed.com and the BLS by almost $19,000 which is most likely due to the fact that Salary.com uses real-time survey feedback. All reported salary averages are dependent on the sample size and the demographic and geographic spread of the respondents.

As with other careers, the best psychology salaries generally go to those with the most experience. Payscale.com has reported the average national salaries for psychologists with various years of experience:

Less than 1 year: $69,315
1-4 years: $80,911
5-9 years: $86,634
10-19 years: $106,374
20 years or more: $120,877

Psychologists Compensation by Geographical Region

Where psychologists choose to work will play a big part in determining how much they’ll earn. For instance, in New York City, salaries for qualified psychologists are typically much higher than in rural locations, such as Lincoln, Nebraska. However, when considering location, individuals must also take into account the cost of living. The cost of living in New York City is much higher than it is Lincoln, Nebraska.

How do psychologist salaries compare to similar careers?

Psychologists earn about the same as related careers in New York. On average, they make less than registered nurses but more than orderlies.

Career Median Salary
Registered nurse salary $65K
Speech language pathologist salary $58K
Psychologist salary $33K
Health educator salary $40K
Paramedic salary $35K
Medical secretary salary $32K
Orderly salary $32K

Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)