BLS clinical and counseling psychologist pay at every level and in every state, part-time pay and take-home after 2026 tax
Clinical and counseling psychologists earned a median of $100,580 a year in May 2025 — $48.36 an hour — according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which counted 75,990 on employers' payrolls. The spread is wide: the bottom tenth earned under $55,170 and the top tenth over $180,960, more than three times as much.
This is the BLS line for clinical and counseling psychologists (SOC 19-3033), the largest group of employed psychologists. School psychologists and industrial-organizational psychologists have their own BLS lines, and self-employed psychologists in private practice aren't counted. Take-home assumes a single filer with 2026 federal tax and FICA and no state tax.
| Pay level | Hourly | Annual | Monthly | Take-home a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $26.53 | $55,170 | $4,598 | $46,509 |
| 25th percentile | $35.20 | $73,210 | $6,101 | $60,333 |
| Median | $48.36 | $100,580 | $8,382 | $79,588 |
| 75th percentile | $65.00 | $135,200 | $11,267 | $103,675 |
| 90th percentile | $87.00 | $180,960 | $15,080 | $134,952 |
Oregon has the highest median, $134,350, then New Jersey ($127,090) and New Mexico ($124,800). California (12,840 employed psychologists, $116,000) and New York ($114,400) have the largest workforces. New Hampshire's $64,270 is the lowest.
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon | $64.59 | $134,350 | 540 |
| New Jersey | $61.10 | $127,090 | 2,700 |
| New Mexico | $60.00 | $124,800 | — |
| Alaska | $59.75 | $124,270 | 40 |
| Arizona | $57.22 | $119,010 | 730 |
| Hawaii | $56.66 | $117,860 | 250 |
| North Dakota | $55.83 | $116,130 | 170 |
| California | $55.77 | $116,000 | 12,840 |
| Washington | $55.40 | $115,240 | 1,270 |
| Massachusetts | $55.37 | $115,180 | 2,860 |
| New York | $55.00 | $114,400 | 8,420 |
| Wisconsin | $54.50 | $113,360 | 1,150 |
| Colorado | $54.46 | $113,290 | 1,170 |
| Delaware | $54.35 | $113,050 | 280 |
| Rhode Island | $51.68 | $107,490 | 420 |
| Minnesota | $51.46 | $107,030 | 1,290 |
| District of Columbia | $51.44 | $107,000 | 220 |
| Nevada | $49.35 | $102,650 | 680 |
| Ohio | $48.65 | $101,190 | 2,080 |
| Missouri | $47.79 | $99,410 | 840 |
| Utah | $47.68 | $99,170 | 1,020 |
| Kentucky | $47.66 | $99,140 | 710 |
| Idaho | $47.01 | $97,790 | 300 |
| Georgia | $46.18 | $96,060 | 1,120 |
| Nebraska | $45.45 | $94,540 | 770 |
| South Carolina | $44.57 | $92,700 | — |
| North Carolina | $44.29 | $92,130 | 2,770 |
| Pennsylvania | $44.17 | $91,870 | 3,140 |
| Iowa | $44.08 | $91,690 | 440 |
| Alabama | $43.65 | $90,800 | 260 |
| Wyoming | $43.22 | $89,890 | 50 |
| Virginia | $41.60 | $86,520 | 2,140 |
| Florida | $41.16 | $85,610 | 3,040 |
| Indiana | $40.86 | $84,990 | 1,850 |
| Michigan | $40.74 | $84,730 | 2,170 |
| Illinois | $40.27 | $83,750 | 5,810 |
| Texas | $40.22 | $83,660 | 3,640 |
| Vermont | $40.04 | $83,270 | 190 |
| South Dakota | $38.52 | $80,130 | 120 |
| Oklahoma | $38.44 | $79,950 | 950 |
| Arkansas | $37.27 | $77,520 | 370 |
| West Virginia | $37.04 | $77,040 | 920 |
| Tennessee | $36.93 | $76,820 | 1,180 |
| Kansas | $36.87 | $76,690 | 400 |
| Mississippi | $36.54 | $76,000 | 210 |
| Louisiana | $34.29 | $71,330 | 320 |
| Montana | $32.77 | $68,160 | 150 |
| New Hampshire | $30.90 | $64,270 | 330 |
Most psychologists work full time, but part-time work is common, and some see clients in the evenings or at weekends (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook). Nearly a quarter of psychologists (23%) are self-employed, and their practice income isn't in BLS's wage figures.
A salaried psychologist whose job requires a doctorate or master's in psychology usually fits the learned-professional exemption, provided the salary is at least $684 a week; one paid by the hour or below that is owed overtime after 40 hours (DOL Fact Sheet #17D). Psychologists aren't in the practice-of-medicine rule (29 CFR 541.304), so the salary test does apply.
Clinical and counseling psychologists typically need a Ph.D. or Psy.D., including an internship, and are licensed in every state; licensure needs supervised experience, often an exam, and continuing education to keep. School psychologists usually need at least a master's or Ed.S. and a state credential, and industrial-organizational psychologists a master's (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook).
More ways to work with your psychologist pay:
$100,580 a year ($48.36 an hour) at the BLS median for May 2025. The middle half earned $73,210 to $135,200.
Oregon ($64.59 an hour, $134,350 a year), then New Jersey and New Mexico; New Hampshire pays least among the 48 states where BLS released a figure (BLS, May 2025).
BLS doesn't measure it: private-practice owners are self-employed, and OEWS covers employees only. If you're weighing private practice, the freelance rate and self-employment tax calculators linked here show what a session fee has to cover.
Part-time work is common (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook). Enter your weekly hours in the calculator with the hourly figure for your state to see the annual and take-home pay.
Tax rules, limits and pay data change. Check the current figures with the primary source before acting on them.