Salaries for Psychologists

From clinical to school psychologists, the field of psychology offers numerous employment opportunities and includes positions in a variety of work settings. Psychologists may work independently or hold positions within an organization, institution or corporation. Depending on a psychologist's specialty, he or she might deal with a range of issues, from child development to addiction to sports psychology. Teachers, researchers and counselors may all be trained psychologists, working anywhere from a small community health clinic to a large university. Because the field of psychology is so broad, salaries for psychologists vary depending on the subfield in which one works.

The chart above shows psychology salaries across several disciplines. The top psychology salaries go to psychiatrists, which isn't surprising considering the advanced training they undergo, including medical school. The second highest psychology salaries go to industrial/organizational psychologists, possibly because many are employed by larger corporations. For those interested in both psychology and legal issues, becoming a forensic psychologist could be a lucrative and rewarding career option. The median forensic psychologist salary listed above is lower than the salaries for psychologists working in some other areas, including clinical and industrial psychologists. However, looking at the median Forensic Psychologist Salary by City chart shows that it is possible to earn a much higher salary depending on one's location.

Psychologist Salary Data

Other factors that affect psychology salaries include education, experience level and employment setting. Looking at Psychology Salaries by Industry shows that hospitals tend to pay a higher psychologist salary while the chart on Salaries for Psychologists by Years Experience shows that, overall, the highest psychology salaries go to those with the most experience. This makes sense considering that a psychologist continues to develop knowledge and skills throughout the course of a career. The field of psychology is all about working with people and, while education and training provide a foundation in psychology, much is learned through on-the-job experience. Using a School Psychologist Salary as an example, we can see that median school psychology salaries increase from around $40,000 to just over $70,000 after 20 years of experience.

Psychology Salaries and Cost of Living

Comparing median Salaries for Psychologists by State provides a broad overview of how psychology salaries may vary in different areas. California and New York are listed as having the highest salaries for psychologists, with Los Angeles and New York City topping the Psychologist Salary by City chart. Of course, these areas are also known for having a high cost of living. If you're wondering whether to head east or west, use PayScale's Cost of Living Calculator to compare the Cost of Living and Psychologist Salary Range in both New York and Los Angeles. You can also use the calculator to research the cost of living in other U.S. cities, or to find median psychology salaries in your hometown.

Average Psychology Salaries

Most of us would love to avoid taking Statistics 101. However, psychology careers that involve conducting research rely on the ability to collect accurate information. Before analyzing PayScale's psychologist salary data, find out why asking, "what are median salaries for psychologists" is a better question than, "what are average psychology salaries" by reading the Ask Dr. Salary article, "Why is Median Better than Mean for a Typical Salary?"