Clinical and Counseling Psychologists
Clinical and Counseling Psychologists (SOC 19-3033) earn a median $100,580 a year ($48.36 an hour) in the United States, with 75,990 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Oregon.
What clinical and counseling psychologists do
Clinical and counseling psychologists assess, diagnose, and treat mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders. They work with individuals and groups, drawing on observation, interviews, and psychological tests. Typical tasks include interviewing clients and reviewing their histories, administering and interpreting psychological tests, identifying psychological, emotional, or behavioral problems and diagnosing disorders, and conducting assessments of risk for harm to self or others. They counsel individuals, groups, or families to help them understand their problems and deal with crises, and they write reports and keep session notes and other required records. Some design behavior modification programs and consult with medical personnel about the best treatment for patients. Psychiatrists, who are physicians, are excluded by the SOC definition, and the occupation also differs from school and industrial-organizational psychologists, which have their own classifications, and from marriage and family therapists.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, the most commonly reported education level is postdoctoral training.
Also called: Behavior Analyst, Behavior Specialist, Behavior Therapist, Applied Behavior Science Specialist (ABSS), Assessment Coordinator.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $26.53 | $35.20 | $48.36 | $65.00 | $87.00 | $54.21 | 75,990 |
| Annual | $55,170 | $73,210 | $100,580 | $135,200 | $180,960 | $112,750 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where clinical and counseling psychologists earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Oregon | Hourly | $45.00 | $47.21 | $64.59 | $72.71 | $78.53 | $62.30 | 540 | 0.27 | 0.56 |
| Annual | $93,600 | $98,190 | $134,350 | $151,240 | $163,340 | $129,590 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $27.49 | $31.14 | $61.10 | $80.04 | $107.72 | $63.27 | 2,700 | 0.63 | 1.29 |
| Annual | $57,180 | $64,780 | $127,090 | $166,490 | $224,050 | $131,590 | ||||
| New Mexico | Hourly | $26.00 | $42.05 | $60.00 | $63.21 | $81.50 | $58.81 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $54,080 | $87,460 | $124,800 | $131,470 | $169,520 | $122,330 | ||||
| Alaska | Hourly | $20.37 | $41.52 | $59.75 | $79.55 | $81.82 | $58.76 | 40 | 0.13 | 0.27 |
| Annual | $42,360 | $86,360 | $124,270 | $165,460 | $170,180 | $122,210 | ||||
| Arizona | Hourly | $29.75 | $33.47 | $57.22 | $68.21 | $81.81 | $55.40 | 730 | 0.23 | 0.46 |
| Annual | $61,890 | $69,610 | $119,010 | $141,880 | $170,170 | $115,230 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $30.24 | $37.04 | $55.77 | $78.06 | $90.41 | $59.41 | 12,840 | 0.71 | 1.44 |
| Annual | $62,900 | $77,050 | $116,000 | $162,360 | $188,050 | $123,570 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $31.24 | $41.45 | $55.00 | $65.00 | $98.34 | $59.80 | 8,420 | 0.87 | 1.78 |
| Annual | $64,980 | $86,220 | $114,400 | $135,200 | $204,540 | $124,380 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $17.59 | $25.79 | $40.27 | $61.01 | $81.12 | $45.96 | 5,810 | 0.95 | 1.95 |
| Annual | $36,580 | $53,650 | $83,750 | $126,890 | $168,730 | $95,590 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $28.60 | $28.84 | $40.22 | $51.21 | $65.56 | $44.29 | 3,640 | 0.26 | 0.53 |
| Annual | $59,490 | $59,990 | $83,660 | $106,510 | $136,360 | $92,130 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $29.49 | $35.42 | $44.17 | $63.15 | $84.33 | $52.26 | 3,140 | 0.52 | 1.06 |
| Annual | $61,340 | $73,670 | $91,870 | $131,360 | $175,410 | $108,710 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $39.53 | $53.91 | $80.00 | $87.94 | $96.74 | $73.80 | 1,540 | 0.65 | 1.33 |
| Annual | $82,220 | $112,130 | $166,400 | $182,910 | $201,230 | $153,490 | ||||
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | Hourly | $45.36 | $58.15 | $74.98 | $78.06 | $103.43 | $80.03 | 90 | 0.73 | 1.50 |
| Annual | $94,340 | $120,960 | $155,960 | $162,360 | $215,140 | $166,470 | ||||
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | Hourly | $30.88 | $46.03 | $73.58 | $86.59 | $98.86 | $68.12 | 630 | 0.59 | 1.20 |
| Annual | $64,240 | $95,730 | $153,050 | $180,100 | $205,640 | $141,690 | ||||
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | Hourly | $44.04 | $59.37 | $70.77 | $78.06 | $78.06 | $70.92 | 40 | 0.72 | 1.48 |
| Annual | $91,590 | $123,490 | $147,210 | $162,360 | $162,360 | $147,510 | ||||
| Salem, OR | Hourly | $54.50 | $67.53 | $69.22 | $75.78 | $78.53 | $69.35 | 130 | 0.70 | 1.42 |
| Annual | $113,350 | $140,470 | $143,980 | $157,620 | $163,340 | $144,240 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $31.13 | $40.45 | $57.94 | $67.01 | $100.00 | $62.21 | 8,170 | 0.86 | 1.76 |
| Annual | $64,750 | $84,140 | $120,510 | $139,370 | $208,000 | $129,390 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $15.00 | $25.79 | $41.05 | $61.77 | $81.92 | $46.40 | 5,030 | 1.11 | 2.28 |
| Annual | $31,200 | $53,650 | $85,390 | $128,480 | $170,400 | $96,510 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $30.87 | $38.45 | $47.72 | $68.67 | $87.00 | $56.44 | 4,790 | 0.76 | 1.56 |
| Annual | $64,200 | $79,980 | $99,250 | $142,830 | $180,960 | $117,390 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | $28.89 | $41.57 | $58.30 | $78.92 | $112.45 | $60.94 | 1,920 | 0.71 | 1.45 |
| Annual | $60,090 | $86,470 | $121,270 | $164,150 | $233,890 | $126,750 | ||||
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Hourly | $30.72 | $37.08 | $54.18 | $72.83 | $98.00 | $60.36 | 1,920 | 0.66 | 1.36 |
| Annual | $63,910 | $77,130 | $112,690 | $151,490 | $203,840 | $125,550 | ||||
Top industries employing clinical and counseling psychologists
Offices of Other Health Practitioners employ 43.0% of clinical and counseling psychologists nationally (32,710 jobs) at a median $98,820 a year ($47.51 an hour), followed by Outpatient Care Centers (10.0%) and Individual and Family Services (8.9%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offices of Other Health Practitioners NAICS 621300 | 32,710 | 43.0% | $98,820 | $47.51 |
| Outpatient Care Centers NAICS 621400 | 7,610 | 10.0% | $108,210 | $52.02 |
| Individual and Family Services NAICS 624100 | 6,770 | 8.9% | $89,120 | $42.85 |
| Offices of Physicians NAICS 621100 | 5,510 | 7.3% | $102,530 | $49.29 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals NAICS 622100 | 4,860 | 6.4% | $107,770 | $51.81 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (75,990). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $82,510 for clinical and counseling psychologists in May 2021 and $100,580 in May 2025, with employment of 58,100 and 75,990.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $82,510 | $39.67 | 58,100 |
| May 2022 | $90,130 | $43.33 | 62,880 |
| May 2023 | $96,100 | $46.20 | 71,730 |
| May 2024 | $95,830 | $46.07 | 72,190 |
| May 2025 | $100,580 | $48.36 | 75,990 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
50 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oregon profile | $64.59 | $134,350 | $93,600 | $163,340 | 540 | 0.27 | 0.56 |
| 2 | New Jersey profile | $61.10 | $127,090 | $57,180 | $224,050 | 2,700 | 0.63 | 1.29 |
| 3 | New Mexico profile | $60.00 | $124,800 | $54,080 | $169,520 | ** | ** | ** |
| 4 | Alaska profile | $59.75 | $124,270 | $42,360 | $170,180 | 40 | 0.13 | 0.27 |
| 5 | Arizona profile | $57.22 | $119,010 | $61,890 | $170,170 | 730 | 0.23 | 0.46 |
| 6 | Hawaii profile | $56.66 | $117,860 | $86,770 | $141,860 | 250 | 0.40 | 0.82 |
| 7 | North Dakota profile | $55.83 | $116,130 | $69,520 | $148,320 | 170 | 0.40 | 0.83 |
| 8 | California profile | $55.77 | $116,000 | $62,900 | $188,050 | 12,840 | 0.71 | 1.44 |
| 9 | Washington profile | $55.40 | $115,240 | $78,940 | $179,470 | 1,270 | 0.36 | 0.73 |
| 10 | Massachusetts profile | $55.37 | $115,180 | $60,250 | $216,570 | 2,860 | 0.79 | 1.61 |
| 11 | New York profile | $55.00 | $114,400 | $64,980 | $204,540 | 8,420 | 0.87 | 1.78 |
| 12 | Wisconsin profile | $54.50 | $113,360 | $76,360 | $166,270 | 1,150 | 0.39 | 0.80 |
| 13 | Colorado profile | $54.46 | $113,290 | $46,870 | $161,700 | 1,170 | 0.41 | 0.83 |
| 14 | Delaware profile | $54.35 | $113,050 | $66,150 | $147,930 | 280 | 0.57 | 1.17 |
| 15 | Rhode Island profile | $51.68 | $107,490 | $54,500 | $144,700 | 420 | 0.84 | 1.72 |
| 16 | Minnesota profile | $51.46 | $107,030 | $62,290 | $163,610 | 1,290 | 0.44 | 0.89 |
| 17 | District of Columbia profile | $51.44 | $107,000 | $70,400 | $324,950 | 220 | 0.32 | 0.64 |
| 18 | Nevada profile | $49.35 | $102,650 | $77,700 | $150,840 | 680 | 0.44 | 0.89 |
| 19 | Ohio profile | $48.65 | $101,190 | $39,640 | $161,580 | 2,080 | 0.38 | 0.77 |
| 20 | Missouri profile | $47.79 | $99,410 | $45,770 | $141,810 | 840 | 0.29 | 0.58 |
| 21 | Utah profile | $47.68 | $99,170 | $48,070 | $156,000 | 1,020 | 0.59 | 1.21 |
| 22 | Kentucky profile | $47.66 | $99,140 | $49,220 | $174,820 | 710 | 0.36 | 0.73 |
| 23 | Idaho profile | $47.01 | $97,790 | $60,720 | $148,930 | 300 | 0.35 | 0.72 |
| 24 | Georgia profile | $46.18 | $96,060 | $45,310 | $179,850 | 1,120 | 0.23 | 0.47 |
| 25 | Nebraska profile | $45.45 | $94,540 | $45,370 | $143,190 | 770 | 0.75 | 1.53 |
| 26 | South Carolina profile | $44.57 | $92,700 | $59,600 | $131,420 | ** | ** | ** |
| 27 | North Carolina profile | $44.29 | $92,130 | $52,890 | $213,160 | 2,770 | 0.56 | 1.15 |
| 28 | Pennsylvania profile | $44.17 | $91,870 | $61,340 | $175,410 | 3,140 | 0.52 | 1.06 |
| 29 | Iowa profile | $44.08 | $91,690 | $64,200 | $168,660 | 440 | 0.28 | 0.58 |
| 30 | Alabama profile | $43.65 | $90,800 | $57,530 | $154,340 | 260 | 0.12 | 0.25 |
| 31 | Wyoming profile | $43.22 | $89,890 | $64,200 | $169,270 | 50 | 0.16 | 0.33 |
| 32 | Virginia profile | $41.60 | $86,520 | $41,990 | $176,080 | 2,140 | 0.52 | 1.07 |
| 33 | Florida profile | $41.16 | $85,610 | $55,480 | $259,990 | 3,040 | 0.31 | 0.63 |
| 34 | Indiana profile | $40.86 | $84,990 | $56,200 | $129,110 | 1,850 | 0.58 | 1.18 |
| 35 | Michigan profile | $40.74 | $84,730 | $61,290 | $134,980 | 2,170 | 0.49 | 1.01 |
| 36 | Illinois profile | $40.27 | $83,750 | $36,580 | $168,730 | 5,810 | 0.95 | 1.95 |
| 37 | Texas profile | $40.22 | $83,660 | $59,490 | $136,360 | 3,640 | 0.26 | 0.53 |
| 38 | Vermont profile | $40.04 | $83,270 | $58,070 | $137,620 | 190 | 0.63 | 1.29 |
| 39 | South Dakota profile | $38.52 | $80,130 | $63,630 | $123,210 | 120 | 0.25 | 0.52 |
| 40 | Oklahoma profile | $38.44 | $79,950 | $62,150 | $205,790 | 950 | 0.56 | 1.14 |
| 41 | Arkansas profile | $37.27 | $77,520 | $58,090 | $111,560 | 370 | 0.29 | 0.59 |
| 42 | West Virginia profile | $37.04 | $77,040 | $44,100 | $146,240 | 920 | 1.31 | 2.68 |
| 43 | Tennessee profile | $36.93 | $76,820 | $50,520 | $126,930 | 1,180 | 0.36 | 0.73 |
| 44 | Kansas profile | $36.87 | $76,690 | $47,620 | $151,800 | 400 | 0.28 | 0.57 |
| 45 | Mississippi profile | $36.54 | $76,000 | $48,270 | $107,160 | 210 | 0.18 | 0.37 |
| 46 | Louisiana profile | $34.29 | $71,330 | $46,500 | $121,750 | 320 | 0.17 | 0.34 |
| 47 | Montana profile | $32.77 | $68,160 | $49,800 | $143,640 | 150 | 0.30 | 0.61 |
| 48 | New Hampshire profile | $30.90 | $64,270 | $44,550 | $194,050 | 330 | 0.48 | 0.99 |
| – | Connecticut profile | * | * | * | * | 660 | 0.39 | 0.80 |
| – | Maryland profile | * | * | * | * | 2,140 | 0.77 | 1.58 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (19-3030), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 19-3033 Clinical and Counseling Psychologists.
*- Wage estimate not available.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 19-3033, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 19-3033.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.