School Psychologists
School Psychologists (SOC 19-3034) earn a median $95,990 a year ($46.15 an hour) in the United States, with 63,940 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is California.
What school psychologists do
School psychologists work in schools to support students' educational functioning. They assess and address learning, behavioral, and developmental issues that interfere with a child's school functioning, and they may counsel students and consult with teachers and parents. Typical tasks include selecting, administering, and scoring psychological and educational tests, compiling and interpreting test results along with information from teachers, parents, and observation, and maintaining student records, including special education reports and other confidential files. They help design interventions for individual students or for the whole school, develop individualized educational plans with teachers and other staff, and report to the proper authorities in suspected cases of child endangerment. The occupation differs from clinical and counseling psychologists, who diagnose and treat mental disorders in a range of settings, from school counselors, who advise students on academic and career plans, and from special education teachers. They also counsel children and families on conflicts and on problems with learning and adjustment.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, the most commonly reported education level is a post-master's certificate.
Also called: Area School Psychologist, Assessment Specialist, Autism Consultant, Behavior Specialist, Behavioral Analyst.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $30.32 | $37.25 | $46.15 | $57.84 | $68.43 | $47.67 | 63,940 |
| Annual | $63,070 | $77,470 | $95,990 | $120,310 | $142,330 | $99,160 | ||
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 school 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 | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $46.73 | $52.86 | $61.43 | $67.78 | $77.01 | $61.46 | 8,340 | 0.46 | 1.11 |
| Annual | $97,200 | $109,940 | $127,780 | $140,980 | $160,170 | $127,830 | ||||
| Colorado | Hourly | $42.35 | $50.67 | $59.98 | $67.82 | $77.68 | $59.72 | 1,380 | 0.48 | 1.17 |
| Annual | $88,090 | $105,390 | $124,770 | $141,060 | $161,570 | $124,220 | ||||
| New Mexico | Hourly | $40.38 | $46.89 | $53.06 | $63.86 | $79.73 | $55.75 | 630 | 0.72 | 1.76 |
| Annual | $83,980 | $97,540 | $110,360 | $132,840 | $165,830 | $115,950 | ||||
| Maryland | Hourly | $30.94 | $44.41 | $52.74 | $65.28 | $66.47 | $53.63 | 1,520 | 0.55 | 1.34 |
| Annual | $64,360 | $92,370 | $109,700 | $135,780 | $138,250 | $111,560 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $39.71 | $48.64 | $52.30 | $63.04 | $66.88 | $54.15 | 1,420 | 0.40 | 0.97 |
| Annual | $82,600 | $101,160 | $108,780 | $131,120 | $139,110 | $112,640 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York | Hourly | $32.29 | $39.12 | $51.22 | $71.53 | $71.54 | $54.07 | 9,070 | 0.94 | 2.28 |
| Annual | $67,160 | $81,370 | $106,550 | $148,780 | $148,790 | $112,460 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $46.73 | $52.86 | $61.43 | $67.78 | $77.01 | $61.46 | 8,340 | 0.46 | 1.11 |
| Annual | $97,200 | $109,940 | $127,780 | $140,980 | $160,170 | $127,830 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $32.53 | $37.32 | $40.24 | $49.62 | $55.85 | $42.64 | 4,250 | 0.30 | 0.74 |
| Annual | $67,650 | $77,630 | $83,690 | $103,220 | $116,180 | $88,680 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $30.11 | $35.96 | $40.72 | $52.01 | $61.37 | $45.05 | 3,590 | 0.59 | 1.43 |
| Annual | $62,620 | $74,790 | $84,690 | $108,180 | $127,640 | $93,700 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $31.73 | $38.90 | $47.44 | $53.84 | $65.04 | $48.38 | 3,300 | 0.91 | 2.21 |
| Annual | $65,990 | $80,900 | $98,670 | $111,990 | $135,280 | $100,640 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| El Centro, CA | Hourly | $51.08 | $60.20 | $69.90 | $77.84 | $81.56 | $67.96 | 50 | 0.83 | 2.01 |
| Annual | $106,250 | $125,220 | $145,400 | $161,900 | $169,650 | $141,360 | ||||
| Boulder, CO | Hourly | $51.83 | $63.55 | $68.76 | $82.02 | $82.02 | $68.61 | 110 | 0.58 | 1.40 |
| Annual | $107,800 | $132,180 | $143,020 | $170,600 | $170,600 | $142,700 | ||||
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | Hourly | $49.75 | $58.26 | $67.02 | $71.99 | $77.96 | $65.01 | 760 | 0.44 | 1.07 |
| Annual | $103,470 | $121,190 | $139,400 | $149,740 | $162,170 | $135,230 | ||||
| Merced, CA | Hourly | $50.32 | $57.65 | $64.06 | $65.63 | $72.34 | $61.08 | 90 | 1.13 | 2.75 |
| Annual | $104,670 | $119,910 | $133,230 | $136,510 | $150,460 | $127,050 | ||||
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | Hourly | $49.54 | $53.84 | $63.42 | $65.95 | $74.76 | $61.27 | 460 | 0.43 | 1.04 |
| Annual | $103,030 | $111,990 | $131,920 | $137,180 | $155,500 | $127,440 | ||||
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 | $38.14 | $43.99 | $56.51 | $71.53 | $72.14 | $56.60 | 7,890 | 0.83 | 2.02 |
| Annual | $79,340 | $91,500 | $117,540 | $148,780 | $150,060 | $117,730 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $43.46 | $52.86 | $58.84 | $66.84 | $76.73 | $60.28 | 3,060 | 0.49 | 1.19 |
| Annual | $90,390 | $109,940 | $122,390 | $139,040 | $159,610 | $125,370 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $31.54 | $37.86 | $43.57 | $53.28 | $63.04 | $47.17 | 2,770 | 0.61 | 1.49 |
| Annual | $65,610 | $78,750 | $90,620 | $110,820 | $131,120 | $98,120 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | $31.00 | $38.51 | $47.44 | $55.72 | $65.02 | $47.91 | 2,340 | 0.87 | 2.11 |
| Annual | $64,480 | $80,110 | $98,670 | $115,900 | $135,250 | $99,650 | ||||
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Hourly | $33.17 | $39.21 | $39.51 | $50.23 | $60.64 | $44.71 | 1,690 | 0.58 | 1.42 |
| Annual | $69,000 | $81,550 | $82,190 | $104,470 | $126,130 | $93,010 | ||||
Top industries employing school psychologists
Elementary and Secondary Schools employ 83.9% of school psychologists nationally (53,670 jobs) at a median $94,120 a year ($45.25 an hour), followed by Educational Support Services (4.2%) and Offices of Other Health Practitioners (2.5%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary and Secondary Schools NAICS 611100 | 53,670 | 83.9% | $94,120 | $45.25 |
| Educational Support Services NAICS 611700 | 2,700 | 4.2% | $104,680 | $50.33 |
| Offices of Other Health Practitioners NAICS 621300 | 1,580 | 2.5% | $82,190 | $39.51 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools NAICS 611300 | 1,110 | 1.7% | $84,450 | $40.60 |
| Employment Services NAICS 561300 | 1,090 | 1.7% | $106,740 | $51.32 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (63,940). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $78,780 for school psychologists in May 2021 and $95,990 in May 2025, with employment of 57,110 and 63,940.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $78,780 | $37.88 | 57,110 |
| May 2022 | $81,500 | $39.18 | 60,250 |
| May 2023 | $84,940 | $40.84 | 62,790 |
| May 2024 | $86,930 | $41.79 | 63,830 |
| May 2025 | $95,990 | $46.15 | 63,940 |
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
51 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 | California profile | $61.43 | $127,780 | $97,200 | $160,170 | 8,340 | 0.46 | 1.11 |
| 2 | Colorado profile | $59.98 | $124,770 | $88,090 | $161,570 | 1,380 | 0.48 | 1.17 |
| 3 | New Mexico profile | $53.06 | $110,360 | $83,980 | $165,830 | 630 | 0.72 | 1.76 |
| 4 | Maryland profile | $52.74 | $109,700 | $64,360 | $138,250 | 1,520 | 0.55 | 1.34 |
| 5 | Washington profile | $52.30 | $108,780 | $82,600 | $139,110 | 1,420 | 0.40 | 0.97 |
| 6 | District of Columbia profile | $51.68 | $107,500 | $83,470 | $164,380 | 250 | 0.36 | 0.87 |
| 7 | New York profile | $51.22 | $106,550 | $67,160 | $148,790 | 9,070 | 0.94 | 2.28 |
| 8 | Oregon profile | $50.99 | $106,070 | $83,710 | $146,320 | 570 | 0.29 | 0.71 |
| 9 | Connecticut profile | $48.37 | $100,600 | $68,350 | $126,170 | 1,140 | 0.67 | 1.64 |
| 10 | Georgia profile | $47.65 | $99,110 | $61,980 | $132,740 | 1,650 | 0.34 | 0.82 |
| 11 | Massachusetts profile | $47.44 | $98,670 | $65,990 | $135,280 | 3,300 | 0.91 | 2.21 |
| 12 | Delaware profile | $46.15 | $95,990 | $68,270 | $124,830 | 280 | 0.58 | 1.41 |
| 13 | New Jersey profile | $45.75 | $95,160 | $72,700 | $127,910 | 2,130 | 0.50 | 1.21 |
| 14 | Rhode Island profile | $45.62 | $94,900 | $59,640 | $107,360 | 210 | 0.42 | 1.03 |
| 15 | Alaska profile | $45.42 | $94,460 | $67,140 | $104,160 | 120 | 0.38 | 0.92 |
| 16 | Nevada profile | $45.04 | $93,680 | $72,250 | $136,160 | 290 | 0.19 | 0.46 |
| 17 | Arizona profile | $44.42 | $92,380 | $66,920 | $121,700 | 1,100 | 0.34 | 0.83 |
| 18 | Ohio profile | $43.76 | $91,010 | $61,100 | $122,660 | 2,050 | 0.37 | 0.90 |
| 19 | Nebraska profile | $42.78 | $88,980 | $66,420 | $125,050 | 440 | 0.43 | 1.04 |
| 20 | Virginia profile | $41.19 | $85,670 | $63,130 | $132,800 | 1,200 | 0.29 | 0.71 |
| 21 | Minnesota profile | $40.96 | $85,190 | $61,530 | $113,330 | 1,060 | 0.36 | 0.88 |
| 22 | Florida profile | $40.75 | $84,760 | $62,320 | $107,540 | 2,020 | 0.20 | 0.49 |
| 23 | Illinois profile | $40.72 | $84,690 | $62,620 | $127,640 | 3,590 | 0.59 | 1.43 |
| 24 | Michigan profile | $40.36 | $83,960 | $57,480 | $118,560 | 1,480 | 0.34 | 0.82 |
| 25 | Wyoming profile | $40.26 | $83,740 | $60,500 | $111,690 | 120 | 0.45 | 1.08 |
| 26 | Texas profile | $40.24 | $83,690 | $67,650 | $116,180 | 4,250 | 0.30 | 0.74 |
| 27 | Wisconsin profile | $40.06 | $83,330 | $60,660 | $129,380 | 1,180 | 0.40 | 0.97 |
| 28 | Vermont profile | $39.82 | $82,820 | $61,940 | $105,920 | 180 | 0.58 | 1.41 |
| 29 | Pennsylvania profile | $39.51 | $82,190 | $62,550 | $118,440 | 2,600 | 0.43 | 1.04 |
| 30 | Hawaii profile | $39.48 | $82,110 | $77,190 | $92,750 | 90 | 0.14 | 0.33 |
| 31 | Maine profile | $39.25 | $81,650 | $66,960 | $118,450 | 120 | 0.19 | 0.46 |
| 32 | Montana profile | $38.47 | $80,010 | $59,520 | $101,380 | 170 | 0.32 | 0.79 |
| 33 | South Dakota profile | $37.68 | $78,370 | $65,930 | $127,310 | 110 | 0.23 | 0.56 |
| 34 | Utah profile | $37.42 | $77,820 | $60,400 | $109,980 | 490 | 0.29 | 0.69 |
| 35 | Indiana profile | $37.33 | $77,640 | $56,260 | $105,290 | 710 | 0.22 | 0.54 |
| 36 | Tennessee profile | $36.95 | $76,850 | $53,290 | $102,400 | 900 | 0.27 | 0.66 |
| 37 | South Carolina profile | $36.89 | $76,720 | $52,340 | $104,450 | 720 | 0.31 | 0.76 |
| 38 | Kentucky profile | $36.24 | $75,370 | $61,550 | $113,760 | 590 | 0.30 | 0.72 |
| 39 | West Virginia profile | $36.16 | $75,220 | $58,690 | $99,610 | 250 | 0.36 | 0.88 |
| 40 | Alabama profile | $36.09 | $75,060 | $68,710 | $104,720 | 370 | 0.18 | 0.43 |
| 41 | Iowa profile | $35.77 | $74,410 | $45,130 | $99,720 | 400 | 0.26 | 0.62 |
| 42 | New Hampshire profile | $35.33 | $73,490 | $38,680 | $98,850 | 360 | 0.53 | 1.29 |
| 43 | North Carolina profile | $35.20 | $73,220 | $58,510 | $91,970 | 1,540 | 0.31 | 0.76 |
| 44 | Kansas profile | $35.11 | $73,020 | $60,620 | $95,810 | 630 | 0.44 | 1.07 |
| 45 | Idaho profile | $34.47 | $71,700 | $51,630 | $101,040 | 310 | 0.36 | 0.89 |
| 46 | Missouri profile | $33.79 | $70,290 | $57,290 | $100,410 | 520 | 0.18 | 0.43 |
| 47 | Louisiana profile | $33.18 | $69,020 | $58,260 | $100,940 | 670 | 0.35 | 0.84 |
| 48 | North Dakota profile | $33.15 | $68,960 | $52,690 | $84,660 | 90 | 0.20 | 0.49 |
| 49 | Oklahoma profile | $31.22 | $64,930 | $39,080 | $104,190 | 510 | 0.30 | 0.73 |
| 50 | Arkansas profile | $30.78 | $64,030 | $31,770 | $81,110 | 440 | 0.34 | 0.82 |
| 51 | Mississippi profile | $29.36 | $61,070 | $46,470 | $78,180 | ** | ** | ** |
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 19-3034 School Psychologists.
**- 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 19-3034, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 19-3034.00, 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.