Clinical and Counseling Psychologists: salary, outlook & degrees
Assess, diagnose, and treat mental and emotional disorders of individuals through observation, interview, and psychological tests. Help individuals with distress or maladjustment understand their problems through their knowledge of case history, interviews with patients, and theory. Provide individual or group counseling services to assist individuals in achieving more effective personal, social, educational, and vocational development and adjustment. May design behavior modification programs and consult with medical personnel regarding the best treatment for patients.
Middle half $73,210–$135,200. 75,990 jobs.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
100% hold a bachelor's or higher. Those with one: $79,947.
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers with at least a high school diploma; EducationGuide calculation
About 4,100 openings a year, including replacements.
BLS Employment Projections 2025-35
Extensive preparation (usually a graduate degree).
BLS; O*NET 31.0 job zone
Degrees that lead to this career
What workers ages 25-34 in this job studied, among those with a bachelor's or higher. This is what people actually did, not a requirement.
| Field of bachelor's degree | Share | Degree pages |
|---|---|---|
| Psychology | 56% | Psychology |
| Clinical Psychology | 6% | — |
| Art History And Criticism | 5% | — |
| Community And Public Health | 4% | Public Health |
| English Language And Literature | 3% | English |
| Communications | 3% | Communications · Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other |
| Criminal Justice And Fire Protection | 2% | Criminal Justice · Security / Homeland Security |
| Business Management And Administration | 2% | Business Administration |
| Counseling Psychology | 1% | — |
| Biology | 1% | Biology |
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata (ages 25-34, employed, bachelor's or higher; top 10 fields); EducationGuide calculation.
Education workers say the job requires
O*NET 31.0 survey of workers (“required level of education”); small samples, so treat shares as approximate.
Pay by state and metro
| State | Median wage |
|---|---|
| Oregon | $134,350 |
| New Jersey | $127,090 |
| New Mexico | $124,800 |
| Alaska | $124,270 |
| Arizona | $119,010 |
| Hawaii | $117,860 |
| North Dakota | $116,130 |
| California | $116,000 |
| Washington | $115,240 |
| Massachusetts | $115,180 |
| New York | $114,400 |
| Wisconsin | $113,360 |
| Colorado | $113,290 |
| Delaware | $113,050 |
| Rhode Island | $107,490 |
| Minnesota | $107,030 |
| District of Columbia | $107,000 |
| Nevada | $102,650 |
| Ohio | $101,190 |
| Missouri | $99,410 |
| Utah | $99,170 |
| Kentucky | $99,140 |
| Idaho | $97,790 |
| Georgia | $96,060 |
| Nebraska | $94,540 |
| South Carolina | $92,700 |
| North Carolina | $92,130 |
| Pennsylvania | $91,870 |
| Iowa | $91,690 |
| Alabama | $90,800 |
| Wyoming | $89,890 |
| Virginia | $86,520 |
| Florida | $85,610 |
| Indiana | $84,990 |
| Michigan | $84,730 |
| Illinois | $83,750 |
| Texas | $83,660 |
| Vermont | $83,270 |
| South Dakota | $80,130 |
| Oklahoma | $79,950 |
| Arkansas | $77,520 |
| West Virginia | $77,040 |
| Tennessee | $76,820 |
| Kansas | $76,690 |
| Mississippi | $76,000 |
| Louisiana | $71,330 |
| Montana | $68,160 |
| PR | $67,660 |
| New Hampshire | $64,270 |
Florida metro areas
- Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach$88,870
- Jacksonville$104,180
- Cape Coral-Fort Myers$85,330
- North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota$119,840
- Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin$105,570
- Naples-Marco Island$102,940
- Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville$84,840
- Tallahassee$72,560
Virginia metro areas
- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria$101,670
- Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk$91,010
- Richmond$72,880
- Charlottesville$86,540
- Roanoke$104,300
- Harrisonburg$85,710
- Staunton-Stuarts Draft$89,670
California metro areas
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim$99,250
- San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad$72,090
- San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont$166,400
- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario$92,730
- Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom$153,050
- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara$102,710
- Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura$116,960
- Fresno$129,120
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025: median annual wage, all workers in the job. Metro areas: the largest by employment.
What the work takes
Top skills
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Writing
- Critical Thinking
- Speaking
Knowledge used
- Psychology
- Therapy and Counseling
- English Language
- Education and Training
- Customer and Personal Service
Work styles
- Empathy
- Sincerity
- Integrity
- Attention to Detail
- Cooperation
People in this job tend to have Social (helping), Investigative (analytical) interests.
O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0): skills and knowledge by importance; work styles; interest high points.
Clinical and Counseling Psychologists: questions
How much do clinical and Counseling Psychologists make?
Clinical and Counseling Psychologists earn a U.S. median $100,580 a year; the middle half earn $73,210 to $135,200 (BLS, May 2025). Workers ages 25-34 in this job earn a median $79,947 (Census ACS 2020-2024).
Is clinical and Counseling Psychologists a growing field?
BLS projects growth of 11.7% from 2025 to 2035, with about 4,100 openings a year, including replacements.
What degree do you need to be a clinical and Counseling Psychologist?
BLS lists the typical entry education as doctoral or professional degree. In O*NET's survey, 100% of workers say a bachelor's or higher is required. Among workers ages 25-34 with a bachelor's, the most common field of degree is psychology (56%).
How much do clinical and Counseling Psychologists make in Florida?
The median in Florida is $85,610 a year (BLS, May 2025), compared with $100,580 nationally.
Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35); O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0); U.S. Census Bureau ACS microdata. SOC 19-3033. Method
Data: JSON · Markdown · all careers
Cite this: “Clinical and Counseling Psychologists: salary, outlook and degrees,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/careers/clinical-and-counseling-psychologists.