How Much Do School Psychologists Make?

Read about salary and job outlook predictions for school psychologists.

Median Annual School Psychologist Salary

A school psychologist works in elementary and secondary schools or school district offices to resolve students’ learning and behavior problems. School psychologists are trained in both education and psychology. Here are some statistics on salaries, job growth, and employers.

School Psychologists

National data

Median Salary: $81,500

Projected job growth: 1.3%

10th Percentile: $53,040

25th Percentile: $64,880

75th Percentile: $103,890

90th Percentile: $128,800

Projected job growth: 1.3%

State data

State	Median Salary	Bottom 10%	Top 10%
Alabama	$62,690	$58,410	$78,170
Alaska	$81,660	$63,110	$109,100
Arizona	$79,610	$61,630	$104,000
Arkansas	$62,600	$47,630	$83,780
California	$104,440	$64,880	$150,600
Colorado	$102,380	$79,240	$132,050
Connecticut	$92,300	$61,550	$130,170
Delaware	$77,500	$59,650	$98,900
District of Columbia	$109,670	$67,590	$132,120
Florida	$77,980	$45,690	$102,090
Georgia	$80,110	$61,660	$105,140
Idaho	$54,030	$38,040	$109,540
Illinois	$73,930	$48,340	$106,040
Indiana	$63,750	$39,280	$101,900
Iowa	$66,650	$50,130	$83,660
Kansas	$66,190	$52,270	$85,830
Kentucky	$64,610	$51,630	$86,210
Louisiana	$60,610	$57,690	$73,960
Maine	$88,540	$75,870	$108,960
Maryland	$94,940	$60,760	$109,670
Massachusetts	$99,100	$62,530	$128,650
Michigan	$78,650	$54,150	$105,210
Minnesota	$81,230	$57,980	$104,510
Mississippi	$60,220	$39,420	$80,280
Missouri	$55,200	$42,600	$79,970
Montana	$70,020	$48,730	$86,520
Nebraska	$75,950	$48,320	$106,270
Nevada	$80,340	$49,430	$102,200
New Hampshire	$77,440	$54,440	$95,830
New Jersey	$85,880	$63,740	$132,960
New Mexico	$86,030	$67,880	$136,280
New York	$92,660	$58,940	$140,950
North Carolina	$63,330	$46,760	$80,610
North Dakota	$64,850	$50,420	$79,970
Ohio	$83,650	$46,530	$128,590
Oklahoma	$61,800	$23,290	$99,130
Oregon	$94,940	$68,640	$130,750
Pennsylvania	$82,370	$59,820	$118,480
Rhode Island	$85,830	$61,680	$103,830
South Carolina	$62,500	$27,670	$94,430
South Dakota	$67,030	$63,820	$81,910
Tennessee	$63,590	$48,140	$84,870
Texas	$73,100	$57,990	$101,330
Utah	$68,660	$30,550	$98,600
Vermont	$79,520	$50,350	$109,270
Virginia	$81,790	$54,460	$134,100
Washington	$101,170	$77,580	$124,130
West Virginia	$66,370	$49,550	$81,050
Wisconsin	$73,260	$52,130	$96,550
Wyoming	$81,350	$65,370	$96,510

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) 2022 median salary; projected job growth through 2032. Actual salaries vary depending on location, level of education, years of experience, work environment, and other factors. Salaries may differ even more for those who are self-employed or work part time.

How does a school psychologist’s salary compare to other psychology careers?

Career	Median Annual Salary
School Psychologists	$81,500
Industrial-Organizational Psychologists	$139,280
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors	$60,140
Clinical and Counseling Psychologists	$90,130

Is there a demand for this career?

According to the BLS, employment growth for school psychologists is expected to be right above the national average for all other careers, saying demand for psychological services in schools will grow as the number of students grows.

Job growth for school psychologists through 2032

1.3%

slightly above the 5% average for all careers

School psychologists will be needed especially to work with students with special needs, disabilities and behavioral problems. Others may assess students, and research how factors—both in- and-out of school—affect learning. This data can help teachers and administrators improve the educational experience.

What is the job growth for the field?

Employment of psychologists is expected to grow 6.1% through 2032, which is on par with the national average for all occupations. Take a look at how some of the other psychology occupations compare as far as job growth:

Job Outlook Comparison Through 2032

Psychologists—6.1%
Substance Abuse and Behavioral Disorder Counselors—18.4%
Social Workers—7.4%
School and Career Counselors—5.4%

Employment of school psychologists will grow to accommodate the increasing number of children in schools, and many will also be needed to replace school psychologists who are retiring, according to the BLS. Because of the limited number of graduates in this specialty, school psychologists are expected to have good job opportunities.

National long-term projections of employment growth may not reflect local and/or short-term economic or job conditions, and do not guarantee actual job growth.

What kinds of companies hire school psychologists?

According to the BLS, school psychologists can maintain a private practice, but are most frequently employed by the following types of institutions:

Elementary and secondary schools
Ambulatory healthcare services
Government
Hospitals and clinics
Private practice

How do I advance in my school psychologist career?

The National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) suggests whether you select the specialist or doctoral program that you receive your training from a NASP-approved school as many employers prefer to hire individuals who graduate from these programs. Too, you should consider getting nationally certified, because this certification is viewed as a measure of professionalism by employers.

While specialist programs award a master’s degree—and comprise the majority of currently employed school psychologists—in order to advance your career to the highest level, you should consider a doctoral degree program.

NASP lists some of the career advantages of completing your doctorate as the following:

You’ll be recognized as a member by the American Psychological Association
You may work in a range of settings
You’ll be able to choose a career either as a practitioner, consultant, or in academia