As a result of the increasing demand for psychology services, there will be a significant rise in the positions for qualified psychologists in all types of industries. This CareerStint article will give you some important insight on the clinical psychologist salary range, duties, and educational requirements.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of psychologists is projected to grow 12% from 2012 to 2022, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
At times, we face stressful consequences, either personal or professional, which disturb our ability to cope up with normal life. This is when a psychology specialist comes to our rescue, and resolves our difficult problems. As many continue to turn to psychologists for issues such as nervous breakdown, mental disorders, anxiety, addiction, failure in career, etc., demand for clinical psychologists continues to rise. Psychologists can diagnose mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders. They treat patients through psychotherapy, and may hold a M.A., M.S., Ph.D., or a Psy.D. Psychiatrists are medical doctors who prescribe medicines.
Psychologists can help you overcome depression, addiction, eating disorder, or relationship problems. Clinical psychologists are trained professionals who specialize in analyzing the human mind. They need a doctoral degree or specialist degree in psychology. A master’s degree is sufficient for some positions. With good job prospects and more than 10 percent growth rate, the average salary of a clinical psychologist is expected to increase in the coming years. Licensed clinical psychologists can work in healthcare centers, schools, manufacturing industries, corporate offices, research centers, etc. They can start their own practice as well.
Clinical Psychologist Salary Range
The salary of a clinical psychologist varies by location, years of experience, employee credentials, and size/type of hiring organization. The area of specialization also influences the income. Usually, school psychologist salary is lower than the salary of a behavioral consultant.
Salary with Respect to Experience
The salary package of a clinical psychologist varies according to his/her work experience. For example; the salary figures for a candidate, who has just passed out, can be in the range of 40,783 – $90,781, and for experienced candidates, they can be in the range of $54,987 – $161,381.
* Source: PayScale
Salary with Respect to Work Hours
According to a recent survey, the average per hour earning for a clinical psychologist is approximately USD 48.00. Nonetheless, the salary differs based on how experienced the candidate is in the relative field. For example, freshers who have just passed out will get about $16.21 – $108.50 on an hourly basis (depending on the location, type of industry, specialization, education, etc.), and this may continue for the initial 1 – 2 years. With experience, the salary of a qualified psychologist may be increased to $29.34 – $181.21 per hour.
* Source: PayScale
Salary with Respect to Hiring Organization
The median annual wage for psychologists was $69,280 in May 2012. The average salary for those employed in Child Day Care Services was approximately USD $96,180 per year. Certain organizations pay a higher salary than others; the list includes scientific research and development services, offices of physicians, specialty hospitals, general medical and surgical hospitals, behavioral consultancies, and many more. Thus, a candidate should take a note of the organization, while applying for jobs.
* Source: The Bureau of Labor Statistics
Salary with Respect to State
Everyone of us have a fair idea that the salary scale of a particular profession varies according to the location. As far as clinical psychologist salary range by state is concerned, highest pay scale is reported in the states of California, New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, Georgia, and Illinois. In these states, the psychologist average salary falls within the range USD 77,000 – 87,000 per year.
* Source: Indeed
Clinical Psychologist Job Description
In mental healthcare settings, the scope of clinical psychology is very vast, with sub specialties like child mental health, learning disability, adult mental health, older people mental health, emotional stresses, and substance abuse. Even though clinical psychology is categorized under medical science, a professional does not prescribe drugs and medication. This is the main difference between a psychologist and a psychiatrist. If required, the patients are referred to other doctors. To practice psychology, clinical psychologists need a license. In most states, individuals have to earn doctorate degrees, and complete internships to get the license.
The main duty of a clinical psychologist is to hear to stressful situations of patients, and give solutions (not medicine) to improve their mental state. Hence, part of the clinical psychologist job description is to evaluate and assess the mental worries of clients correctly. Following this, any stress/emotion-related problem experienced by the patient is diagnosed and treated accordingly. The psychologist suggests ways to prevent stressful situations or come out of them in a better way.
Becoming a clinical psychologist is not so easy, as an aspirant has to earn a doctoral degree (5 to 7 years of graduate school) in the relative field. After gaining the degree, he/she can choose teaching, researching, or counseling line. In order to provide patient care service, a candidate should also pass the state licensing exam. Overall, prospective candidates can demand a higher salary package with experience in clinical psychology counseling.