School Psychologist salary in the U.S.
School Psychologists in the U.S. earn a median of $95,990 a year ($46.15 an hour), based on BLS data for 63,940 workers.
Pay ranges from $63,070 for the lowest-paid 10% to $142,330 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $99,160, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for school psychologists in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $63,070 | $30.32 |
| 25th percentile | $77,470 | $37.25 |
| Median | $95,990 | $46.15 |
| 75th percentile | $120,310 | $57.84 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $142,330 | $68.43 |
| Average (mean) | $99,160 | $47.67 |
Half of school psychologists earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $7,999.17 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $3,999.58 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $3,691.92 |
| Weekly | $1,845.96 |
| Hourly | $46.15 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
School Psychologist salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| California | $127,780 | 8,340 |
| Colorado | $124,770 | 1,380 |
| New Mexico | $110,360 | 630 |
| Maryland | $109,700 | 1,520 |
| Washington | $108,780 | 1,420 |
| District of Columbia | $107,500 | 250 |
| New York | $106,550 | 9,070 |
| Oregon | $106,070 | 570 |
| Connecticut | $100,600 | 1,140 |
| Georgia | $99,110 | 1,650 |
| Massachusetts | $98,670 | 3,300 |
| Puerto Rico | $97,210 | 810 |
| Delaware | $95,990 | 280 |
| New Jersey | $95,160 | 2,130 |
| Rhode Island | $94,900 | 210 |
| Alaska | $94,460 | 120 |
| Nevada | $93,680 | 290 |
| Arizona | $92,380 | 1,100 |
| Ohio | $91,010 | 2,050 |
| Nebraska | $88,980 | 440 |
| Virginia | $85,670 | 1,200 |
| Minnesota | $85,190 | 1,060 |
| Florida | $84,760 | 2,020 |
| Illinois | $84,690 | 3,590 |
| Michigan | $83,960 | 1,480 |
| Wyoming | $83,740 | 120 |
| Texas | $83,690 | 4,250 |
| Wisconsin | $83,330 | 1,180 |
| Vermont | $82,820 | 180 |
| Pennsylvania | $82,190 | 2,600 |
| Hawaii | $82,110 | 90 |
| Maine | $81,650 | 120 |
| Montana | $80,010 | 170 |
| South Dakota | $78,370 | 110 |
| Utah | $77,820 | 490 |
| Indiana | $77,640 | 710 |
| Tennessee | $76,850 | 900 |
| South Carolina | $76,720 | 720 |
| Kentucky | $75,370 | 590 |
| West Virginia | $75,220 | 250 |
| Alabama | $75,060 | 370 |
| Iowa | $74,410 | 400 |
| New Hampshire | $73,490 | 360 |
| North Carolina | $73,220 | 1,540 |
| Kansas | $73,020 | 630 |
| Idaho | $71,700 | 310 |
| Missouri | $70,290 | 520 |
| Louisiana | $69,020 | 670 |
| North Dakota | $68,960 | 90 |
| Oklahoma | $64,930 | 510 |
| Arkansas | $64,030 | 440 |
| Mississippi | $61,070 | n/a |
Best-paying metro areas for school psychologists
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| El Centro, CA | $145,400 | 50 |
| Boulder, CO | $143,020 | 110 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $139,400 | 760 |
| Merced, CA | $133,230 | 90 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $131,920 | 460 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $131,070 | 850 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $130,540 | 680 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $130,520 | 260 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $129,610 | 220 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $129,340 | 770 |
| Modesto, CA | $128,750 | 100 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $128,630 | 200 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $128,110 | 110 |
| Visalia, CA | $128,020 | 170 |
| Reno, NV | $127,740 | 60 |
Metro areas with the most school psychologists
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 7,890 | $117,540 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 3,060 | $122,390 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 2,770 | $90,620 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 2,340 | $98,670 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 1,690 | $82,190 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 1,590 | $106,550 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 1,300 | $99,110 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 1,300 | $84,850 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 930 | $84,200 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 850 | $131,070 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 840 | $93,640 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 780 | $87,510 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 770 | $129,340 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 760 | $139,400 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 750 | $115,570 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Clinical and Counseling Psychologists | $100,580 | $48.36 |
| Urban and Regional Planners | $89,320 | $42.94 |
| Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other | $101,110 | $48.61 |
| Psychologists, All Other | $110,840 | $53.29 |
| Economist | $124,720 | $59.96 |
| Anthropologists and Archeologists | $70,770 | $34.02 |
| Survey Researcher | $69,460 | $33.40 |
| Political Scientist | $142,080 | $68.31 |
| Historian | $76,750 | $36.90 |
| Sociologist | $106,030 | $50.98 |
| Geographer | $102,040 | $49.06 |
| Industrial-Organizational Psychologist | $193,950 | $93.24 |
| Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists | $103,410 | $49.72 |
| Occupational Health and Safety Specialists | $90,150 | $43.34 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 19-3034. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a school psychologist make in the U.S.?
The median salary for school psychologists in the U.S. is $95,990 a year, or $46.15 an hour. Pay ranges from $63,070 for the lowest-paid 10% to $142,330 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid school psychologists make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of school psychologists in the U.S. earn at least $142,330 a year. The top 25% earn $120,310 or more.
What is the starting pay for school psychologists in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $63,070 a year, and a quarter of school psychologists earn $77,470 or less.
How many school psychologists work in the U.S.?
About 63,940 school psychologists are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.