Psychologist Salary by State 2026
The highest-paying state for clinical and counseling psychologists is Washington at $137,530 mean annual wage, compared to Louisiana at $79,510. The national mean is $112,750 (BLS OEWS May 2025). Below is every state and the District of Columbia, including the 3 that BLS does not publish.
Every figure on this page is SOC 19-3033 (Clinical and Counseling Psychologists), the code that covers most practising psychologists. The wider Psychologists group (SOC 19-3030, national $99,110 median) is published nationally only, so it cannot be broken out by state.
States Ranked by Mean Annual Wage (Median and Mean)
| # | State | Median Annual | Mean Annual | Mean Hourly | Employment | vs National Avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $115,240 | $137,530 | $66.12 | 1,270 | +22% |
| 2 | New Jersey | $127,090 | $131,590 | $63.27 | 2,700 | +17% |
| 3 | Oregon | $134,350 | $129,590 | $62.30 | 540 | +15% |
| 4 | District of Columbia | $107,000 | $127,690 | $61.39 | 220 | +13% |
| 5 | Colorado | $113,290 | $126,480 | $60.81 | 1,170 | +12% |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $115,180 | $124,560 | $59.88 | 2,860 | +10% |
| 7 | New York | $114,400 | $124,380 | $59.80 | 8,420 | +10% |
| 8 | California | $116,000 | $123,570 | $59.41 | 12,840 | +10% |
| 9 | New Mexico | $124,800 | $122,330 | $58.81 | n/p | +8% |
| 10 | Alaska | $124,270 | $122,210 | $58.76 | 40 | +8% |
| 11 | Wisconsin | $113,360 | $121,440 | $58.38 | 1,150 | +8% |
| 12 | Florida | $85,610 | $118,480 | $56.96 | 3,040 | +5% |
| 13 | Hawaii | $117,860 | $117,510 | $56.50 | 250 | +4% |
| 14 | Arizona | $119,010 | $115,230 | $55.40 | 730 | +2% |
| 15 | Delaware | $113,050 | $114,760 | $55.17 | 280 | +2% |
| 16 | Nevada | $102,650 | $114,680 | $55.14 | 680 | +2% |
| 17 | Idaho | $97,790 | $114,380 | $54.99 | 300 | +1% |
| 18 | Minnesota | $107,030 | $110,480 | $53.11 | 1,290 | -2% |
| 19 | Alabama | $90,800 | $110,120 | $52.94 | 260 | -2% |
| 20 | Kentucky | $99,140 | $109,760 | $52.77 | 710 | -3% |
| 21 | North Dakota | $116,130 | $109,570 | $52.68 | 170 | -3% |
| 22 | Pennsylvania | $91,870 | $108,710 | $52.26 | 3,140 | -4% |
| 23 | Montana | $68,160 | $106,980 | $51.43 | 150 | -5% |
| 24 | North Carolina | $92,130 | $106,270 | $51.09 | 2,770 | -6% |
| 25 | Rhode Island | $107,490 | $104,670 | $50.32 | 420 | -7% |
| 26 | Utah | $99,170 | $104,390 | $50.19 | 1,020 | -7% |
| 27 | Iowa | $91,690 | $104,130 | $50.06 | 440 | -8% |
| 28 | Ohio | $101,190 | $103,950 | $49.98 | 2,080 | -8% |
| 29 | Georgia | $96,060 | $102,950 | $49.50 | 1,120 | -9% |
| 30 | Wyoming | $89,890 | $102,760 | $49.40 | 50 | -9% |
| 31 | Vermont | $83,270 | $99,780 | $47.97 | 190 | -12% |
| 32 | Missouri | $99,410 | $99,190 | $47.69 | 840 | -12% |
| 33 | Nebraska | $94,540 | $99,180 | $47.68 | 770 | -12% |
| 34 | Virginia | $86,520 | $98,460 | $47.34 | 2,140 | -13% |
| 35 | New Hampshire | $64,270 | $98,030 | $47.13 | 330 | -13% |
| 36 | Oklahoma | $79,950 | $97,850 | $47.04 | 950 | -13% |
| 37 | Illinois | $83,750 | $95,590 | $45.96 | 5,810 | -15% |
| 38 | Michigan | $84,730 | $95,160 | $45.75 | 2,170 | -16% |
| 39 | Texas | $83,660 | $92,130 | $44.29 | 3,640 | -18% |
| 40 | South Carolina | $92,700 | $91,790 | $44.13 | n/p | -19% |
| 41 | Indiana | $84,990 | $91,480 | $43.98 | 1,850 | -19% |
| 42 | West Virginia | $77,040 | $90,120 | $43.33 | 920 | -20% |
| 43 | South Dakota | $80,130 | $88,560 | $42.58 | 120 | -21% |
| 44 | Kansas | $76,690 | $85,550 | $41.13 | 400 | -24% |
| 45 | Tennessee | $76,820 | $84,350 | $40.56 | 1,180 | -25% |
| 46 | Mississippi | $76,000 | $83,860 | $40.32 | 210 | -26% |
| 47 | Arkansas | $77,520 | $82,100 | $39.47 | 370 | -27% |
| 48 | Louisiana | $71,330 | $79,510 | $38.23 | 320 | -29% |
| n/p | Connecticut | BLS suppressed one or more estimates for this state, so those cells have no published value. | ||||
| n/p | Maine | BLS does not publish an OEWS estimate for this occupation in this state. | ||||
| n/p | Maryland | BLS suppressed one or more estimates for this state, so those cells have no published value. | ||||
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, SOC 19-3033, state file (oesm25st). Snapshot taken 6 September 2026. Public domain; Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. Both median and mean annual wages are taken directly from the state file. The national figures for the same SOC code are a $100,580 median and a $112,750 mean, and "vs National Avg" compares each state mean against that national mean. "n/p" = not published: BLS publishes a wage estimate for 48 of the 51 states and DC, and withholds Connecticut, Maine and Maryland. We show those rows rather than dropping them, and we do not substitute an estimate or an older release. See Maine and Connecticut for what those states do publish.
Top-Paying States Analysis
Washington took the top spot in the May 2025 data at $137,530, helped by large hospital systems (UW Medicine, Providence), the VA Puget Sound network and the absence of a state income tax, which lets employers compete on gross salary. New Jersey ($131,590) stays near the top on the strength of NYC-commute demand and academic medical center employers.
Oregon ranks 3rd at $129,590, partly because Portland and Eugene attract private practice psychologists who value quality of life while maintaining high billing rates. California's mean of $123,570 ranks 8th: high demand, but a very large workforce (12,840 clinical psychologists) spreads the distribution.
District of Columbia and Colorado round out the top five. Wisconsin ($121,440) and New Mexico ($122,330) are the quiet climbers in this release, both now above $120,000.
Lowest-Paying States Analysis
Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee rank lowest on mean annual wage, from $79,510 up to $84,350, due to lower population density, fewer large employers and a higher proportion of government and community mental health positions (which pay less than private practice).
These states face psychologist shortages, which creates opportunities: loan forgiveness programs (National Health Service Corps, state programs) can add significant value for psychologists willing to work in underserved areas.
Cost of living is substantially lower in these states. A psychologist earning $80,000 in Louisiana may have similar or better purchasing power to one earning $115,000 in New York or California. That cost-of-living comparison is our own illustration, not a BLS figure.
Telehealth and Location-Independent Practice
67% of psychologists now offer telehealth services (APA 2023 practitioner survey, a separate source from BLS). This has begun narrowing the geographic salary gap. A psychologist licensed in multiple states can serve clients in high-demand markets while living in a lower cost-of-living area.
PSYPACT compact licensure now covers 42+ states and allows reciprocal telehealth practice, making multi-state licensing significantly easier than it was five years ago.