Entry-Level Clinical Psychologist Salary (2026): What New Licensed Psychologists Make

The average entry-level clinical psychologist salary is $60,341 per year ($29.01/hour) in 2026, based on the 10th percentile of BLS wage data. New licensed psychologist starting pay ranges from $20,322 to $119,108 in Salem, OR — driven by VA federal locality pay, private practice cash-pay, PSYPACT telehealth, and academic medical center postdoc transition.

$60,341

Avg Starting Salary

$29.01

Starting Hourly

$105,689

Median Target

1673+

Cities Tracked

2021 BLS

$47,010

2025 BLS

$55,170

2026 Current Est.

$57,973

2021–2027 Growth

+29.6%

National Entry-Level Clinical and Counseling Psychologist Salary Trend (10th Percentile)

2021–2025: BLS OEWS actual data. 2026+: CAGR 5.08% projection.

BLS Actual Estimated Projected

Year	Entry-Level Salary (P10)	Status
2021	$47,010	Actual
2022	$42,760	Actual
2023	$48,820	Actual
2024	$50,470	Actual
2025	$55,170	Actual
2026(current)	$57,973	Estimated
2027	$60,918	Projected

Entry-level clinical and counseling psychologist salaries (10th percentile) have shown consistent growth over 5 years of BLS data. The 10th percentile represents typical starting pay for new graduates and early-career professionals. At the current 5.08% CAGR, starting salaries are projected to continue rising through 2027.

Note: BLS actual data is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. Estimated and projected values are calculated using a 5.08% historical CAGR. Actual compensation may vary based on employer, experience, certifications, and local market conditions.

Starting Clinical and Counseling Psychologist Salary by State

Entry-level clinical and counseling psychologist pay varies dramatically by state. The top-paying states offer starting salaries well above $60,341, while others fall below the national average. Here are all 52 states ranked by average starting salary for clinical and counseling psychologists.

#	State	Avg Starting Pay	Median Target	Growth Potential	Cities
1	Oregon	$88,743	$126,000	+$37,257	36
2	Hawaii	$84,536	$126,916	+$42,380	10
3	Wisconsin	$79,891	$119,514	+$39,623	46
4	Nevada	$76,925	$107,555	+$30,630	9
5	Wyoming	$76,275	$129,546	+$53,271	14
6	New Jersey	$72,420	$122,830	+$50,410	61
7	Vermont	$71,662	$93,801	+$22,139	9
8	Connecticut	$70,402	$114,247	+$43,845	29
9	Colorado	$69,229	$112,453	+$43,224	32
10	Washington	$68,968	$115,842	+$46,874	49
11	California	$67,571	$117,045	+$49,474	157
12	New York	$67,300	$123,544	+$56,244	39
13	Maryland	$66,749	$113,903	+$47,154	27
14	Minnesota	$66,166	$114,167	+$48,001	44
15	Alaska	$65,489	$112,526	+$47,037	5
16	Pennsylvania	$64,905	$108,704	+$43,799	24
17	Idaho	$64,899	$102,526	+$37,627	16
18	Maine	$64,736	$110,097	+$45,361	10
19	Delaware	$64,237	$112,238	+$48,001	6
20	South Carolina	$64,169	$98,124	+$33,955	26
21	Massachusetts	$62,926	$120,171	+$57,245	59
22	Oklahoma	$62,766	$85,922	+$23,156	27
23	Indiana	$62,203	$89,104	+$26,901	43
24	Louisiana	$61,603	$80,057	+$18,454	20
25	Montana	$61,358	$101,950	+$40,592	7
26	Arizona	$60,726	$116,280	+$55,554	33
27	North Carolina	$60,320	$103,155	+$42,835	44
28	Michigan	$59,520	$92,351	+$32,831	53
29	Arkansas	$58,659	$84,249	+$25,590	21
30	South Dakota	$58,659	$87,795	+$29,136	11
31	Rhode Island	$58,039	$112,643	+$54,604	17
32	Florida	$57,632	$96,140	+$38,508	83
33	New Mexico	$57,462	$110,804	+$53,342	17
34	Texas	$56,057	$94,281	+$38,224	109
35	North Dakota	$55,727	$95,309	+$39,582	8
36	Kansas	$55,264	$92,909	+$37,645	22
37	Kentucky	$54,617	$89,234	+$34,617	21
38	Alabama	$54,105	$92,110	+$38,005	24
39	Missouri	$54,047	$101,542	+$47,495	33
40	Tennessee	$53,732	$77,632	+$23,900	30
41	New Hampshire	$53,707	$81,563	+$27,856	16
42	Ohio	$52,536	$106,769	+$54,233	67
43	Nebraska	$52,151	$101,130	+$48,979	13
44	Mississippi	$51,779	$83,726	+$31,947	20
45	Utah	$51,573	$111,469	+$59,896	41
46	Virginia	$51,257	$90,860	+$39,603	42
47	Iowa	$49,743	$91,836	+$42,093	26
48	Puerto Rico	$49,536	$72,581	+$23,045	2
49	West Virginia	$47,972	$80,225	+$32,253	11
50	District of Columbia	$44,123	$106,835	+$62,712	1
51	Georgia	$35,935	$99,541	+$63,606	39
52	Illinois	$35,407	$88,750	+$53,343	64

Beginner Clinical and Counseling Psychologist Pay: Top 20 Cities

These 20 metro areas offer the highest starting salaries for new clinical and counseling psychologists. Each figure represents the 10th percentile of local BLS wage data — the typical pay range for professionals with little to no experience.

#	City	Starting Salary	Median Target	vs National
1	Salem, OR	$119,108	$151,294	+97.39%
2	Pueblo, CO	$109,630	$119,045	+81.68%
3	Oakland, CA	$103,722	$178,832	+71.89%
4	Fremont, CA	$101,435	$174,888	+68.10%
5	Bend, OR	$99,227	$131,318	+64.44%
6	San Luis Obispo, CA	$99,132	$163,883	+64.29%
7	Portland, OR	$98,355	$128,334	+63.00%
8	Hanford, CA	$96,243	$154,688	+59.50%
9	Folsom, CA	$93,909	$161,913	+55.63%
10	Roseville, CA	$92,894	$160,162	+53.95%
11	Urban Honolulu, HI	$90,894	$125,487	+50.63%
12	Oshkosh, WI	$88,919	$137,518	+47.36%
13	Reno, NV	$88,362	$111,732	+46.44%
14	San Francisco, CA	$86,397	$174,853	+43.18%
15	Trenton, NJ	$86,344	$135,396	+43.09%
16	La Crosse, WI	$85,525	$133,410	+41.74%
17	Milwaukee, WI	$84,169	$115,525	+39.49%
18	Madison, WI	$84,001	$112,940	+39.21%
19	Rochester, MN	$83,665	$130,163	+38.65%
20	Killeen, TX	$83,076	$104,281	+37.68%

Clinical Psychologist Salary With No Experience: New Licensed Psychologist Reality

The 10th percentile of BLS wage data is the standard proxy for entry-level psychologist pay — it represents what the lowest-paid 10% of psychologists in a given metro area earn, predominantly newly licensed psychologists post-postdoc in their first 12 months. Nationally, that sits at $60,341 ($29.01/hour) for 2026. New psychologist offers vary by setting (community mental health vs VA federal vs academic medical center vs private practice).

What New Licensed Psychologists Actually Earn (Year 1)

California / NY / MA new licensed (top tier with HNW markets) — Bay Area / LA / NYC / Boston $100,000–$140,000 starting at academic medical centers and PE-backed group practices.
VA federal new licensed psychologist — GS-12/13 entry. Locality pay materially boosts VA psychologists in DC metro, SF, LA, NY, Seattle, Houston, Denver. $95,000–$140,000+ depending on locality. FERS Special Category pension + PSLF.
Alaska, Hawaii, Washington, NJ, CT, MD ($90,000–$120,000) — high COL anchors.
Mid-Atlantic / Midwest / South $75,000–$100,000 — Texas, Florida, Tennessee, Georgia, NC, Arizona.
Academic medical center new licensed — Mass General, McLean, BWH, BIDMC, Johns Hopkins, NIH, Stanford, UCSF, UCLA, Cleveland Clinic, Penn Medicine. Strong benefits + PSLF + research time.
Telehealth platform new licensed — Talkiatry, LifeStance Health, Cerebral, Spring Health, Lyra Health, Talkspace, BetterHelp, Headspace Health.
Community mental health new licensed — federally funded CMHC. PSLF eligible. Modest starting but strong long-term path.
University counseling center new licensed — academic schedule with summers.
Insurance-billing private practice new licensed — Cigna, Aetna, UnitedHealthcare, BCBS, Medicare panels.
Forensic / expert witness — specialty (post-experience) — typically requires 3–5 years experience.

APA-Accredited Program + Postdoc + EPPP

APA-accredited PhD or PsyD program — required entry credential. 5–7 year doctoral program (PhD research-focused; PsyD practitioner-focused).
Predoctoral internship — required APA-accredited internship year (1 year clinical).
Postdoctoral fellowship — required 1–2 years supervised postdoctoral experience for state licensure (specific requirements vary by state).
EPPP exam — Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology administered by ASPPB. Required nationally.
EPPP-2 (skills assessment) — rolling out in selected states.
State licensure — required in all 50 states regardless of PSYPACT.
PSYPACT (40+ states enacted) — E.Passport + IPC enable multi-state telehealth practice.
BLS / CPR certification — required for some clinical positions.

Setting Selection: VA / Academic / Telehealth / Private Practice

VA federal (top long-term) — GS-12/13 entry with locality pay. FERS Special Category pension + PSLF. Strong career path with advancement to GS-14/15.
Academic medical center — research time, residency / postdoc training engagement, PSLF eligibility.
Insurance-billing private practice — bills $120–$220/hour effective via commercial insurance.
Telehealth platforms — Talkiatry, LifeStance, Cerebral, Spring Health, Lyra, Talkspace, BetterHelp.
Community mental health — federally funded CMHC. PSLF eligible.
University counseling center — academic schedule.
Forensic / expert witness (post-experience) — typically 3–5 years experience required.
Cash-pay private practice (post-experience) — established HNW markets $200–$400+/hour.
Neuropsychology specialty (post-postdoc) — 2-year neuropsych postdoctoral fellowship at top programs (BWH, Cleveland Clinic, UCSF, Henry Ford, Beth Israel).

Year-by-Year Progression to Psychologist National Median

Year 0–1 post-licensure (P10 baseline) — $60,341 national average. Building clinical caseload, supervision relationships, billing competency.
Year 1–2 (P10 → P25) — 5–10% raise. Insurance panel credentialing, PSYPACT E.Passport pursuit.
Year 2–3 (P25 → mid-tier) — ABPP board certification pursuit (neuropsychology, clinical, forensic, etc.).
Year 3–5 (approaching national median) — most psychologists reach $105,689 median with established practice / VA advancement.
Year 5+ — cash-pay private practice, ABPP specialty premium, VA senior psychologist (GS-13/14/15), forensic / expert witness work.

2026 New Grad Psychologist Salary Outlook

Entry-level psychologist salary has grown at a compound annual rate of 5.08% nationally over the past five years — driven by sustained post-pandemic mental health demand, rapid teletherapy expansion under PSYPACT, growth of integrated primary care psychology (CoCM billing), VA mental health hiring expansion, growing employer-sponsored mental health benefits (Lyra, Spring Health, Talkspace, BetterHelp), and structural psychologist shortage. The BLS projects psychologist employment growth at 7% through 2033.

Entry-Level to Mid-Career: Clinical and Counseling Psychologist Salary Growth

Clinical and Counseling Psychologist salaries follow a predictable growth curve. Here's how pay typically progresses from entry-level to experienced:

Entry (P10)

$60,341

Year 0-1

Early Career (P25)

$78,907

Year 1-3

Mid-Career (P50)

$105,689

Year 3-7

Experienced (P75-P90)

$140,947–$181,592

Year 7+

$60,341$78,907$105,689$181,592

How to Maximize Your Starting Clinical Psychologist Salary

Newly licensed psychologists who strategically position setting, specialty, and PSYPACT compact consistently land starting offers 25–50% above the national average. Here's how to maximize your first licensed year:

1. Choose VA Federal vs Academic vs Private vs Telehealth

VA federal psychologist (top long-term security) — GS-12/13 entry. Locality pay + FERS Special Category pension + PSLF. Strong career path with advancement to GS-13/14/15.
Academic medical center new licensed — Mass General, McLean, BWH, BIDMC, Johns Hopkins, NIH, Stanford, UCSF, UCLA, Cleveland Clinic, Penn Medicine. Research time + PSLF.
Telehealth platform new licensed — Talkiatry, LifeStance Health, Cerebral, Spring Health, Lyra Health, Talkspace, BetterHelp, Headspace Health.
Insurance-billing private practice — bills $120–$220/hour effective.
Community mental health (PSLF eligible) — federally funded CMHC.
University counseling center — academic schedule.
Highest-paying new grad metro — Salem, OR at $119,108.

2. Complete APA Postdoc + Pass EPPP

APA-accredited PhD or PsyD program — required entry credential.
Predoctoral internship — APA-accredited internship year.
Postdoctoral fellowship — 1–2 years supervised postdoc (state-specific requirements).
EPPP exam — required nationally.
State licensure — required in all 50 states.
PSYPACT (40+ states) — E.Passport + IPC enable multi-state telehealth.

3. Target VA Federal or PSYPACT-Compact State

VA federal (top long-term) — locality pay + FERS-SCE + PSLF.
PSYPACT member states (40+) — Arizona, Colorado, Texas, Georgia, Florida, Nevada, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, NC, Missouri, Utah, Ohio, Maine, Alabama, Maryland, Oklahoma, Idaho, Indiana, NH, WV, Delaware, Kentucky, Kansas, Wyoming, NJ, Washington, Michigan, Mississippi, Arkansas, CT, VT, RI, SC, MN, WI, ME.
Non-PSYPACT states — California, NY, Oregon, MA, Iowa, Louisiana, Alaska, HI, NM, MT, ND. Require state-by-state licensure for telehealth.
California / NY / MA top nominal — Bay Area / LA / NYC / Boston $100,000–$140,000.
No-state-income-tax markets — Texas, Florida, Tennessee, Washington, Nevada strong real take-home.

4. Negotiate Sign-On Bonuses and PSLF Strategy

VA federal sign-on / EDRP — VA Education Debt Reduction Program for new licensed psychologists.
Telehealth platform sign-on — Talkiatry, LifeStance, Cerebral, Spring Health offer competitive sign-on.
Hospital new licensed sign-on — $10,000–$30,000 typical at academic medical centers.
NHSC Loan Repayment — federal program for psychologists at HPSA-designated FQHC or eligible mental health facility.
PSLF eligibility — VA, academic medical center (nonprofit hospital), community mental health, university counseling all qualify. Significant for new grads with $200,000+ PsyD debt.
State loan forgiveness — many states have state-funded psychologist loan repayment.

5. Plan ABPP Specialty / Neuropsych / Cash-Pay Path

ABPP Clinical Neuropsychology (top tier specialty) — 2-year neuropsych postdoctoral fellowship at BWH, Cleveland Clinic, UCSF, Henry Ford, Beth Israel. Strong specialty premium long-term.
ABPP Clinical Psychology — general clinical specialty.
ABPP Forensic Psychology — expert witness premium. Typically 3–5 years experience first.
ABPP Child and Adolescent Psychology — pediatric specialty.
ABPP Geropsychology — older adult specialty.
ABPP Rehabilitation Psychology — TBI / SCI.
Cash-pay private practice (post-3–5 years experience) — HNW markets $200–$400+/hour direct.
1099 telehealth psychologist — Talkiatry, LifeStance, Cerebral with established practice.
VA federal senior track — GS-14/15 + locality pay + pension.

More Salary Resources

National OverviewComplete salary data for 1673+ cities Hourly Pay RatesPer-hour rates, part-time calculations Salary by StateAll 52 states compared Highest Paying StatesTop states ranked by salary

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the entry level clinical and counseling psychologist salary?

The average entry level clinical and counseling psychologist salary is $60,341 per year (approximately $29.01/hour) in 2026. This figure represents the 10th percentile of BLS wage data, which closely approximates what new graduates and first-year clinical and counseling psychologists earn.

How much do new clinical and counseling psychologists make with no experience?

New clinical and counseling psychologists with no experience typically start around $60,341 per year nationally. However, starting pay varies significantly by location — from $20,322 in lower-paying areas to $119,108 in top-paying metro areas like Salem, OR.

What state pays entry-level clinical and counseling psychologists the most?

Oregon pays entry-level clinical and counseling psychologists the most, with an average starting salary of $88,743 per year across 36 metro areas.

How long does it take to reach the median clinical and counseling psychologist salary?

Most clinical and counseling psychologists reach the national median salary of $105,689 within 3 to 5 years of clinical practice. Those who pursue specialized certifications (local anesthesia, laser therapy) or work in high-demand settings can reach median pay sooner.

Is psychology school worth the investment?

Yes. With an average starting salary of $60,341 and program costs typically ranging from $18,000 to $45,000, most psychology graduates recoup their education investment within 1-3 years. The median salary of $105,689 and strong job growth (9% projected through 2033, faster than average) make it one of the best returns on investment in healthcare education.

Written by Maria Gonzalez, PhD, LPC

Career Analyst

Maria has 10 years of experience in clinical psychology. She specializes in cognitive behavioral therapy. Maria works at a mental health clinic in Chicago.

Clinically reviewed by James Wu, PsyD, LCSWData verified by Fatima Khan, PhD, LCPC

Data Sources & Methodology

Source: BLS, OEWS 2025, released May 2026.

Compiled and verified by Maria Gonzalez, PhD, LPC, a licensed clinical and counseling psychologist with 10+ years of clinical experience. · View source data at BLS.gov

Methodology & Data Source

Salary figures on this page are 2026 projections based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2026 release. We applied a 5.08% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), derived from 6-year national BLS trends, to estimate current 2026 compensation.