Clinical and Counseling Psychologist Salary in Florida: $96,140 (2026)

Quick Answer:Across Florida's 83 metropolitan areas, the average median clinical and counseling psychologist pay sits at $96,140/year heading into 2026 — a figure projected from 2025 BLS OEWS wage data for SOC 19-3033. Because Florida sits at BEA RPP 100.8 (1% above the U.S. baseline), that statewide median translates to roughly $95,377 in nationally-comparable purchasing power. Highest-paying metros: Port St. Lucie ($123,300), Sarasota ($121,618), North Port ($119,840).

Clinical and Counseling Psychologist Salary in Florida - 2025 BLS Data Infographic — Florida clinical and counseling psychologist salary overview (2026)

$96,140

Avg Median Salary

$46.22

Avg Hourly Rate

2,686

Metro Employed

Cities

In Florida, clinical and counseling psychologists earn an average median salary of $96,140 in 2026, which is 9.0% lower than the national median of $105,689. The salary landscape varies considerably across the state, with Port St. Lucie leading at $129,564, while Tallahassee offers the lowest at $76,246. This nearly $53,318 difference is influenced by factors such as cost of living, demand for mental health services, and local funding for mental health initiatives. Florida has specific licensing requirements, including a doctorate in psychology, completion of an approved internship, and passage of state examinations. The scope of practice laws allow psychologists to assess, diagnose, and treat mental disorders, which is essential in meeting the growing demand for mental health services. The job market strength for psychologists in Florida is stable, with a projected annual growth rate of 5.08%, indicating a positive outlook for those entering the field. Key metropolitan areas with strong employment potential include Sarasota at $127,796, North Port at $125,928, and Bradenton at $123,274. As the demand for mental health professionals continues to rise, potential candidates can expect diverse opportunities across various regions in Florida.

Florida Clinical and Counseling Psychologist Salary Range

Entry Level (10th %ile)

$57,632

avg across 83 cities

Median

$96,140

state average

Top Earners (90th %ile)

$178,516

avg across 83 cities

Overall salary range in Florida: $50,998 (lowest entry-level) to $225,628 (highest top earner)

Florida vs National Average

Florida

$96,140

National Median

$105,689

Florida clinical and counseling psychologists earn 9.03% less than the national median ($-9,549/year difference).

Florida Clinical and Counseling Psychologist Salary Distribution (2026)

Clinical and Counseling Psychologist salaries in Florida range from $57,632 (entry-level, 10th percentile) to $178,516 (top earners, 90th percentile), with a median of $96,140. The Florida median is $9,549 below the US national median of $105,689. The average hourly rate is $46.22/hr. Approximately 2,686 clinical and counseling psychologists are employed across 83 cities.

2021 BLS Actual

$73,207

2025 BLS Actual

$91,492

2026 Current Est.

$96,140

2021–2027 Growth

+38.0%

Salary Trajectory for Clinical and Counseling Psychologists in Florida (2021–2027)

2021–2025: actual BLS OEWS data for this metro area. 2026+: CAGR 5.08% projection.

BLS Actual Estimated Projected

Year	Annual Salary	Status
2021	$73,207	Actual
2022	$76,435	Actual
2023	$93,029	Actual
2024	$87,095	Actual
2025	$91,492	Actual
2026(current)	$96,140	Estimated
2027	$101,024	Projected

Based on 5 years of BLS OEWS data for the Florida metropolitan area, the median clinical and counseling psychologist salary grew 25.0% from $73,207 (2021) to $91,492 (2025). At a 5.08% compound annual growth rate, salaries are projected to reach $101,024 by 2027 — a total increase of $27,817 (38.00%) from 2021.

Note: Historical values (2021–2025) are actual BLS OEWS figures for the Florida metropolitan area, sourced from annual Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys. 2026–2026 figures are current estimates, and 2027 values are projections, calculated using a 5.08% CAGR derived from 5-year BLS historical data. Actual salaries may vary based on employer, experience, certifications, and local market conditions.

Top 5 Highest Paying Cities in Florida

Port St. Lucie

40 employed · $62.29/hr

$129,564

+34.77% vs avg

Sarasota

10 employed · $61.44/hr

$127,796

+32.93% vs avg

North Port

80 employed · $60.55/hr

$125,928

+30.98% vs avg

Bradenton

13 employed · $59.27/hr

$123,274

+28.22% vs avg

Crestview

70 employed · $53.34/hr

$110,933

+15.39% vs avg

Lowest Paying Cities in Florida

City	Median Salary	vs State Avg	Hourly
Tallahassee	$76,246	-20.69%	$36.65
Plant City	$87,929	-8.54%	$42.27
North Miami Beach	$88,245	-8.21%	$42.42
Oakland Park	$88,671	-7.77%	$42.63
Ormond Beach	$88,721	-7.72%	$42.65

Best Value Cities for Clinical and Counseling Psychologists in Florida

When adjusted for local cost of living, these Florida cities offer the most purchasing power for clinical and counseling psychologists.

City	Nominal Salary	CoL Index	Adjusted Salary
Port St. Lucie	$129,564	100.228	$129,269
Sarasota	$127,796	100.8	$126,782
North Port	$125,928	102.417	$122,956
Bradenton	$123,274	100.8	$122,296
Crestview	$110,933	97.031	$114,327

Adjusted salary = nominal salary × (100 / CoL index). CoL index: 100 = national average. Lower index = lower cost of living.

Salary by Experience Level in Florida

Experience Level	Estimated Annual	Est. Hourly	Description
Entry Level (0-2 years)	$57,632	$27.71	10th percentile, new graduates
Mid Career (3-7 years)	$96,140	$46.22	50th percentile, median salary
Experienced (7+ years)	$178,516	$85.83	90th percentile, top earners

Estimates based on BLS percentile data averaged across Florida metro areas. Individual pay varies by employer, certifications, and specialization.

All 83 Cities in Florida

#	City	Median Salary	Hourly	Entry (P10)	Top (P90)	Employed
1	Port St. Lucie	$129,564	$62.29	$52,540	$167,392	40
2	Sarasota	$127,796	$61.44	$74,121	$198,084	10
3	North Port	$125,928	$60.55	$79,031	$204,107	80
4	Bradenton	$123,274	$59.27	$71,499	$191,074	13
5	Crestview	$110,933	$53.34	$66,148	$163,431	70
6	Jacksonville	$109,472	$52.63	$59,265	$182,944	190
7	Naples	$108,169	$52.00	$65,601	$165,617	70
8	Hialeah	$97,731	$46.98	$56,683	$151,482	35
9	Orlando	$97,545	$46.90	$56,576	$151,194	68
10	Coral Springs	$95,773	$46.05	$55,548	$148,449	34
11	West Palm Beach	$95,487	$45.91	$55,382	$148,005	29
12	Gainesville	$95,000	$45.67	$55,100	$147,250	22
13	Pembroke Pines	$94,902	$45.63	$55,043	$147,098	40
14	Doral	$94,163	$45.27	$54,614	$145,953	16
15	Winter Haven	$94,089	$45.24	$54,571	$145,837	10
16	Sanford	$93,781	$45.09	$54,393	$145,360	16
17	Largo	$93,722	$45.06	$54,359	$145,269	12
18	Davie	$93,588	$45.00	$54,281	$145,062	18
19	Hollywood	$93,400	$44.90	$54,172	$144,771	37
20	Miami	$93,385	$44.90	$57,889	$225,628	880
21	Delray Beach	$93,141	$44.77	$54,022	$144,368	15
22	Miramar	$92,965	$44.69	$53,920	$144,096	21
23	Palm Coast	$92,898	$44.66	$53,881	$143,992	12
24	Boca Raton	$92,677	$44.55	$53,753	$143,650	17
25	Pensacola	$92,407	$44.43	$54,221	$162,706	40
26	Cutler Bay	$92,340	$44.40	$53,557	$143,127	10
27	Boynton Beach	$92,258	$44.35	$53,510	$143,000	12
28	Lakeland	$92,197	$44.32	$65,423	$181,536	40
29	Panama City	$92,138	$44.30	$53,441	$142,814	8
30	Winter Park	$92,124	$44.29	$53,432	$142,792	7
31	Leesburg	$92,110	$44.28	$53,424	$142,770	4
32	North Miami	$92,066	$44.26	$53,399	$142,702	11
33	Port Orange	$92,039	$44.25	$53,383	$142,660	10
34	Fort Lauderdale	$92,029	$44.25	$53,376	$142,645	29
35	Jupiter	$91,911	$44.19	$53,308	$142,462	14
36	Miami Gardens	$91,862	$44.17	$53,280	$142,387	21
37	Plantation	$91,691	$44.08	$53,762	$142,121	15
38	Aventura	$91,670	$44.07	$53,168	$142,088	8
39	Royal Palm Beach	$91,649	$44.06	$53,156	$142,056	6
40	Pompano Beach	$91,570	$44.03	$53,111	$141,934	28
41	Homestead	$91,551	$44.02	$53,457	$141,904	14
42	Key West	$91,533	$44.01	$53,090	$141,876	4
43	Ocala	$91,411	$43.94	$53,247	$141,688	14
44	Tamarac	$91,352	$43.92	$53,025	$141,596	11
45	Apopka	$91,330	$43.91	$53,072	$141,562	8
46	Oviedo	$91,244	$43.87	$52,921	$141,428	10
47	Melbourne	$91,207	$43.85	$52,900	$141,371	12
48	Pinellas Park	$91,176	$43.84	$52,882	$141,322	13
49	Deltona	$91,168	$43.83	$52,877	$141,312	22
50	Deerfield Beach	$91,110	$43.81	$52,844	$141,220	12
51	Estero	$90,833	$43.67	$52,683	$140,791	6
52	Wellington	$90,801	$43.65	$52,664	$140,741	10
53	St. Cloud	$90,801	$43.65	$52,664	$140,741	11
54	Sebastian	$90,675	$43.60	$53,567	$140,546	4
55	Coconut Creek	$90,595	$43.56	$52,545	$140,422	11
56	Clearwater	$90,560	$43.53	$52,525	$140,368	19
57	Fort Myers	$90,558	$43.53	$52,523	$140,365	23
58	Altamonte Springs	$90,495	$43.50	$52,487	$140,267	9
59	Lauderhill	$90,484	$43.50	$52,481	$140,251	19
60	Kissimmee	$90,448	$43.48	$52,460	$140,194	20
61	Daytona Beach	$90,396	$43.46	$52,430	$140,114	14
62	Sunrise	$90,271	$43.40	$52,357	$139,920	23
63	Palm Beach Gardens	$90,264	$43.40	$52,353	$139,909	9
64	Margate	$90,234	$43.38	$52,336	$139,864	13
65	North Lauderdale	$90,120	$43.32	$52,270	$139,686	7
66	Haines City	$90,120	$43.32	$52,270	$139,686	5
67	DeLand	$90,077	$43.30	$54,556	$139,619	7
68	Bonita Springs	$89,984	$43.26	$52,191	$139,476	13
69	Tampa	$89,959	$43.25	$61,629	$107,108	N/A
70	Cape Coral	$89,665	$43.10	$62,890	$163,704	80
71	Winter Garden	$89,601	$43.07	$53,866	$138,881	10
72	Clermont	$89,550	$43.05	$53,753	$138,803	11
73	St. Petersburg	$89,474	$43.02	$51,895	$138,684	42
74	Titusville	$89,168	$42.87	$51,717	$138,210	7
75	Palm Bay	$89,150	$42.86	$59,580	$161,182	60
76	Dunedin	$89,031	$42.80	$52,220	$137,998	6
77	Winter Springs	$88,988	$42.78	$52,499	$137,931	8
78	Ocoee	$88,967	$42.77	$52,452	$137,899	10
79	Ormond Beach	$88,721	$42.65	$51,908	$137,518	7
80	Oakland Park	$88,671	$42.63	$51,797	$137,439	6
81	North Miami Beach	$88,245	$42.42	$51,182	$136,779	11
82	Plant City	$87,929	$42.27	$50,998	$136,290	7
83	Tallahassee	$76,246	$36.65	$55,882	$138,506	60

More Florida Salary Data

Hourly Rates

Explore clinical and counseling psychologist hourly pay in Florida cities.

Port St. Lucie →Sarasota →North Port →

Entry Level

Starting salaries for new clinical and counseling psychologists.

Port St. Lucie →Sarasota →North Port →

Senior / Experienced

Top earner salaries for experienced clinical and counseling psychologists.

Port St. Lucie →Sarasota →North Port →

Compare Cities in Florida

Miami, FLvsJacksonville, FL Miami, FLvsNorth Port, FL Miami, FLvsCape Coral, FL Miami, FLvsCrestview, FL Miami, FLvsNaples, FL Miami, FLvsOrlando, FL

View all comparisons →

Explore More Clinical and Counseling Psychologist Salary Data

National OverviewMedian salary & full US data Entry-Level SalariesStarting pay & new grad earnings Hourly Pay RatesPer-hour rates & part-time income Highest Paying StatesTop states ranked by salary

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do clinical and counseling psychologists make in Florida in 2026?

The average median clinical and counseling psychologist salary in Florida is $96,140/year across 83 metro areas, based on estimated 2026 (projected from 2025 BLS data). Salaries range from $76,246 in Tallahassee to $129,564 in Port St. Lucie. This makes Florida 9.03% below the national median of $105,689. The state employs approximately 2,686 clinical and counseling psychologists.

What is the highest paying city for clinical and counseling psychologists in Florida?

Port St. Lucie offers the highest clinical and counseling psychologist salary in Florida at $129,564/year ($62.29/hr), based on estimated 2026 (projected from 2025 BLS data). The top 3 highest-paying cities are Port St. Lucie ($129,564), Sarasota ($127,796), North Port ($125,928). Higher pay in these metros is typically driven by cost of living, demand for psychology services, and competition among employers for licensed clinical and counseling psychologists.

How does Florida clinical and counseling psychologist pay compare to the national average?

Florida's average clinical and counseling psychologist salary of $96,140 is 9.03% below the national median of $105,689 in 2026. The state employs approximately 2,686 clinical and counseling psychologists across 83 metropolitan areas. When comparing salaries, consider cost-of-living differences — a lower nominal salary in an affordable area may provide better purchasing power than a higher salary in an expensive metro.

What is the entry-level clinical and counseling psychologist salary in Florida?

Entry-level clinical and counseling psychologists (10th percentile) in Florida earn approximately $57,632/year on average, based on estimated 2026 (projected from 2025 BLS data). Starting salaries range from $50,998 in lower-paying areas to $79,031 in the highest-paying metros. New graduates should expect salaries at the lower end and can typically reach the area median within 3–5 years of clinical experience.

How many clinical and counseling psychologists are employed in Florida?

Florida employs approximately 2,686 clinical and counseling psychologists across 83 metropolitan areas, based on the latest BLS data. Job availability varies by metro area, with larger cities offering more opportunities. Demand continues to grow as the psychology field expands and the population ages.

Which Florida city offers the best value for clinical and counseling psychologists?

When adjusted for cost of living, Port St. Lucie offers the highest purchasing power for clinical and counseling psychologists in Florida, with an adjusted salary of $129,269 (nominal: $129,564, CoL index: 100.228). This means your dollar goes 0% less far compared to the national average, making it important to negotiate higher base pay.

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

Methodology & Data Source

Statewide 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. A 5.08% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), derived from 6-year national BLS wage trends, was applied to each metro area's reported salary to estimate current 2026 clinical and counseling psychologist compensation across Florida. State averages are employment-weighted across 83 metro areas — larger metro areas with more clinical and counseling psychologistscontribute proportionally more to the average, producing figures that better reflect typical compensation. Individual pay varies by city, employer, certifications, and experience.

Data Sources & Methodology

Source: BLS, OEWS, 5-year dataset (2021–2025). Per-city data from annual BLS metropolitan area surveys.

2026 figures are projected from 2025 BLS data using a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.08%, derived from historical BLS wage trends for clinical and counseling psychologists (SOC 19-3033).

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

Last verified: June 10, 2026

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