Clinical and Counseling Psychologist Salary in Illinois: $88,750 (2026)

Quick Answer:Across Illinois's 64 metropolitan areas, the average median clinical and counseling psychologist pay sits at $88,750/year heading into 2026 — a figure projected from 2025 BLS OEWS wage data for SOC 19-3033. Because Illinois sits at BEA RPP 97.1 (3% below the U.S. baseline), that statewide median translates to roughly $91,401 in nationally-comparable purchasing power. Highest-paying metros: Peoria ($98,070), Naperville ($86,281), Chicago ($85,390).

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

$88,750

Avg Median Salary

$42.67

Avg Hourly Rate

5,957

Metro Employed

Cities

In 2026, clinical and counseling psychologists in Illinois will earn an average median salary of $88,750, which is 16.0% lower than the national median of $105,689. The salary disparity among cities is significant; Peoria offers the highest average at $103,052, while Springfield features the lowest at $73,052, resulting in a gap of $30,000. This difference can be attributed to factors such as the local cost of living, demand for services, and the presence of mental health initiatives in those areas. Psychologists in Illinois must navigate specific state licensing requirements and adhere to scope of practice laws that can influence their career paths and earnings. The demand for psychologists is projected to grow, with a strong annual growth rate of 5.08%. As of 2026, there will be 5,957 employed psychologists in the state, with the highest salaries found in Peoria, followed by Naperville at $90,664, and Chicago at $89,728. Other key cities include Elgin at $88,927 and Decatur at $85,238. This ongoing demand, combined with the variation in compensation across the state, underscores the importance of location and local resources in shaping career outcomes for psychologists in Illinois.

Illinois Clinical and Counseling Psychologist Salary Range

Entry Level (10th %ile)

$35,407

avg across 64 cities

Median

$88,750

state average

Top Earners (90th %ile)

$173,604

avg across 64 cities

Overall salary range in Illinois: $32,785 (lowest entry-level) to $183,680 (highest top earner)

Illinois vs National Average

Illinois

$88,750

National Median

$105,689

Illinois clinical and counseling psychologists earn 16.03% less than the national median ($-16,939/year difference).

Illinois Clinical and Counseling Psychologist Salary Distribution (2026)

Clinical and Counseling Psychologist salaries in Illinois range from $35,407 (entry-level, 10th percentile) to $173,604 (top earners, 90th percentile), with a median of $88,750. The Illinois median is $16,939 below the US national median of $105,689. The average hourly rate is $42.67/hr. Approximately 5,957 clinical and counseling psychologists are employed across 64 cities.

2021 BLS Actual

$81,606

2025 BLS Actual

$84,459

2026 Current Est.

$88,750

2021–2027 Growth

+14.3%

Salary Trajectory for Clinical and Counseling Psychologists in Illinois (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	$81,606	Actual
2022	$79,398	Actual
2023	$91,809	Actual
2024	$98,735	Actual
2025	$84,459	Actual
2026(current)	$88,750	Estimated
2027	$93,258	Projected

Based on 5 years of BLS OEWS data for the Illinois metropolitan area, the median clinical and counseling psychologist salary grew 3.5% from $81,606 (2021) to $84,459 (2025). At a 5.08% compound annual growth rate, salaries are projected to reach $93,258 by 2027 — a total increase of $11,652 (14.28%) from 2021.

Note: Historical values (2021–2025) are actual BLS OEWS figures for the Illinois 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 Illinois

Peoria

70 employed · $49.55/hr

$103,052

+16.11% vs avg

Naperville

23 employed · $43.59/hr

$90,664

+2.16% vs avg

Chicago

5,030 employed · $43.14/hr

$89,728

+1.10% vs avg

Elgin

16 employed · $42.76/hr

$88,927

+0.20% vs avg

Decatur

13 employed · $40.98/hr

$85,238

-3.96% vs avg

Lowest Paying Cities in Illinois

City	Median Salary	vs State Avg	Hourly
Springfield	$73,052	-17.69%	$35.12
Rock Island	$77,817	-12.32%	$37.41
Carbondale	$78,739	-11.28%	$37.86
Moline	$79,041	-10.94%	$38.00
Urbana	$79,067	-10.91%	$38.02

Best Value Cities for Clinical and Counseling Psychologists in Illinois

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

City	Nominal Salary	CoL Index	Adjusted Salary
Peoria	$103,052	91.231	$112,957
Naperville	$90,664	97.1	$93,372
Elgin	$88,927	97.1	$91,583
Rockford	$84,064	92.154	$91,221
Decatur	$85,238	97.1	$87,784

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

Salary by Experience Level in Illinois

Experience Level	Estimated Annual	Est. Hourly	Description
Entry Level (0-2 years)	$35,407	$17.02	10th percentile, new graduates
Mid Career (3-7 years)	$88,750	$42.67	50th percentile, median salary
Experienced (7+ years)	$173,604	$83.46	90th percentile, top earners

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

All 64 Cities in Illinois

#	City	Median Salary	Hourly	Entry (P10)	Top (P90)	Employed
1	Peoria	$103,052	$49.55	$51,542	$176,335	70
2	Naperville	$90,664	$43.59	$52,585	$140,530	23
3	Chicago	$89,728	$43.14	$32,785	$179,056	5,030
4	Elgin	$88,927	$42.76	$51,577	$137,837	16
5	Decatur	$85,238	$40.98	$49,438	$132,118	13
6	Orland Park	$85,238	$40.98	$49,438	$132,118	9
7	Bolingbrook	$84,871	$40.80	$49,225	$131,550	19
8	Palatine	$84,232	$40.50	$48,855	$130,560	16
9	Waukegan	$84,186	$40.48	$48,828	$130,488	18
10	Rockford	$84,064	$40.41	$32,785	$171,123	50
11	Mount Prospect	$84,025	$40.39	$48,735	$130,239	13
12	Hoffman Estates	$83,753	$40.27	$48,576	$129,817	8
13	Evanston	$83,593	$40.19	$48,484	$129,570	16
14	Joliet	$83,523	$40.15	$48,443	$129,461	25
15	Oak Park	$83,453	$40.12	$48,403	$129,352	10
16	Danville	$83,280	$40.04	$48,302	$129,084	5
17	Addison	$83,105	$39.95	$48,200	$128,812	6
18	Berwyn	$83,067	$39.94	$48,179	$128,753	12
19	Aurora	$83,013	$39.91	$48,148	$128,670	44
20	Tinley Park	$83,001	$39.91	$48,454	$128,650	8
21	Northbrook	$82,915	$39.87	$48,091	$128,519	8
22	St. Charles	$82,863	$39.84	$48,060	$128,437	7
23	Gurnee	$82,843	$39.83	$48,049	$128,407	8
24	Arlington Heights	$82,727	$39.77	$48,199	$128,227	18
25	Wheaton	$82,621	$39.72	$47,968	$128,063	14
26	Woodridge	$82,596	$39.71	$47,906	$128,024	9
27	Schaumburg	$82,554	$39.69	$47,882	$127,959	13
28	Buffalo Grove	$82,531	$39.68	$49,463	$127,923	7
29	Bartlett	$82,524	$39.68	$47,864	$127,912	9
30	Lake in the Hills	$82,218	$39.53	$47,686	$127,438	6
31	Collinsville	$82,204	$39.52	$47,678	$127,417	5
32	Skokie	$82,181	$39.51	$47,665	$127,380	12
33	Wheeling	$82,061	$39.46	$48,402	$127,195	6
34	Carpentersville	$81,970	$39.41	$48,283	$127,053	8
35	Oak Lawn	$81,915	$39.38	$47,511	$126,968	14
36	O'Fallon	$81,897	$39.37	$47,500	$126,941	6
37	Quincy	$81,578	$39.22	$47,315	$126,446	6
38	Algonquin	$81,578	$39.22	$47,315	$126,446	5
39	Bloomington	$81,548	$39.21	$47,298	$126,400	13
40	Carol Stream	$81,506	$39.18	$47,273	$126,335	10
41	Normal	$81,502	$39.18	$47,271	$126,328	8
42	Lombard	$81,454	$39.16	$47,243	$126,254	8
43	Cicero	$81,369	$39.12	$47,194	$126,121	21
44	Plainfield	$81,285	$39.08	$48,856	$125,991	11
45	Des Plaines	$81,269	$39.07	$47,136	$125,967	12
46	Oswego	$80,958	$38.92	$48,126	$125,484	7
47	DeKalb	$80,893	$38.89	$48,321	$125,384	9
48	Park Ridge	$80,828	$38.86	$48,176	$125,283	7
49	Hanover Park	$80,795	$38.85	$48,104	$125,232	6
50	Glenview	$80,789	$38.84	$48,089	$125,223	12
51	Romeoville	$80,463	$38.68	$47,364	$124,717	7
52	Streamwood	$80,352	$38.63	$47,118	$124,545	8
53	Downers Grove	$80,201	$38.55	$46,787	$124,312	11
54	Belleville	$80,182	$38.55	$46,744	$124,282	10
55	Crystal Lake	$80,051	$38.49	$46,456	$124,080	9
56	Galesburg	$79,745	$38.34	$46,252	$123,606	4
57	Calumet City	$79,719	$38.32	$46,237	$123,565	7
58	Elmhurst	$79,523	$38.23	$46,124	$123,261	9
59	Champaign	$79,356	$38.15	$67,283	$183,680	130
60	Urbana	$79,067	$38.02	$47,795	$122,555	6
61	Moline	$79,041	$38.00	$45,844	$122,514	10
62	Carbondale	$78,739	$37.86	$49,040	$122,045	5
63	Rock Island	$77,817	$37.41	$45,134	$120,616	5
64	Springfield	$73,052	$35.12	$32,785	$176,209	40

More Illinois Salary Data

Hourly Rates

Explore clinical and counseling psychologist hourly pay in Illinois cities.

Peoria →Naperville →Chicago →

Entry Level

Starting salaries for new clinical and counseling psychologists.

Peoria →Naperville →Chicago →

Senior / Experienced

Top earner salaries for experienced clinical and counseling psychologists.

Peoria →Naperville →Chicago →

Compare Cities in Illinois

Chicago, ILvsChampaign, IL Chicago, ILvsPeoria, IL Chicago, ILvsRockford, IL Chicago, ILvsAurora, IL Chicago, ILvsSpringfield, IL Chicago, ILvsJoliet, IL

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 Illinois in 2026?

The average median clinical and counseling psychologist salary in Illinois is $88,750/year across 64 metro areas, based on estimated 2026 (projected from 2025 BLS data). Salaries range from $73,052 in Springfield to $103,052 in Peoria. This makes Illinois 16.03% below the national median of $105,689. The state employs approximately 5,957 clinical and counseling psychologists.

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

Peoria offers the highest clinical and counseling psychologist salary in Illinois at $103,052/year ($49.55/hr), based on estimated 2026 (projected from 2025 BLS data). The top 3 highest-paying cities are Peoria ($103,052), Naperville ($90,664), Chicago ($89,728). 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 Illinois clinical and counseling psychologist pay compare to the national average?

Illinois's average clinical and counseling psychologist salary of $88,750 is 16.03% below the national median of $105,689 in 2026. The state employs approximately 5,957 clinical and counseling psychologists across 64 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 Illinois?

Entry-level clinical and counseling psychologists (10th percentile) in Illinois earn approximately $35,407/year on average, based on estimated 2026 (projected from 2025 BLS data). Starting salaries range from $32,785 in lower-paying areas to $67,283 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 Illinois?

Illinois employs approximately 5,957 clinical and counseling psychologists across 64 metropolitan areas, based on the latest BLS data. This makes Illinois one of the larger employers of clinical and counseling psychologists nationally. Demand continues to grow as the psychology field expands and the population ages.

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

When adjusted for cost of living, Peoria offers the highest purchasing power for clinical and counseling psychologists in Illinois, with an adjusted salary of $112,957 (nominal: $103,052, CoL index: 91.231). This means your dollar goes 10% further compared to the national average, making it an attractive option for maximizing real income.

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 Illinois. State averages are employment-weighted across 64 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

Share:Facebook X LinkedIn Email