Clinical and Counseling Psychologists: Job Description
Assess, diagnose, and treat mental and emotional disorders of individuals through observation, interview, and psychological tests. Help individuals with distress or maladjustment understand their problems through their knowledge of case history, interviews with patients, and theory. Provide individual or group counseling services to assist individuals in achieving more effective personal, social, educational, and vocational development and adjustment. May design behavior modification programs and consult with medical personnel regarding the best treatment for patients.
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What Do Clinical and Counseling Psychologists Do?
The core tasks performed by clinical and counseling psychologists span:
- Conduct assessments of patients' risk for harm to self or others.
- Document patient information including session notes, progress notes, recommendations, and treatment plans.
- Identify psychological, emotional, or behavioral issues and diagnose disorders, using information obtained from interviews, tests, records, or reference materials.
- Write reports on clients and maintain required paperwork.
- Counsel individuals, groups, or families to help them understand problems, deal with crisis situations, define goals, and develop realistic action plans.
- Interact with clients to assist them in gaining insight, defining goals, and planning action to achieve effective personal, social, educational, or vocational development and adjustment.
- Collect information about individuals or clients, using interviews, case histories, observational techniques, and other assessment methods.
- Evaluate the effectiveness of counseling or treatments and the accuracy and completeness of diagnoses, modifying plans or diagnoses as necessary.
What Clinical and Counseling Psychologists Need to Know
Successful clinical and counseling psychologists rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
The abilities that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Other Clinical and Counseling Psychologists Job Titles
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Applied Behavior Science Specialist (ABSS)
- Assessment Coordinator
- Behavior Analyst
- Behavior Specialist
- Behavior Therapist
- Behavioral Analyst
- Behavioral Health Specialist
- Behavioral Psychologist
Job Outlook
The U.S. employs around 74,184 clinical and counseling psychologists working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to grow by +14.7% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Clinical and Counseling Psychologists Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $68,140 |
| Hourly median | $32.76 |
| 10th percentile | $40,501 |
| 25th percentile | $54,320 |
| 75th percentile | $81,960 |
| 90th percentile | $95,780 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
How Much Do Clinical and Counseling Psychologists Make in Different U.S. States?
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Oregon | $132,550 |
| Colorado | $126,260 |
| Kentucky | $116,480 |
| Washington | $115,050 |
| California | $114,520 |
| New Jersey | $110,190 |
| Delaware | $109,120 |
| North Dakota | $109,110 |
| Hawaii | $108,840 |
| Arizona | $106,970 |
| Alaska | $105,870 |
| Maryland | $104,480 |
| Wisconsin | $103,860 |
| Nevada | $103,510 |
| Minnesota | $102,650 |
| Ohio | $102,290 |
| Rhode Island | $101,820 |
| Alabama | $100,320 |
| New York | $99,910 |
| Iowa | $98,580 |
| Maine | $97,630 |
| Illinois | $97,470 |
| Mississippi | $92,390 |
| Tennessee | $92,320 |
| North Carolina | $91,840 |
| Oklahoma | $91,140 |
| Pennsylvania | $90,450 |
| Utah | $88,990 |
| Virginia | $87,110 |
| Massachusetts | $87,060 |
| Missouri | $86,340 |
| South Dakota | $85,790 |
| Florida | $84,020 |
| Indiana | $80,770 |
| Michigan | $80,030 |
| Wyoming | $79,890 |
| Vermont | $79,550 |
| Idaho | $74,820 |
| New Mexico | $73,860 |
| Texas | $72,320 |
| West Virginia | $70,540 |
| Louisiana | $67,470 |
| Puerto Rico | $64,050 |
| Kansas | $61,800 |
| New Hampshire | $52,510 |
| Georgia | $51,210 |
Where Clinical and Counseling Psychologists Earn the Most
Compensation for clinical and counseling psychologists differ across the country. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $114,551 | 20.4% | 1.29 |
| Rocky Mountains | $103,214 | 5.1% | 1.28 |
| Middle Atlantic | $98,432 | 23.0% | 1.47 |
| Plains States | $92,878 | 6.2% | 1.01 |
| Great Lakes | $91,462 | 14.5% | 1.08 |
| Southwest | $81,406 | 7.4% | 0.58 |
| Southeast | $80,531 | 15.2% | 0.82 |
| New England | $75,184 | 7.7% | 1.75 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $160,210 | 2,220 |
| Vallejo, CA | CA | $143,370 | 170 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | CA | $139,440 | 40 |
| La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | WI | $137,990 | 40 |
| Salem, OR | OR | $134,440 | 110 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | CA | $133,820 | 100 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | OR | $132,550 | 230 |
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | FL | $126,910 | 80 |
Which Industries Hire Clinical and Counseling Psychologists
The largest employers of clinical and counseling psychologists work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 60,400 | $95,990 |
| Educational Services | 3,040 | $83,780 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1,970 | $87,060 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 450 | n/a |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 310 | $89,830 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 310 | $60,430 |
| Finance and Insurance | 240 | $80,860 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Tools and Technology
- Medical software: eClinicalWorks EHR software (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Google Docs (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Google Sheets (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Project management software: Microsoft Teams (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Video conferencing software: Zoom (hot technology)
- Video conferencing software: Google Meet (in demand)
The Day-to-Day Environment
Daily working conditions for clinical and counseling psychologists reflects the following characteristics:
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Spend Time Sitting
- Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
- Freedom to Make Decisions
Getting Started in This Career
This career aligns with Extensive Preparation Needed (Job Zone 5), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- School Psychologists (Primary-Long)
- Neuropsychologists (Primary-Long)
- Clinical Neuropsychologists (Primary-Long)
- Substance Abuse and Behavioral Disorder Counselors (Primary-Long)
- Marriage and Family Therapists (Primary-Short)
- Mental Health Counselors (Primary-Short)
- Rehabilitation Counselors (Supplemental)
- Child, Family, and School Social Workers (Supplemental)
Where to Study
Students preparing for clinical and counseling psychologists often complete programs in:
Psychology
9 programs across 3 majors
Health Professions and Related Programs
1 programs across 1 majors
References
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 19-3033.00 (Clinical and Counseling Psychologists).
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