1. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-State Tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
What is a Chief Psychologist?
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a chief psychologist. For example, did you know that they make an average of $48.17 an hour? That's $100,193 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 14% and produce 26,100 job opportunities across the U.S.
What Does a Chief Psychologist Do
There are certain skills that many chief psychologists have in order to accomplish their responsibilities. By taking a look through resumes, we were able to narrow down the most common skills for a person in this position. We discovered that a lot of resumes listed analytical skills, communication skills and integrity.
How To Become a Chief Psychologist
If you're interested in becoming a chief psychologist, one of the first things to consider is how much education you need. We've determined that 43.0% of chief psychologists have a bachelor's degree. In terms of higher education levels, we found that 19.4% of chief psychologists have master's degrees. Even though most chief psychologists have a college degree, it's impossible to become one with only a high school degree or GED.
Chief Psychologist Career Paths
As you move along in your career, you may start taking on more responsibilities or notice that you've taken on a leadership role. Using our career map, a chief psychologist can determine their career goals through the career progression. For example, they could start out with a role such as clinical director, progress to a title such as executive director and then eventually end up with the title executive director.
Average Salary for a Chief Psychologist
Chief Psychologists in America make an average salary of $100,193 per year or $48 per hour. The top 10 percent makes over $145,000 per year, while the bottom 10 percent under $69,000 per year.
Average Chief Psychologist Salary
$100,193 Yearly$48.17 hourly
What Am I Worth?
Roles and Types of Chief Psychologist
There are several types of chief psychologist, including:
Psychologist
Role:
Psychologists may work in various settings, from clinics to schools, workplaces, organizations, or private practices. Their job, essentially, is to assess and diagnose mental or emotional disorders in their patients.
They do not stop after arriving at a diagnosis, though. Treating patients with therapy or choosing from a wide variety of alternative options and methods is also their job. If they do not seem to have access to the appropriate tools, they will refer their patients to specialized therapists or other treatment facilities.
You will need an extended period of education and experience to qualify as a practicing psychologist. The road to get there is not easy, and the position is demanding on many levels, but the ability to help people is always extremely powerful and fulfilling.
They do not stop after arriving at a diagnosis, though. Treating patients with therapy or choosing from a wide variety of alternative options and methods is also their job. If they do not seem to have access to the appropriate tools, they will refer their patients to specialized therapists or other treatment facilities.
You will need an extended period of education and experience to qualify as a practicing psychologist. The road to get there is not easy, and the position is demanding on many levels, but the ability to help people is always extremely powerful and fulfilling.
- Average Salary: $97,803
- Degree: Bachelor's Degree
Clinical Psychologist
Role:
Clinical psychologists provide mental health care for individuals or families. If you genuinely care about the burden other people carry and find it satisfying to make a difference in people's lives, choosing to be a clinical psychologist might be the right path for you.
As a clinical psychologist, you will be working with more serious cases than general psychologists or therapists. You will help your patients overcome behavioral issues and mental health problems by conducting tests and interviews with them to diagnose disorders and discuss treatment possibilities to carry out together.
You will have to undergo specialized training to take on this role. You will need a doctoral degree to establish your practice, and you will have to obtain a license as well. Completing residency programs under the supervision of licensed clinical psychologists is generally required as well.
As a clinical psychologist, you will be working with more serious cases than general psychologists or therapists. You will help your patients overcome behavioral issues and mental health problems by conducting tests and interviews with them to diagnose disorders and discuss treatment possibilities to carry out together.
You will have to undergo specialized training to take on this role. You will need a doctoral degree to establish your practice, and you will have to obtain a license as well. Completing residency programs under the supervision of licensed clinical psychologists is generally required as well.
- Average Salary: $97,659
- Degree: Bachelor's Degree
Staff Psychologist
Role:
As a staff psychologist, you have a very important role in ensuring the staff's health and mental well-being in your company, the patients in your clinic, and your mental health. You will need to have medical knowledge and analytical skills.
A staff psychologist also needs to be observant and have integrity or be able to keep secrets. You will need to have at least a bachelor's degree, but you will find a position easier if you have a master's degree. Staff psychologists usually are working toward a doctoral degree in psychology or social work. You will also need experience in clinical psychology or an internship. It would also be good if you had experience in clinical psychology settings.
Usually, as a staff psychologist, you will need to carry out difficult assignments when assessing clients' mental states. You may need to assess and treat children, adolescents, adults, develop programs, and evaluation reports, do clinical research, and have communication skills. As a staff psychologist, you can be compensated with an average salary of $71,000 per year.
A staff psychologist also needs to be observant and have integrity or be able to keep secrets. You will need to have at least a bachelor's degree, but you will find a position easier if you have a master's degree. Staff psychologists usually are working toward a doctoral degree in psychology or social work. You will also need experience in clinical psychology or an internship. It would also be good if you had experience in clinical psychology settings.
Usually, as a staff psychologist, you will need to carry out difficult assignments when assessing clients' mental states. You may need to assess and treat children, adolescents, adults, develop programs, and evaluation reports, do clinical research, and have communication skills. As a staff psychologist, you can be compensated with an average salary of $71,000 per year.
- Average Salary: $77,671
- Degree: Bachelor's Degree
States With The Most Chief Psychologist Jobs
Mouse over a state to see the number of active chief psychologist jobs in each state. The darker areas on the map show where chief psychologists earn the highest salaries across all 50 states.
Average Salary: Job Openings:
Number Of Chief Psychologist Jobs By State
| Rank | State | Number of Jobs | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 1,266 | $138,960 |
| 2 | New York | 625 | $85,327 |
| 3 | Texas | 551 | $80,078 |
| 4 | Illinois | 437 | $80,486 |
| 5 | Florida | 421 | $90,316 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | 344 | $77,124 |
| 7 | Virginia | 321 | $104,550 |
| 8 | North Carolina | 309 | $65,412 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | 303 | $77,033 |
| 10 | Georgia | 290 | $75,320 |
| 11 | Washington | 268 | $117,683 |
| 12 | Maryland | 261 | $99,421 |
| 13 | Arizona | 241 | $86,886 |
| 14 | New Jersey | 229 | $81,671 |
| 15 | Ohio | 226 | $89,071 |
| 16 | Michigan | 201 | $77,946 |
| 17 | Minnesota | 176 | $80,678 |
| 18 | Colorado | 171 | $96,054 |
| 19 | Oregon | 166 | $101,416 |
| 20 | Wisconsin | 154 | $98,162 |
| 21 | South Carolina | 143 | $62,861 |
| 22 | Indiana | 139 | $83,152 |
| 23 | Connecticut | 120 | $97,127 |
| 24 | Missouri | 118 | $83,338 |
| 25 | Tennessee | 101 | $71,687 |
| 26 | Oklahoma | 98 | $76,796 |
| 27 | Louisiana | 85 | $79,627 |
| 28 | Iowa | 83 | $83,421 |
| 29 | Alabama | 79 | $62,180 |
| 30 | Nevada | 74 | $118,579 |
| 31 | Delaware | 69 | $89,091 |
| 32 | New Mexico | 67 | $100,516 |
| 33 | Utah | 67 | $92,222 |
| 34 | Nebraska | 62 | $75,755 |
| 35 | Kansas | 55 | $81,516 |
| 36 | Kentucky | 49 | $78,395 |
| 37 | Montana | 43 | $80,426 |
| 38 | Arkansas | 38 | $83,838 |
| 39 | Maine | 35 | $104,681 |
| 40 | Idaho | 33 | $109,802 |
| 41 | New Hampshire | 32 | $96,139 |
| 42 | Hawaii | 32 | $80,918 |
| 43 | Rhode Island | 29 | $101,508 |
| 44 | Alaska | 29 | $92,681 |
| 45 | West Virginia | 29 | $70,374 |
| 46 | Mississippi | 26 | $81,004 |
| 47 | North Dakota | 25 | $100,577 |
| 48 | Wyoming | 25 | $80,382 |
| 49 | South Dakota | 24 | $80,739 |
| 50 | Vermont | 18 | $74,811 |
Top Colleges for Chief Psychologists
2. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
In-State Tuition
$53,740
Enrollment
5,567
3. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-State Tuition
$6,798
Enrollment
31,503
4. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
In-State Tuition
$9,808
Enrollment
13,990
5. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-State Tuition
$7,182
Enrollment
16,205
6. University of Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
In-State Tuition
$11,207
Enrollment
30,905
7. SUNY Stony Brook
Stony Brook, NY • Private
In-State Tuition
$9,625
Enrollment
17,407
8. Clemson University
Clemson, SC • Private
In-State Tuition
$15,374
Enrollment
19,564
9. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-State Tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
10. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-State Tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
Top Skills For a Chief Psychologist
The skills section on your resume can be almost as important as the experience section, so you want it to be an accurate portrayal of what you can do. Luckily, we've found all of the skills you'll need so even if you don't have these skills yet, you know what you need to work on. Out of all the resumes we looked through, 35.6% of chief psychologists listed mental health on their resume, but soft skills such as analytical skills and communication skills are important as well.
Choose From 10+ Customizable Chief Psychologist Resume templates
Zippia allows you to choose from different easy-to-use Chief Psychologist templates, and provides you with expert advice. Using the templates, you can rest assured that the structure and format of your Chief Psychologist resume is top notch. Choose a template with the colors, fonts & text sizes that are appropriate for your industry.
Chief Psychologist Demographics
Chief Psychologist Gender Distribution
Female
51%
Male
50%
After extensive research and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
- Among chief psychologists, 50.5% of them are women, while 49.5% are men.
- The most common race/ethnicity among chief psychologists is White, which makes up 76.4% of all chief psychologists.
- The most common foreign language among chief psychologists is Spanish at 100.0%.
Online Courses For Chief Psychologist That You May Like
Advertising Disclosure
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This course will explore the science of suicide research, prevention, and intervention. The field of suicide research is young and knowledge is rapidly changing. Topics will include terminology, epidemiology, historical and contemporary theories of suicide, modern approaches to suicide research, empirically supported approaches to prevention and intervention, the lived experiences of those with suicidal thoughts and attempts. Note: this course is not designed to address personal experiences...
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Learn to provide psychological first aid to people in an emergency by employing the RAPID model: Reflective listening, Assessment of needs, Prioritization, Intervention, and Disposition. Utilizing the RAPID model (Reflective listening, Assessment of needs, Prioritization, Intervention, and Disposition), this specialized course provides perspectives on injuries and trauma that are beyond those physical in nature. The RAPID model is readily applicable to public health settings, the workplace, the...
See More on Coursera3. Mental Health and Resilience for Healthcare Workers
This course will help institutions and individuals better manage the mental health challenges of being a healthcare worker. Healthcare providers such as the University Health Network (UHN) address the mental health needs of their staff through several initiatives intended to help build resilience and to provide respite from the demands of their work. This was critical during the pandemic but, of course, healthcare workers encounter high levels of stress even without a pandemic. The primary...
See More on CourseraJob type you want
Full Time
Part Time
Internship
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Best States For a Chief Psychologist
Some places are better than others when it comes to starting a career as a chief psychologist. The best states for people in this position are California, Nevada, Washington, and Idaho. Chief psychologists make the most in California with an average salary of $138,960. Whereas in Nevada and Washington, they would average $118,579 and $117,683, respectively. While chief psychologists would only make an average of $109,802 in Idaho, you would still make more there than in the rest of the country. We determined these as the best states based on job availability and pay. By finding the median salary, cost of living, and using the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Location Quotient, we narrowed down our list of states to these four.
1. California
Total Chief Psychologist Jobs: 1,266
Highest 10% Earn:
$202,000
Location Quotient:
1.38
$138,960
Avg. Salary
2. Nevada
Total Chief Psychologist Jobs: 74
Highest 10% Earn:
$174,000
Location Quotient:
1.13
$118,579
Avg. Salary
3. Washington
Total Chief Psychologist Jobs: 268
Highest 10% Earn:
$165,000
Location Quotient:
1.17
$117,683
Avg. Salary
How Do Chief Psychologist Rate Their Jobs?
Top Chief Psychologist Employers
Most Common Employers For Chief Psychologist
| Rank | Company | Average Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Receptions | $100,471 | $48.30 | 1 |
| 2 | STG International | $96,723 | $46.50 | 1 |
| 3 | The GEO Group | $95,552 | $45.94 | 1 |
| 4 | Milwaukee County Behavorial Health Division | $95,351 | $45.84 | 1 |
| 5 | US Air Conditioning Distributors | $95,283 | $45.81 | 2 |
| 6 | St. Mary's Health Inc. | $90,806 | $43.66 | 1 |
| 7 | The Center for Early Education | $85,287 | $41.00 | 1 |
| 8 | Federal Prison Industries | $84,133 | $40.45 | 2 |
| 9 | BronxCare Health System | $81,623 | $39.24 | 1 |
| 10 | Austin State Hospital | $80,112 | $38.52 | 1 |