Clinical psychologist vs counseling psychologist

The differences between clinical psychologists and counseling psychologists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a clinical psychologist, becoming a counseling psychologist takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a clinical psychologist has an average salary of $97,659, which is higher than the $80,294 average annual salary of a counseling psychologist.

The top three skills for a clinical psychologist include patients, rehabilitation and clinical psychology. The most important skills for a counseling psychologist are mental health, crisis intervention, and behavioral health.

Clinical psychologist vs counseling psychologist overview

	Clinical Psychologist	Counseling Psychologist
Yearly salary	$97,659	$80,294
Hourly rate	$46.95	$38.60
Growth rate	14%	14%
Number of jobs	69,762	12,337
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 42%	Bachelor's Degree, 43%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	2	6

Clinical psychologist vs counseling psychologist salary

Clinical psychologists and counseling psychologists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Clinical Psychologist	Counseling Psychologist
Average salary	$97,659	$80,294
Salary range	Between $72,000 And $132,000	Between $55,000 And $116,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	Berkeley, CA
Highest paying state	California	California
Best paying company	Kaiser Permanente	Hca Hospital Services Of San Diego
Best paying industry	Government	Health Care

Differences between clinical psychologist and counseling psychologist education

There are a few differences between a clinical psychologist and a counseling psychologist in terms of educational background:

	Clinical Psychologist	Counseling Psychologist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 42%	Bachelor's Degree, 43%
Most common major	Clinical Psychology	Psychology
Most common college	Northwestern University	Northwestern University

Clinical psychologist vs counseling psychologist demographics

Here are the differences between clinical psychologists' and counseling psychologists' demographics:

	Clinical Psychologist	Counseling Psychologist
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 37.0% Female, 63.0%	Male, 35.0% Female, 65.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 3.4% Hispanic or Latino, 10.4% Asian, 3.3% White, 76.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%	Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 3.4% Hispanic or Latino, 10.4% Asian, 3.3% White, 76.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage	12%	12%

Differences between clinical psychologist and counseling psychologist duties and responsibilities

Clinical psychologist example responsibilities.

Manage high-utilizing patients with chronic health and behavioral health concerns to reduce inappropriate medical utilization and to promote better functional outcomes.
Supervise by Amanda Quayle, PsyD.
Utilize CBT, DBT, mindfulness, and motivational interviewing techniques.
Provide CBT, DBT and psychodynamic-orient psychotherapy to adolescent and adult clients.
Intern with Dr. Ann-Marie Tripp-Pendelton, PsyD, in a therapeutic capacity.
Collaborate with a team of social workers, psychiatrists, and psychologists to develop individualize treatment plans for war veterans.

Counseling psychologist example responsibilities.

Conduct and write triennial and initial assessments, participate and lead IEP meetings, functional behavioral assessments, behavior support plans.
Advance training in DBT and EMDR.
Establish a join ADHD clinic with one of the local pediatricians.
Provide psycho-diagnostic and psycho therapeutic services to cancer patients.
Develop a team orient treatment plan for patients producing quantitative measurable results.
Develop training materials for alcohol abuse treatment & rehabilitation services, including prevention of domestic violence, child abuse and homelessness.

Clinical psychologist vs counseling psychologist skills

Common clinical psychologist skills

Patients, 16%
Rehabilitation, 7%
Clinical Psychology, 6%
Group Therapy, 5%
Veterans, 5%
Patient Care, 5%

Common counseling psychologist skills

Mental Health, 27%
Crisis Intervention, 18%
Behavioral Health, 9%
Social Work, 7%
Psychological Services, 7%
Rehabilitation, 5%

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Clinical Psychologist vs Counseling Psychologist

Updated January 8, 2025

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