Clinical therapist vs clinical psychologist

The differences between clinical therapists and clinical psychologists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a clinical psychologist has an average salary of $97,659, which is higher than the $57,864 average annual salary of a clinical therapist.

The top three skills for a clinical therapist include social work, patients and crisis intervention. The most important skills for a clinical psychologist are patients, rehabilitation, and clinical psychology.

Clinical therapist vs clinical psychologist overview

	Clinical Therapist	Clinical Psychologist
Yearly salary	$57,864	$97,659
Hourly rate	$27.82	$46.95
Growth rate	17%	14%
Number of jobs	136,898	69,762
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Master's Degree, 51%	Bachelor's Degree, 42%
Average age	41	43
Years of experience	-	2

What does a clinical therapist do?

A Clinical Therapist works with patients to help identify, examine, and treat mental health and emotional issues or disorders. They counsel individuals or groups regarding psychological or emotional problems, as well as observe clients to detect indications of abnormal physical or mental behavior.

What does a clinical psychologist do?

A clinical psychologist is a healthcare professional who treats patients with various mental disorders through one-on-one or group settings. Clinical psychologists assist their patients in identifying their psychological, emotional, or behavioral issues so that a plan of action is created to help patients achieve personal and social development. To create a patient treatment plan, clinical psychologists must interview their patients who have different mental problems. They also collaborate with professionals such as social workers, nurses, and occupational therapists to provide the right treatment to their patients.

Clinical therapist vs clinical psychologist salary

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

	Clinical Therapist	Clinical Psychologist
Average salary	$57,864	$97,659
Salary range	Between $42,000 And $77,000	Between $72,000 And $132,000
Highest paying City	Los Angeles, CA	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	California	California
Best paying company	CVS Health	Kaiser Permanente
Best paying industry	Government	Government

Differences between clinical therapist and clinical psychologist education

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

	Clinical Therapist	Clinical Psychologist
Most common degree	Master's Degree, 51%	Bachelor's Degree, 42%
Most common major	Social Work	Clinical Psychology
Most common college	California State University - Long Beach	Northwestern University

Clinical therapist vs clinical psychologist demographics

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

	Clinical Therapist	Clinical Psychologist
Average age	41	43
Gender ratio	Male, 23.4% Female, 76.6%	Male, 37.0% Female, 63.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 4.0% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 11.2% White, 72.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%	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 therapist and clinical psychologist duties and responsibilities

Clinical therapist example responsibilities.

Provide clinical consultation to consumers and clients regarding manage care services and other benefits available to them through their EAP programs.
Provide direct treatment services such as individual/group therapy and intervene in crisis situations when patients exhibit acute psychiatric symptoms.
Direct patients to designate residential or supportive living options, community base placement/ treatment or other resources as necessary.
Provide training for federal and public organizations regarding the psychological aspects of veterans having experience combat or military sexual trauma.
Work closely with a license orthotist/prosthetist to obtain orthotics for children who require them.

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.

Clinical therapist vs clinical psychologist skills

Common clinical therapist skills

Social Work, 26%
Patients, 12%
Crisis Intervention, 8%
Mental Health, 4%
Discharge Planning, 4%
Community Resources, 3%

Common clinical psychologist skills

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

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Clinical Therapist
Clinical Therapist vs Clinical Psychologist

Updated January 8, 2025

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