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The differences between psychological assistants and clinical psychologists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a psychological assistant, becoming a clinical psychologist takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a clinical psychologist has an average salary of $97,659, which is higher than the $68,862 average annual salary of a psychological assistant.
The top three skills for a psychological assistant include patients, crisis intervention and mental illness. The most important skills for a clinical psychologist are patients, rehabilitation, and clinical psychology.
| Psychological Assistant | Clinical Psychologist | |
| Yearly salary | $68,862 | $97,659 |
| Hourly rate | $33.11 | $46.95 |
| Growth rate | 12% | 14% |
| Number of jobs | 90,785 | 69,762 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Bachelor's Degree, 42% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 2 |
A psychological assistant primarily performs support tasks to assist a psychologist in treating patients at a medical facility. Their duties focus on helping patients by answering inquiries, giving instructions, explaining procedures, gathering requirements, and conducting initial assessments. They can participate in serving the patients under the supervision and directives of a licensed psychologist. Additionally, a psychological assistant may also participate in conducting research, preparing and processing necessary paperwork, handling calls and other forms of correspondence, and attending meetings and seminars.
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.
Psychological assistants and clinical psychologists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Psychological Assistant | Clinical Psychologist | |
| Average salary | $68,862 | $97,659 |
| Salary range | Between $44,000 And $105,000 | Between $72,000 And $132,000 |
| Highest paying City | Sparks, NV | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Nevada | California |
| Best paying company | New York University | Kaiser Permanente |
| Best paying industry | Non Profits | Government |
There are a few differences between a psychological assistant and a clinical psychologist in terms of educational background:
| Psychological Assistant | Clinical Psychologist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Bachelor's Degree, 42% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Clinical Psychology |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between psychological assistants' and clinical psychologists' demographics:
| Psychological Assistant | Clinical Psychologist | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 29.5% Female, 70.5% | Male, 37.0% Female, 63.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.9% Unknown, 5.9% Hispanic or Latino, 20.5% Asian, 6.9% White, 50.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 3.0% | 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 | 11% | 12% |