Best cities for a psychologist
The best cities for psychologists are Stockton, CA, Fresno, CA, and Oakland, CA, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for psychologists vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for psychologists in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as a psychologist or considering a move, this list of the best cities for psychologists to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for psychologists. We also consider how easy it is to find work as a psychologist. While the absolute best city for psychologists is Stockton, CA, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for psychologists in 2024.
If you're looking for a psychologist job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for psychologists in 2025
1. Stockton, CA
Psychologist jobs in StocktonTotal psychologist jobs: 29 Average annual salary: $129,017 Lowest 10 percent warn: $88,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $188,000 Location quotient: 8.78 2. Fresno, CA
Psychologist jobs in FresnoTotal psychologist jobs: 13 Average annual salary: $129,976 Lowest 10 percent warn: $88,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $190,000 Location quotient: 2.50 3. Oakland, CA
Psychologist jobs in OaklandTotal psychologist jobs: 10 Average annual salary: $131,322 Lowest 10 percent warn: $89,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $192,000 Location quotient: 1.12 4. Anaheim, CA
Psychologist jobs in AnaheimTotal psychologist jobs: 5 Average annual salary: $127,110 Lowest 10 percent warn: $86,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $186,000 Location quotient: 1.06 5. Chula Vista, CA
Total psychologist jobs: 6 Average annual salary: $122,179 Lowest 10 percent warn: $83,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $178,000 Location quotient: 4.48 6. Toledo, OH
Psychologist jobs in ToledoTotal psychologist jobs: 5 Average annual salary: $93,486 Lowest 10 percent warn: $70,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $123,000 Location quotient: 1.21 7. Cleveland, OH
Psychologist jobs in ClevelandTotal psychologist jobs: 21 Average annual salary: $94,297 Lowest 10 percent warn: $71,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $124,000 Location quotient: 1.42 8. Tulsa, OK
Psychologist jobs in TulsaTotal psychologist jobs: 14 Average annual salary: $92,550 Lowest 10 percent warn: $68,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $124,000 Location quotient: 1.57 9. Los Angeles, CA
Psychologist jobs in Los AngelesTotal psychologist jobs: 69 Average annual salary: $128,101 Lowest 10 percent warn: $87,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $187,000 Location quotient: 0.87 10. Glendale, AZ
Psychologist jobs in GlendaleTotal psychologist jobs: 5 Average annual salary: $90,210 Lowest 10 percent warn: $61,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $131,000 Location quotient: 1.95
Choose from 10+ customizable psychologist resume templates
Choose from a variety of easy-to-use psychologist resume templates and get expert advice from Zippia’s AI resume writer along the way. Using pre-approved templates, you can rest assured that the structure and format of your psychologist resume is top notch. Choose a template with the colors, fonts & text sizes that are appropriate for your industry.
Best cities for psychologists
- Stockton, CA
- Fresno, CA
- Oakland, CA
- Anaheim, CA
- Chula Vista, CA
- Toledo, OH
- Cleveland, OH
- Tulsa, OK
- Los Angeles, CA
- Glendale, AZ
Detailed list of the best cities for a psychologist
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stockton, CA | $129,017 | $88,000 | 307,072 | 29 |
| 2 | Fresno, CA | $129,976 | $88,000 | 522,053 | 13 |
| 3 | Oakland, CA | $131,322 | $89,000 | 420,005 | 10 |
| 4 | Anaheim, CA | $127,110 | $86,000 | 351,043 | 5 |
| 5 | Chula Vista, CA | $122,179 | $83,000 | 267,172 | 6 |
| 6 | Toledo, OH | $93,486 | $70,000 | 278,508 | 5 |
| 7 | Cleveland, OH | $94,297 | $71,000 | 385,809 | 21 |
| 8 | Tulsa, OK | $92,550 | $68,000 | 403,090 | 14 |
| 9 | Los Angeles, CA | $128,101 | $87,000 | 3,976,322 | 69 |
| 10 | Glendale, AZ | $90,210 | $61,000 | 245,895 | 5 |
| 11 | Bakersfield, CA | $130,102 | $88,000 | 376,380 | 3 |
| 12 | Columbus, OH | $92,911 | $70,000 | 860,090 | 33 |
| 13 | Sacramento, CA | $126,892 | $86,000 | 495,234 | 14 |
| 14 | San Diego, CA | $123,043 | $84,000 | 1,406,630 | 55 |
| 15 | Memphis, TN | $95,789 | $70,000 | 652,717 | 11 |
| 16 | Santa Ana, CA | $126,892 | $86,000 | 334,217 | 3 |
| 17 | New Orleans, LA | $99,278 | $65,000 | 391,495 | 6 |
| 18 | Oklahoma City, OK | $93,329 | $68,000 | 638,367 | 14 |
| 19 | Virginia Beach, VA | $94,597 | $69,000 | 452,602 | 11 |
| 20 | Philadelphia, PA | $93,317 | $69,000 | 1,567,872 | 31 |
| 21 | Reno, NV | $91,566 | $63,000 | 245,255 | 7 |
| 22 | Mesa, AZ | $89,497 | $61,000 | 484,587 | 4 |
| 23 | Chesapeake, VA | $94,327 | $69,000 | 237,940 | 4 |
| 24 | Norfolk, VA | $94,468 | $69,000 | 245,115 | 9 |
| 25 | Irvine, CA | $126,628 | $86,000 | 266,122 | 10 |
| 26 | Albuquerque, NM | $83,551 | $58,000 | 559,277 | 16 |
| 27 | Baltimore, MD | $101,618 | $75,000 | 614,664 | 31 |
| 28 | San Antonio, TX | $87,052 | $57,000 | 1,492,510 | 25 |
| 29 | Chandler, AZ | $89,524 | $61,000 | 247,477 | 6 |
| 30 | Madison, WI | $84,282 | $64,000 | 252,551 | 13 |
| 31 | Anchorage, AK | $90,580 | $72,000 | 298,192 | 6 |
| 32 | Brookhaven, NY | $94,545 | $70,000 | 486,040 | 2 |
| 33 | Tucson, AZ | $85,970 | $59,000 | 530,706 | 11 |
| 34 | Phoenix, AZ | $90,127 | $61,000 | 1,615,017 | 31 |
| 35 | Aurora, CO | $90,836 | $67,000 | 361,710 | 21 |
| 36 | San Jose, CA | $132,070 | $90,000 | 1,025,350 | 10 |
| 37 | Las Vegas, NV | $93,974 | $64,000 | 632,912 | 9 |
| 38 | San Francisco, CA | $131,657 | $89,000 | 870,887 | 13 |
| 39 | Laredo, TX | $84,394 | $55,000 | 257,156 | 1 |
| 40 | Lincoln, NE | $80,668 | $61,000 | 280,364 | 10 |
| 41 | Cincinnati, OH | $92,119 | $69,000 | 298,800 | 6 |
| 42 | Fremont, CA | $131,595 | $89,000 | 233,136 | 1 |
| 43 | Scottsdale, AZ | $89,948 | $61,000 | 246,645 | 4 |
| 44 | Detroit, MI | $81,854 | $62,000 | 672,795 | 12 |
| 45 | Pittsburgh, PA | $90,811 | $68,000 | 303,625 | 11 |
| 46 | Milwaukee, WI | $84,582 | $64,000 | 595,047 | 9 |
| 47 | Gilbert, AZ | $89,416 | $61,000 | 237,133 | 1 |
| 48 | Omaha, NE | $81,080 | $61,000 | 446,970 | 15 |
| 49 | Newark, NJ | $108,465 | $81,000 | 281,764 | 4 |
| 50 | Nashville, TN | $98,090 | $73,000 | 660,388 | - |
Highest paying cities for psychologists
| Rank | City | Avg. psychologist salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $131,657 |
| 2 | Washington, DC | $108,863 |
| 3 | Boston, MA | $108,858 |
| 4 | Olympia, WA | $105,100 |
| 5 | Baltimore, MD | $101,618 |
| 6 | Memphis, TN | $95,789 |
| 7 | New York, NY | $94,213 |
| 8 | Philadelphia, PA | $93,317 |
| 9 | Columbus, OH | $92,911 |
| 10 | Blacksburg, VA | $92,224 |
| 11 | Pueblo, CO | $91,824 |
| 12 | Corvallis, OR | $90,685 |
| 13 | Phoenix, AZ | $90,127 |
| 14 | Chicago, IL | $88,601 |
| 15 | San Antonio, TX | $87,052 |
| 16 | Minneapolis, MN | $86,419 |
| 17 | Madison, AL | $85,497 |
| 18 | Atlanta, GA | $85,045 |
| 19 | Madison, WI | $84,282 |
| 20 | Detroit, MI | $81,854 |
Psychologist best cities FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common life, physical, and social science questions.
Search for psychologist jobs
Updated January 8, 2025