Psychologist, private practice vs clinical psychologist

The differences between psychologists, private practice and clinical psychologists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a psychologist, private practice, 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 $81,680 average annual salary of a psychologist, private practice.

The top three skills for a psychologist, private practice include patients, primary care and private practice. The most important skills for a clinical psychologist are patients, rehabilitation, and clinical psychology.

Psychologist, private practice vs clinical psychologist overview

	Psychologist, Private Practice	Clinical Psychologist
Yearly salary	$81,680	$97,659
Hourly rate	$39.27	$46.95
Growth rate	14%	14%
Number of jobs	38,463	69,762
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 38%	Bachelor's Degree, 42%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	6	2

Psychologist, private practice vs clinical psychologist salary

Psychologists, private practice and clinical psychologists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Psychologist, Private Practice	Clinical Psychologist
Average salary	$81,680	$97,659
Salary range	Between $57,000 And $116,000	Between $72,000 And $132,000
Highest paying City	-	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	-	California
Best paying company	-	Kaiser Permanente
Best paying industry	-	Government

Differences between psychologist, private practice and clinical psychologist education

There are a few differences between a psychologist, private practice and a clinical psychologist in terms of educational background:

	Psychologist, Private Practice	Clinical Psychologist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 38%	Bachelor's Degree, 42%
Most common major	Psychology	Clinical Psychology
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	Northwestern University

Psychologist, private practice vs clinical psychologist demographics

Here are the differences between psychologists, private practice' and clinical psychologists' demographics:

	Psychologist, Private Practice	Clinical Psychologist
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 40.7% Female, 59.3%	Male, 37.0% Female, 63.0%
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 psychologist, private practice and clinical psychologist duties and responsibilities

Psychologist, private practice example responsibilities.

Conduct psychological and psychoeducational evaluations including ADHD, learning disabilities, autism, emotional and behavioral issues.
Assist personnel in identifying triggers leading to relapse of PTSD, negative behaviors and thoughts.
Provision of psychological assessment, psycho-diagnostic evaluation and psychotherapy of patients using brief therapy models.
Provision of psychological assessment, psycho-diagnostic evaluation and psychotherapy of patients using mindfulness base psychotherapy techniques.
Develop training materials for alcohol abuse treatment & rehabilitation services, including prevention of domestic violence, child abuse and homelessness.
Provide consultation regarding appropriate placement/treatment of juveniles in the DJJ system.

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.

Psychologist, private practice vs clinical psychologist skills

Common psychologist, private practice skills

Patients, 23%
Primary Care, 14%
Private Practice, 8%
Family Therapy Sessions, 7%
Adolescents, 6%
Patient Care, 5%

Common clinical psychologist skills

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

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Psychologist, Private Practice
Psychologist, Private Practice vs Clinical Psychologist

Updated January 8, 2025

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