How to hire a psychology associate

How to hire a psychology associate, step by step

Here's a step-by-step psychology associate hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a psychology associate job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new psychology associate
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a psychology associate do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a psychology associate, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A psychology associate's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, psychology associates from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list presents psychology associate salaries for various positions.

   Type of Psychology Associate	Description	Hourly rate
   Psychology Associate	Psychologists study cognitive, emotional, and social processes and behavior by observing, interpreting, and recording how people relate to one another and their environments.	$23-51
   Clinical Fellow	Clinical fellows are doctoral-level health professionals whose interest focuses on biomedical research. They take part in protocol-based clinical research and laboratory research... Show more	$25-43
   Psychotherapist	A Psychotherapist's responsibility is to help clients who suffer from symptoms like depression, anxiety, and other behavioral problems. They work with individuals, couples, and families.	$20-53

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Social Work
   • Group Therapy
   • Patients
   • Crisis Intervention
   • Mental Illness
   • Mental Health
   • Release Planning
   • Autism
   • Behavioral Management
   • Therapeutic Interventions
   • Psychological Services
   • Applied Behavior Analysis
   • Clinical Supervision
   • Rehabilitation

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Provide comprehensive clinical psychological services in the form of provision of evidence based psychotherapy for mental health patients.
   • Provide psychological services at the largest AF clinic in the busiest DoD community in the command.
   • Administer psychological testing including ADHD, cognitive functioning, and psychoeducational batteries.
   • Connect with community service boards in reviewing rehabilitation reports for developmentally challenge individuals.
   • Develop person-centered, collaborative treatment plans with patients and document specific and measurable progress.
   • Work with a diverse array of clients including severely mentally ill, physically/learning disable, mentally impaired/handicap, and prisoner rehabilitation populations

   More psychology associate duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your psychology associate job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A psychology associate salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a psychology associate in Georgia may be lower than in California, and an entry-level psychology associate usually earns less than a senior-level psychology associate. Additionally, a psychology associate with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average psychology associate salary

   $73,152yearly

   $35.17 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level psychology associate salary

   $49,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

   Average psychology associate salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$118,727	$57
   2	Washington	$94,614	$45
   3	New York	$83,399	$40
   4	Maryland	$78,416	$38
   5	Virginia	$75,137	$36
   6	Massachusetts	$68,915	$33
   7	Arizona	$66,752	$32
   8	Louisiana	$66,042	$32
   9	North Carolina	$65,191	$31
   10	Texas	$64,338	$31

   Average psychology associate salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Commonwealth	$84,998	$40.86
   2	Evergreen Life Product Srl	$81,794	$39.32	2
   3	Santa Rosa High School	$80,107	$38.51
   4	NaphCare	$79,187	$38.07	11
   5	Wisconsin	$78,620	$37.80
   6	Aurora	$77,236	$37.13	1
   7	The City University of New York	$76,630	$36.84	4
   8	Baylor College of Medicine	$74,800	$35.96
   9	New York State Restaurant Association	$73,935	$35.55
   10	Washington State University	$70,256	$33.78	1
   11	The University of Texas at El Paso	$68,931	$33.14
   12	Alternative Behavior Strategies	$68,090	$32.74
   13	McLean Hospital	$67,587	$32.49	4
   14	State of West Virginia	$42,220	$20.30	32
   15	State of Arizona	$40,684	$19.56	4

4. Writing a psychology associate job description

   A psychology associate job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a psychology associate job description:

   Psychology associate job description example

   If you are hired, we will require you to prove that you have received the COVID-19 vaccine and are fully vaccinated, or you have a valid religious or medical reason not to be vaccinated.
   Our mission is to serve, provide for, and champion individuals with disabilities.
   
   Evergreen Life Services (ELS) is a charitable, non-profit organization that provides a full range of professional services to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Founded in the 1950s, today we are proud to serve more than 1,100 individuals with disabilities in 8 states.
   
   Working at Evergreen Life Services isn’t just a job; it’s a rewarding career. Whether you provide direct care in our adult day care or in a group home, or you serve in a support or corporate office role, you will be an important part of the Evergreen team.
   If you are looking for a place where you can make a difference, at Evergreen Life Services you will change lives. Every employee is a valuable part of the team because, at Evergreen, everyone matters.
   
   Position Description: Psychological Associate Reports To: Executive Director FSLA Classification: Exempt Created: August 11, 2012 Revised: January 13th, 2022 Job Summary Administers and interprets standardized psychological tests under the professional supervision of the Divisional Director and the licensed consulting psychologist.
   
   Essential Job Functions Select, Administer, Score and interpret standardized psychological tests and assessment instruments Maintain records of test results and submit written and verbal reports to the QMRP(s) Participate in the development of Person Centered Plans through the Inter-Disciplinary team process Attend Human Rights meetings on a monthly basis in Bossier and Natchitoches area, as well as attend Inter-Disciplinary Team meetings in these areas as a member of the Inter-Disciplinary team Conduct In-Service training classes in the area of Behavior Management, Passive Physical Restraint, as well as other related topics Develop Behavior Management Programs for specific clients and in service direct care staff in respect to implantation and documentation guidelines of those programs Monitor effectiveness of Behavior Management programs through monthly progress reports Provide updated psychological reports annually for all clients Conduct full psychological evaluations as per American Psychological Association guidelines
   Qualifications/Experience/Job Knowledge At least 21 years of age due to auto liability coverage Meet and maintain all requirements of the applicable state agency(ies), including good standing with state abuse and neglect agency Submit to and pass drug screen and criminal background check Minimum of two years’ experience as a psychological associate Prior experience working in the field of ID/DD Working knowledge of the selection, administration, scoring, and interpretation of standardized psychological tests and assessment instructions Master’s Level Degree in Psychology
   
   Supervisory Requirements Will not supervise Physical Requirements Occasionally travels Constantly moves about to coordinate work Regularly works in fast pace environment with multiple task deadlines Regularly moves and positions objects weighing up to 50 pounds Occasionally exposed to viruses and infectious conditions Constantly alert and observant during working hours
   Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities or a medical condition to perform the essential functions.
   
   Employment Variables Must have a good driving record which meets the minimum requirements for Evergreen and reliable transportation. Must pass drug screen and criminal background check. May be asked to work some evenings, weekends when required and handle on call emergencies.
   
   Working Environment May be required to work in a variety of settings and environments both indoors and outdoors.
   
   
   
   Evergreen is an equal opportunity employer. We consider applicants for all positions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, national origin, age, disability, marital status, or any other legally protected status.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find psychology associates for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your psychology associate job on Zippia to find and recruit psychology associate candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit psychology associates, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new psychology associate

   Once you've selected the best psychology associate candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new psychology associate first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a psychology associate?