Best cities for a psychotherapist
The best cities for psychotherapists are Philadelphia, PA, Oakland, CA, and Boston, MA, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for psychotherapists vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for psychotherapists in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as a psychotherapist or considering a move, this list of the best cities for psychotherapists to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for psychotherapists. We also consider how easy it is to find work as a psychotherapist. While the absolute best city for psychotherapists is Philadelphia, PA, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for psychotherapists in 2024.
If you're looking for a psychotherapist job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for psychotherapists in 2026
1. Philadelphia, PA
Total psychotherapist jobs: 36 Average annual salary: $89,925 Lowest 10 percent warn: $56,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $143,000 Location quotient: 3.83 2. Oakland, CA
Total psychotherapist jobs: 6 Average annual salary: $87,929 Lowest 10 percent warn: $54,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $142,000 Location quotient: 3.23 3. Boston, MA
Total psychotherapist jobs: 12 Average annual salary: $94,922 Lowest 10 percent warn: $59,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $150,000 Location quotient: 0.86 4. Baltimore, MD
Total psychotherapist jobs: 11 Average annual salary: $89,741 Lowest 10 percent warn: $56,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $142,000 Location quotient: 1.84 5. Saint Paul, MN
Total psychotherapist jobs: 15 Average annual salary: $72,425 Lowest 10 percent warn: $46,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $112,000 Location quotient: 4.02 6. Columbus, OH
Total psychotherapist jobs: 6 Average annual salary: $73,159 Lowest 10 percent warn: $46,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $115,000 Location quotient: 0.69 7. Fremont, CA
Total psychotherapist jobs: 3 Average annual salary: $87,803 Lowest 10 percent warn: $54,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $141,000 Location quotient: 0.77 8. Stockton, CA
Total psychotherapist jobs: 1 Average annual salary: $87,139 Lowest 10 percent warn: $53,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $141,000 Location quotient: 1.45 9. Pittsburgh, PA
Total psychotherapist jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $84,620 Lowest 10 percent warn: $53,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $134,000 Location quotient: 0.00 10. Minneapolis, MN
Total psychotherapist jobs: 8 Average annual salary: $72,280 Lowest 10 percent warn: $46,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $111,000 Location quotient: 1.09
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Best cities for psychotherapists
- Philadelphia, PA
- Oakland, CA
- Boston, MA
- Baltimore, MD
- Saint Paul, MN
- Columbus, OH
- Fremont, CA
- Stockton, CA
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Minneapolis, MN
- (36 psychotherapist jobs)
- (6 psychotherapist jobs)
- (12 psychotherapist jobs)
- (11 psychotherapist jobs)
- (15 psychotherapist jobs)
- (6 psychotherapist jobs)
- (3 psychotherapist jobs)
- (1 psychotherapist jobs)
- (0 psychotherapist jobs)
- (8 psychotherapist jobs)
Detailed list of the best cities for a psychotherapist
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Philadelphia, PA | $89,925 | $56,000 | 1,567,872 | 36 |
| 2 | Oakland, CA | $87,929 | $54,000 | 420,005 | 6 |
| 3 | Boston, MA | $94,922 | $59,000 | 673,184 | 12 |
| 4 | Baltimore, MD | $89,741 | $56,000 | 614,664 | 11 |
| 5 | Saint Paul, MN | $72,425 | $46,000 | 302,398 | 15 |
| 6 | Columbus, OH | $73,159 | $46,000 | 860,090 | 6 |
| 7 | Fremont, CA | $87,803 | $54,000 | 233,136 | 3 |
| 8 | Stockton, CA | $87,139 | $53,000 | 307,072 | 1 |
| 9 | Pittsburgh, PA | $84,620 | $53,000 | 303,625 | - |
| 10 | Minneapolis, MN | $72,280 | $46,000 | 413,651 | 8 |
| 11 | Virginia Beach, VA | $92,960 | $58,000 | 452,602 | - |
| 12 | Norfolk, VA | $92,732 | $58,000 | 245,115 | - |
| 13 | Chesapeake, VA | $92,429 | $58,000 | 237,940 | - |
| 14 | Los Angeles, CA | $84,621 | $54,000 | 3,976,322 | 25 |
| 15 | Toledo, OH | $74,673 | $46,000 | 278,508 | - |
| 16 | Jersey City, NJ | $94,516 | $59,000 | 264,152 | - |
| 17 | San Francisco, CA | $88,088 | $54,000 | 870,887 | 4 |
| 18 | Chicago, IL | $72,491 | $46,000 | 2,704,958 | 33 |
| 19 | Nashville, TN | $72,037 | $46,000 | 660,388 | - |
| 20 | Newark, NJ | $94,433 | $59,000 | 281,764 | - |
| 21 | Memphis, TN | $71,758 | $46,000 | 652,717 | - |
| 22 | Cleveland, OH | $76,728 | $47,000 | 385,809 | - |
| 23 | Detroit, MI | $66,053 | $41,000 | 672,795 | 4 |
| 24 | Cincinnati, OH | $69,840 | $44,000 | 298,800 | - |
| 25 | New Orleans, LA | $79,939 | $51,000 | 391,495 | - |
| 26 | Oklahoma City, OK | $69,740 | $45,000 | 638,367 | - |
| 27 | San Jose, CA | $87,786 | $54,000 | 1,025,350 | 1 |
| 28 | Sacramento, CA | $86,965 | $53,000 | 495,234 | 1 |
| 29 | Fort Wayne, IN | $68,965 | $43,000 | 264,488 | - |
| 30 | Tulsa, OK | $68,834 | $45,000 | 403,090 | - |
| 31 | Houston, TX | $68,867 | $44,000 | 2,303,482 | 10 |
| 32 | Fresno, CA | $86,340 | $54,000 | 522,053 | - |
| 33 | El Paso, TX | $70,302 | $46,000 | 683,080 | - |
| 34 | Washington, DC | $90,030 | $56,000 | 681,170 | 3 |
| 35 | Lubbock, TX | $69,949 | $45,000 | 252,506 | - |
| 36 | Bakersfield, CA | $85,649 | $54,000 | 376,380 | - |
| 37 | New York, NY | $77,019 | $48,000 | 8,537,673 | 122 |
| 38 | Hialeah, FL | $66,050 | $42,000 | 236,387 | 1 |
| 39 | Austin, TX | $69,000 | $44,000 | 947,890 | - |
| 40 | San Antonio, TX | $68,967 | $45,000 | 1,492,510 | - |
| 41 | Indianapolis, IN | $65,842 | $42,000 | 855,164 | - |
| 42 | Laredo, TX | $68,792 | $45,000 | 257,156 | - |
| 43 | Corpus Christi, TX | $68,788 | $45,000 | 325,733 | - |
| 44 | Long Beach, CA | $84,254 | $54,000 | 470,130 | - |
| 45 | Fort Worth, TX | $68,281 | $44,000 | 854,113 | - |
| 46 | Anaheim, CA | $84,123 | $54,000 | 351,043 | - |
| 47 | Madison, WI | $59,658 | $38,000 | 252,551 | 11 |
| 48 | Santa Ana, CA | $84,003 | $54,000 | 334,217 | - |
| 49 | Arlington, TX | $68,195 | $44,000 | 392,772 | - |
| 50 | Dallas, TX | $67,936 | $44,000 | 1,317,929 | 2 |
Highest paying cities for psychotherapists
| Rank | City | Avg. psychotherapist salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Worcester, MA | $94,928 |
| 2 | Burke, VA | $94,702 |
| 3 | Hackensack, NJ | $94,674 |
| 4 | Bethlehem, PA | $90,286 |
| 5 | Washington, DC | $90,030 |
| 6 | Baltimore, MD | $89,741 |
| 7 | San Francisco, CA | $88,088 |
| 8 | Providence, RI | $81,713 |
| 9 | New York, NY | $77,019 |
| 10 | Duluth, MN | $74,364 |
| 11 | Columbus, OH | $73,159 |
| 12 | Chicago, IL | $72,491 |
| 13 | Round Rock, TX | $69,005 |
| 14 | Seattle, WA | $67,212 |
| 15 | Colorado Springs, CO | $66,954 |
| 16 | West Bloomfield, MI | $65,900 |
| 17 | Atlanta, GA | $63,791 |
| 18 | Sun Prairie, WI | $59,997 |
| 19 | Charlotte, NC | $56,381 |
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Updated January 8, 2025