Best states for a psychotherapist

Q: What is the best state for psychotherapists?

The best state to be a psychotherapist is Delaware based on psychotherapist salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for psychotherapists?

The highest paying state for psychotherapists is Alaska based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for psychotherapists?

The worst state for psychotherapists is Kentucky, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

Quoted expert

Kris Vasquez Ph.D.

Rank 1 - 10
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Psychotherapist opportunities vary in different parts of the country. In order to help you determine the best states for psychotherapists, we ranked all fifty states from best to worst for psychotherapists.Our research shows that Delaware is the best state in the country for psychotherapists.

To do that, we looked at the most recent data we have available for the following criteria -- average annual wages, and availability of jobs for psychotherapists.If you are currently seeking employment as a psychotherapist, you can find open job positions using Zippia's search tools.

10 best states for psychotherapists in 2026

1. Delaware
Total psychotherapist jobs: 39
Average annual salary: $99,500
Lowest 10 percent earn: $63,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $156,000
Location Quotient:
1.34
Psychotherapist jobs in Delaware
2. Massachusetts
Total psychotherapist jobs: 254
Average annual salary: $94,966
Lowest 10 percent earn: $60,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $149,000
Location Quotient:
1.19
Psychotherapist jobs in Massachusetts
3. Pennsylvania
Total psychotherapist jobs: 345
Average annual salary: $89,045
Lowest 10 percent earn: $56,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $140,000
Location Quotient:
1.28
Psychotherapist jobs in Pennsylvania
4. Rhode Island
Total psychotherapist jobs: 50
Average annual salary: $81,702
Lowest 10 percent earn: $51,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $128,000
Location Quotient:
1.77
Psychotherapist jobs in Rhode Island
5. Maryland
Total psychotherapist jobs: 178
Average annual salary: $89,210
Lowest 10 percent earn: $56,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $140,000
Location Quotient:
1.21
Psychotherapist jobs in Maryland
6. Connecticut
Total psychotherapist jobs: 59
Average annual salary: $96,825
Lowest 10 percent earn: $61,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $153,000
Location Quotient:
0.77
Psychotherapist jobs in Connecticut
7. New Jersey
Total psychotherapist jobs: 168
Average annual salary: $94,055
Lowest 10 percent earn: $59,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $148,000
Location Quotient:
0.91
Psychotherapist jobs in New Jersey
8. California
Total psychotherapist jobs: 886
Average annual salary: $85,075
Lowest 10 percent earn: $54,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $133,000
Location Quotient:
1.31
Psychotherapist jobs in California
9. New Hampshire
Total psychotherapist jobs: 28
Average annual salary: $95,320
Lowest 10 percent earn: $60,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $150,000
Location Quotient:
0.69
Psychotherapist jobs in New Hampshire
10. Virginia
Total psychotherapist jobs: 175
Average annual salary: $92,775
Lowest 10 percent earn: $59,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $145,000
Location Quotient:
0.8
Psychotherapist jobs in Virginia

Psychotherapist jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a psychotherapist

You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.

Detailed list of the best states for a psychotherapist

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	Delaware	$99,500	$63,000	961,939	39
2	Massachusetts	$94,966	$60,000	6,859,819	254
3	Pennsylvania	$89,045	$56,000	12,805,537	345
4	Rhode Island	$81,702	$51,000	1,059,639	50
5	Maryland	$89,210	$56,000	6,052,177	178
6	Connecticut	$96,825	$61,000	3,588,184	59
7	New Jersey	$94,055	$59,000	9,005,644	168
8	California	$85,075	$54,000	39,536,653	886
9	New Hampshire	$95,320	$60,000	1,342,795	28
10	Virginia	$92,775	$59,000	8,470,020	175
11	New York	$76,813	$48,000	19,849,399	402
12	Oklahoma	$69,517	$46,000	3,930,864	90
13	Illinois	$71,973	$46,000	12,802,023	363
14	District of Columbia	$89,961	$57,000	693,972	29
15	Minnesota	$72,228	$46,000	5,576,606	181
16	Ohio	$73,909	$46,000	11,658,609	219
17	Vermont	$86,352	$54,000	623,657	11
18	Louisiana	$79,573	$51,000	4,684,333	47
19	Washington	$66,933	$41,000	7,405,743	242
20	Michigan	$65,645	$41,000	9,962,311	169
21	Indiana	$66,317	$42,000	6,666,818	132
22	Tennessee	$72,125	$47,000	6,715,984	77
23	Colorado	$66,192	$44,000	5,607,154	133
24	Texas	$68,679	$44,000	28,304,596	286
25	New Mexico	$61,120	$39,000	2,088,070	55
26	Nevada	$64,368	$40,000	2,998,039	44
27	Wisconsin	$60,984	$39,000	5,795,483	141
28	Georgia	$63,924	$41,000	10,429,379	216
29	Oregon	$61,982	$38,000	4,142,776	121
30	Arizona	$61,375	$40,000	7,016,270	155
31	Maine	$65,868	$42,000	1,335,907	15
32	Alabama	$64,532	$42,000	4,874,747	57
33	North Dakota	$59,109	$39,000	755,393	20
34	Florida	$64,250	$41,000	20,984,400	242
35	Arkansas	$59,674	$39,000	3,004,279	41
36	Mississippi	$58,013	$37,000	2,984,100	46
37	Hawaii	$57,369	$42,000	1,427,538	23
38	North Carolina	$58,018	$37,000	10,273,419	206
39	Nebraska	$56,682	$37,000	1,920,076	62
40	Montana	$46,949	$31,000	1,050,493	56
41	South Carolina	$56,029	$36,000	5,024,369	102
42	Missouri	$58,375	$38,000	6,113,532	101
43	Wyoming	$56,390	$37,000	579,315	12
44	Alaska	$45,974	$30,000	739,795	36
45	Kansas	$57,404	$38,000	2,913,123	47
46	Idaho	$58,508	$37,000	1,716,943	24
47	South Dakota	$47,624	$31,000	869,666	31
48	West Virginia	$55,551	$35,000	1,815,857	21
49	Iowa	$52,593	$34,000	3,145,711	76
50	Utah	$55,121	$35,000	3,101,833	52
51	Kentucky	$52,033	$33,000	4,454,189	61

Highest paying states for psychotherapists

Rank	State	Avg. Psychotherapist Salary
1	Delaware	$99,500
2	Massachusetts	$94,966
3	Pennsylvania	$89,045
4	Rhode Island	$81,702
5	Maryland	$89,210
6	Connecticut	$96,825
7	New Jersey	$94,055
8	California	$85,075
9	New Hampshire	$95,320
10	Virginia	$92,775
11	New York	$76,813
12	Oklahoma	$69,517
13	Illinois	$71,973
14	District of Columbia	$89,961
15	Minnesota	$72,228
16	Ohio	$73,909
17	Vermont	$86,352
18	Louisiana	$79,573
19	Washington	$66,933
20	Michigan	$65,645
21	Indiana	$66,317
22	Tennessee	$72,125
23	Colorado	$66,192
24	Texas	$68,679
25	New Mexico	$61,120
26	Nevada	$64,368
27	Wisconsin	$60,984
28	Georgia	$63,924
29	Oregon	$61,982
30	Arizona	$61,375
31	Maine	$65,868
32	Alabama	$64,532
33	North Dakota	$59,109
34	Florida	$64,250
35	Arkansas	$59,674
36	Mississippi	$58,013
37	Hawaii	$57,369
38	North Carolina	$58,018
39	Nebraska	$56,682
40	Montana	$46,949
41	South Carolina	$56,029
42	Missouri	$58,375
43	Wyoming	$56,390
44	Alaska	$45,974
45	Kansas	$57,404
46	Idaho	$58,508
47	South Dakota	$47,624
48	West Virginia	$55,551
49	Iowa	$52,593
50	Utah	$55,121
51	Kentucky	$52,033

Expert opinions on the best states for psychotherapists

Are there any particularly good places in the United States for psychotherapists to find work opportunities?
Kris Vasquez Ph.D.
Professor and Chair, Alverno College
I don't have national data on employment for psychology graduates in 2020, and I assume you can look at the Bureau of Labor Statistics as quickly as possible. We do know that there are communities that are underserved by available mental health resources, often the same places where physical health resources are scarce.

Psychotherapist best states FAQs

What is the best state for psychotherapists?

What is the highest paying state for psychotherapists?

What is the worst state for psychotherapists?

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Best states for Psychotherapists

Updated January 8, 2025

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Total psychotherapist jobs:	39
Average annual salary:	$99,500
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$63,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$156,000
Location Quotient:	1.34

Best states for a psychotherapist

10 best states for psychotherapists in 2026

1. Delaware

2. Massachusetts

3. Pennsylvania

4. Rhode Island

5. Maryland

6. Connecticut

7. New Jersey

8. California

9. New Hampshire

10. Virginia