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The differences between psychotherapists and school psychologists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a school psychologist has an average salary of $78,431, which is higher than the $69,921 average annual salary of a psychotherapist.
The top three skills for a psychotherapist include social work, patients and individual therapy. The most important skills for a school psychologist are professional development, mental health, and psychological services.
| Psychotherapist | School Psychologist | |
| Yearly salary | $69,921 | $78,431 |
| Hourly rate | $33.62 | $37.71 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 14% |
| Number of jobs | 20,520 | 25,457 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Master's Degree, 55% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Average age | 47 | 43 |
| Years of experience | - | 2 |
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.
School psychologists are knowledgeable professionals whose responsibilities include identifying, addressing, and overcoming the educational and behavioral needs of school-aged children. They generally work in schools and focus their observations on children and youth who often face issues related to education, social relationships, decision-making, as well as managing emotions. They help families, counselors, and members of the community understand and solve these issues the children may encounter. Additionally, they provide comprehensive psychological services to help students achieve academic, behavioral, social, and emotional success.
Psychotherapists and school psychologists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Psychotherapist | School Psychologist | |
| Average salary | $69,921 | $78,431 |
| Salary range | Between $43,000 And $111,000 | Between $55,000 And $110,000 |
| Highest paying City | Worcester, MA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Delaware | California |
| Best paying company | Sutter Health | CORA Services |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Education |
There are a few differences between a psychotherapist and a school psychologist in terms of educational background:
| Psychotherapist | School Psychologist | |
| Most common degree | Master's Degree, 55% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Most common major | Social Work | Psychology |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between psychotherapists' and school psychologists' demographics:
| Psychotherapist | School Psychologist | |
| Average age | 47 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 27.4% Female, 72.6% | Male, 26.8% Female, 73.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.0% Unknown, 3.6% Hispanic or Latino, 10.5% Asian, 4.2% White, 76.5% 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 | 20% | 12% |