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Psychotherapist salary
Average psychotherapist salary
$69,921
Understanding Psychotherapist Salaries
The average salary for a psychotherapist in the United States is approximately $69,921 annually. However, this figure can fluctuate based on several factors, including geographical location, years of experience, and the specific field of psychotherapy practiced.
Where Do Psychotherapists Earn the Most?
States such as California and New York consistently rank among the highest-paying locations for psychotherapists, with salaries often exceeding the national average. Additionally, psychotherapists specializing in areas like clinical psychology or marriage and family therapy may command higher salaries.
Salary Trends Over Time
Over the past few years, there has been a noticeable increase in the demand for mental health services, leading to a gradual rise in salaries. On average, psychotherapists with more than ten years of experience tend to earn significantly more, reflecting their expertise and established client base.
Understanding the factors influencing salary can help aspiring psychotherapists make informed career decisions. By exploring various job opportunities and specializations, professionals can optimize their earning potential in this rewarding field.
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Where can a Psychotherapist earn more?
Psychotherapist salary estimates from across the web
Average psychotherapist salary by state
The highest-paying states for psychotherapists are Delaware, Connecticut, and New Hampshire. The lowest average psychotherapist salary states are Utah, Iowa, and Kentucky.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for psychotherapists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Delaware | $99,500 | $47.84 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $94,966 | $45.66 |
| 3 | Pennsylvania | $89,045 | $42.81 |
| 4 | Rhode Island | $81,702 | $39.28 |
| 5 | Maryland | $89,210 | $42.89 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $96,825 | $46.55 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $94,055 | $45.22 |
| 8 | California | $85,075 | $40.90 |
| 9 | New Hampshire | $95,320 | $45.83 |
| 10 | Virginia | $92,775 | $44.60 |
| 11 | New York | $76,813 | $36.93 |
| 12 | Oklahoma | $69,517 | $33.42 |
| 13 | Illinois | $71,973 | $34.60 |
| 14 | District of Columbia | $89,961 | $43.25 |
| 15 | Minnesota | $72,228 | $34.73 |
| 16 | Ohio | $73,909 | $35.53 |
| 17 | Vermont | $86,352 | $41.52 |
| 18 | Louisiana | $79,573 | $38.26 |
| 19 | Washington | $66,933 | $32.18 |
| 20 | Michigan | $65,645 | $31.56 |
| 21 | Indiana | $66,317 | $31.88 |
| 22 | Tennessee | $72,125 | $34.68 |
| 23 | Colorado | $66,192 | $31.82 |
| 24 | Texas | $68,679 | $33.02 |
| 25 | New Mexico | $61,120 | $29.38 |
| 26 | Nevada | $64,368 | $30.95 |
| 27 | Wisconsin | $60,984 | $29.32 |
| 28 | Georgia | $63,924 | $30.73 |
| 29 | Oregon | $61,982 | $29.80 |
| 30 | Arizona | $61,375 | $29.51 |
| 31 | Maine | $65,868 | $31.67 |
| 32 | Alabama | $64,532 | $31.02 |
| 33 | North Dakota | $59,109 | $28.42 |
| 34 | Florida | $64,250 | $30.89 |
| 35 | Arkansas | $59,674 | $28.69 |
| 36 | Mississippi | $58,013 | $27.89 |
| 37 | Hawaii | $57,369 | $27.58 |
| 38 | North Carolina | $58,018 | $27.89 |
| 39 | Nebraska | $56,682 | $27.25 |
| 40 | Montana | $46,949 | $22.57 |
| 41 | South Carolina | $56,029 | $26.94 |
| 42 | Missouri | $58,375 | $28.06 |
| 43 | Wyoming | $56,390 | $27.11 |
| 44 | Alaska | $45,974 | $22.10 |
| 45 | Kansas | $57,404 | $27.60 |
| 46 | Idaho | $58,508 | $28.13 |
| 47 | South Dakota | $47,624 | $22.90 |
| 48 | West Virginia | $55,551 | $26.71 |
| 49 | Iowa | $52,593 | $25.29 |
| 50 | Utah | $55,121 | $26.50 |
| 51 | Kentucky | $52,033 | $25.02 |
Highest paying cities for psychotherapists
The highest-paying cities for psychotherapists are Worcester, MA, Burke, VA, and Hackensack, NJ.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Worcester, MA | $94,928 | $45.64 |
| 2 | Burke, VA | $94,702 | $45.53 |
| 3 | Hackensack, NJ | $94,674 | $45.52 |
| 4 | Bethlehem, PA | $90,286 | $43.41 |
| 5 | Washington, DC | $90,030 | $43.28 |
| 6 | Baltimore, MD | $89,741 | $43.14 |
| 7 | San Francisco, CA | $88,088 | $42.35 |
| 8 | Providence, RI | $81,713 | $39.29 |
| 9 | New York, NY | $77,019 | $37.03 |
| 10 | Duluth, MN | $74,364 | $35.75 |
| 11 | Columbus, OH | $73,159 | $35.17 |
| 12 | Chicago, IL | $72,491 | $34.85 |
| 13 | Round Rock, TX | $69,005 | $33.18 |
| 14 | Seattle, WA | $67,212 | $32.31 |
| 15 | Colorado Springs, CO | $66,954 | $32.19 |
| 16 | West Bloomfield, MI | $65,900 | $31.68 |
| 17 | Atlanta, GA | $63,791 | $30.67 |
| 18 | Sun Prairie, WI | $59,997 | $28.84 |
| 19 | Charlotte, NC | $56,381 | $27.11 |
Psychotherapist salary details
A psychotherapist's salary ranges from $43,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $111,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a psychotherapist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $111,000 | $9,250 | $53 |
| 75th Percentile | $89,000 | $7,417 | $43 |
| Average | $69,921 | $5,827 | $34 |
| 25th Percentile | $54,000 | $4,500 | $26 |
| 10th Percentile | $43,000 | $3,583 | $21 |
Highest paying psychotherapist jobs
The highest paying types of psychotherapists are psychologist, clinical psychologist, and licensed professional counselor.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Licensed Professional Counselor | $94,675 | $7,890 | $45.52 | 153,612 |
| Marriage And Family Therapist | $57,856 | $4,821 | $27.82 | 114,361 |
| Clinical Psychologist | $97,659 | $8,138 | $46.95 | 69,762 |
| Forensic Psychologist | $83,065 | $6,922 | $39.93 | 11,802 |
| School Psychologist | $78,431 | $6,536 | $37.71 | 25,457 |
| Health Psychologist | $81,412 | $6,784 | $39.14 | 58,741 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for psychotherapists, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Donald B. Katz Ph.D.
Professor of Psychology, Brandeis University
Top companies hiring psychotherapists now:
Which companies pay psychotherapists the most?
Psychotherapist salaries at Sutter Health and Columbia University in the City of New York are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average psychotherapist salary at companies like TMS Health and Atrium Health Floyd are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sutter Health | $89,758 | $43.15 |
| 2 | Columbia University in the City of New York | $84,007 | $40.39 |
| 3 | TMS Health | $82,639 | $39.73 |
| 4 | Atrium Health Floyd | $81,701 | $39.28 |
| 5 | UC Santa Barbara | $74,943 | $36.03 |
| 6 | Columbia Memorial | $74,911 | $36.01 |
| 7 | The New York Foundling | $72,281 | $34.75 |
| 8 | HealthPartners | $72,278 | $34.75 |
| 9 | Children's Hospital Los Angeles | $71,805 | $34.52 |
| 10 | Brown University | $71,742 | $34.49 |
| 11 | Swedish Hospital | $70,477 | $33.88 |
| 12 | University of Maryland Medical System | $70,335 | $33.81 |
| 13 | University of Virginia | $70,313 | $33.80 |
| 14 | American Psychological Association | $69,998 | $33.65 |
| 15 | Florida Medical Clinic | $69,416 | $33.37 |
| 16 | Baylor Scott & White Health | $69,276 | $33.31 |
| 17 | Vivent Health | $69,185 | $33.26 |
| 18 | Kaiser Permanente | $67,698 | $32.55 |
| 19 | Pacific Medical Centers | $67,337 | $32.37 |
| 20 | Ascension Michigan | $67,251 | $32.33 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Psychotherapist salary trends
The average psychotherapist salary has risen by $10,424 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average psychotherapist earned $59,497 annually, but today, they earn $69,921 a year. That works out to a 11% change in pay for psychotherapists over the last decade.
Compare psychotherapist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average psychotherapist salary over time
Compare psychotherapist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Psychotherapist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $69,900 | $33.62 | +3.8% |
| 2024 | $67,300 | $32.35 | +1.0% |
| 2023 | $66,600 | $32.02 | +3.0% |
| 2022 | $64,600 | $31.06 | +2.1% |
| 2021 | $63,300 | $30.42 | +1.2% |
Recently added psychotherapist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essentia Health | Psychotherapist (Lmft, Lpcc, Licsw) | Fargo, ND | 06/30/2025 | $69,285 |
| Get It-Healthcare | Pediatric Psychotherapist-Remote | Sacramento, CA | 06/29/2025 | $38,250 |
| Get It-Healthcare | Licensed Psychotherapist-Remote | WFH | Boston, MA | 06/29/2025 | $80,000 |
| Bluesky Telepsych | Psychotherapists | Phoenix, AZ | 06/29/2025 | $104,350 |
| Bettermorninginc | Outpatient Psychotherapist | Ione, WA | 06/29/2025 | $55,000 |
| Bluesky Telepsych | Psychotherapists | Houston, TX | 06/29/2025 | $104,350 |
| Blackbird Health | Psychotherapist: Diagnostic Evaluator-Hybrid | Allentown, PA | 06/29/2025 | $70,000 |
| Blackbird Health | Psychotherapist: Diagnostic Evaluator-Hybrid | Chantilly, VA | 06/29/2025 | $95,000 |
| Essentia Health | Psychotherapist-Non Credentialed (Casual) | Duluth, MN | 06/28/2025 | $62,213 |
| Canvas Health | Outpatient Psychotherapist or Clinical Trainee | Cottage Grove, MN | 06/28/2025 | $68,755 |
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