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The differences between school psychologists and teachers 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 $47,989 average annual salary of a teacher.
The top three skills for a school psychologist include professional development, mental health and psychological services. The most important skills for a teacher are ESL, handle scheduling, and kids.
| School Psychologist | Teacher | |
| Yearly salary | $78,431 | $47,989 |
| Hourly rate | $37.71 | $23.07 |
| Growth rate | 14% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 25,457 | 71,918 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | 4.14 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 48% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Average age | 43 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | - |
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.
Being a teacher is one of the most passionate professions, among others. Teachers educate, motivate, and guide every generation of learners to prepare them for the real world. Every teacher is unique and has their own teaching styles and methods depending on the subject they teach and the age of their students. Oftentimes they also function as a parent, counselor, coach, friend, and even a lawmaker. There is essentially no limit to the roles a teacher portrays.
School psychologists and teachers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| School Psychologist | Teacher | |
| Average salary | $78,431 | $47,989 |
| Salary range | Between $55,000 And $110,000 | Between $32,000 And $70,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Baltimore, MD |
| Highest paying state | California | Maryland |
| Best paying company | CORA Services | King Low Heywood Thomas |
| Best paying industry | Education | Education |
There are a few differences between a school psychologist and a teacher in terms of educational background:
| School Psychologist | Teacher | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 48% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Elementary Education |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between school psychologists' and teachers' demographics:
| School Psychologist | Teacher | |
| Average age | 43 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 26.8% Female, 73.2% | Male, 25.7% Female, 74.3% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 10.1% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 12.9% Asian, 3.7% White, 68.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 9% |