How to hire a school psychology specialist

How to hire a school psychology specialist, step by step

Here's a step-by-step school psychology specialist hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a school psychology specialist job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new school psychology specialist
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a school psychology specialist do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a school psychology specialist, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A school psychology specialist's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, school psychology specialists from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list presents school psychology specialist salaries for various positions.

   Type of School Psychology Specialist	Description	Hourly rate
   School Psychology Specialist	Psychologists study cognitive, emotional, and social processes and behavior by observing, interpreting, and recording how people relate to one another and their environments.	$13-28
   Educational Diagnostician	School performance is assessed through surveys, students' conduct, and a curriculum check. This work is assigned to an educational diagnostician... Show more	$19-53
   Bilingual School Psychologist	A bilingual school psychologist offers support services to students, helping them overcome stress and address various behavioral or emotional issues. They are particularly helpful to the students experiencing difficulties due to language barriers... Show more	$25-54

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Professional Development
   • School Administration
   • K-12
   • Data Collection
   • Classroom Management
   • Math
   • Public Schools
   • Technical Assistance
   • Progress Monitoring
   • PBIS
   • Curriculum Development
   • Instructional Strategies
   • Student Performance
   • Child Development

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Assist in maintaining DOD certification and assist in achieving and retaining national accreditation.
   • Consult with other school staff as necessary to execute the goals of the IEP.
   • Work alongside motocross pros Scott Davis and Donnie Hansen in demonstrating rider style and form for a kids' motocross camp.
   • Develop materials for specific and generalize programs to model ABA strategies.
   • Implement specific ABA programs and collect data through education programs within a nurturing consistent environment.
   • Administer a variety of standardize psychological measures to address cognitive functioning, academic achievement, social/behavioral issues, and adaptive functioning.

   More school psychology specialist duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your school psychology specialist job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A school psychology specialist can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, school psychology specialists' average salary in louisiana is 66% less than in alaska.
   • Seniority. Entry-level school psychology specialists 53% less than senior-level school psychology specialists.
   • Certifications. A school psychology specialist with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a school psychology specialist's salary.

   Average school psychology specialist salary

   $41,695yearly

   $20.05 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level school psychology specialist salary

   $28,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 20, 2026

   Average school psychology specialist salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Alaska	$73,350	$35
   2	California	$58,863	$28
   3	New Jersey	$56,114	$27
   4	New York	$54,799	$26
   5	Maryland	$53,551	$26
   6	Washington	$53,362	$26
   7	Massachusetts	$53,086	$26
   8	Minnesota	$43,841	$21
   9	Georgia	$41,707	$20
   10	Colorado	$41,522	$20
   11	Texas	$39,669	$19
   12	Missouri	$38,630	$19
   13	Michigan	$37,962	$18
   14	Illinois	$37,577	$18
   15	North Carolina	$36,074	$17
   16	Indiana	$35,734	$17
   17	South Carolina	$35,240	$17
   18	Arizona	$29,375	$14
   19	Montana	$28,672	$14

   Average school psychology specialist salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Boston Public Schools	$70,342	$33.82	10
   2	UC Santa Barbara	$69,466	$33.40
   3	Harlem Children's Zone	$66,148	$31.80	21
   4	University of California-Berkeley	$61,629	$29.63	6
   5	Success Academy Charter Schools	$59,124	$28.43	6
   6	International Rescue Committee	$58,519	$28.13	2
   7	Magnolia Educational and Research Foundation	$57,399	$27.60
   8	Chicago Public Schools	$56,536	$27.18	30
   9	Santa Rosa City Schools	$55,996	$26.92
   10	Buena Vista University	$55,112	$26.50	21
   11	WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA	$48,495	$23.31
   12	Denver Public Schools	$46,611	$22.41	7
   13	Robbinsdale Area Schools	$46,560	$22.38	10
   14	California Academy of Sciences	$45,717	$21.98
   15	UP Education Network	$44,181	$21.24	6
   16	Irving Isd	$43,472	$20.90	7
   17	Seneca Resources	$43,119	$20.73	1
   18	Alameda Unified	$41,636	$20.02
   19	Desert Schools Federal Credit Union	$41,393	$19.90
   20	Julian Charter School	$40,208	$19.33

4. Writing a school psychology specialist job description

   A good school psychology specialist job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a school psychology specialist job description:

   School psychology specialist job description example

   Looking to feed your desire to give to your community and support those who need a helping hand? Look no further! Not only is Burrell growing the amount of its resources, services, and facilities to assist as many communities as possible, it also provides plenty of opportunity for growth in your current field and the freedom to explore others. Our culture and our environment are unlike any other. We offer highly-competitive pay and a full range of top-notch full-time employee benefits such as:
   
   MedicalDentalVisionLife InsurancePaid Time OffShort Term DisabilityLong Term DisabilityRetirement PlanTuition ReimbursementStudent Loan ReimbursementEmployee Assistance Program
   Job Description:
   "We are truly in the business of saving lives"
   -Dr. C.J. Davis; President and CEO
   
   Want to know what it's like to work at Burrell?
   Click on the link below to find out -
   Burrell Behavioral Health - Join our Team! - YouTube
   
   -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   
   SCHOOL BASED SUPPORT SPECIALIST
   Columbia / Boone County, Missouri
   
   What you'll get to do:
   As a School Based Support Specialist you will:
   Provide on-site intervention in area schools for clients enrolled in the program Collaborate closely with school staff to ensure appropriate client care.Participate in the process of monitoring client progress in treatment programs & development of specific individual treatment/rehabilitation plans Provide individual assistance to clients as a resource in accessing needed mental health services and completing activities of daily living skills Assist the client to access and utilize a variety of community agencies and resources to provide ongoing social, vocational, educational, and recreational support and activities.
   What you'll bring:
   A proactive, and client-focused approach to breaking the stigma of mental health.A passion to make a positive difference in the lives of others every day.A reliable vehicle and favorable driving record
   
   Education and Experience:
   Bachelor's degree in Psychology, Social Work or other related human service specialized fields of study. OR....Bachelor's degree in an unrelated field and two years of related work experience. OR....Combination of four years or more of advance education and two years of related work experience. OR....Associate of Applied Science in Behavioral Health Support from an approved institution will also fulfill the educational requirements.
   
   Where you'll be working:
   You will be working in area public schools.
   
   SCHOOL BASED SUPPORT SPECIALIST
   
   HP123
   
   We are an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer, and encourage applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, marital status, disability or veteran status, or to other non-work related factors.
   
   Burrell is a Smoke and Tobacco Free Workplace.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find school psychology specialists for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any school psychology specialists they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level school psychology specialists with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your school psychology specialist job on Zippia to find and recruit school psychology specialist candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting school psychology specialists requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new school psychology specialist

   Once you've selected the best school psychology specialist candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new school psychology specialist. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a school psychology specialist?