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The average salary for a Senior Staff Psychologist in the United States is approximately $99,313 annually, equating to about $48 per hour. However, this figure can vary based on several factors including geographic location, years of experience, and the industry in which one works.
For example, states like California and New York tend to offer higher salaries due to the cost of living and demand for mental health services. In addition, metropolitan areas often provide competitive compensation packages compared to rural regions.
Senior Staff Psychologists have numerous opportunities for career growth, including roles in higher education, clinical supervision, or specialized practices. With the continuous demand for mental health professionals, pursuing advanced certifications can further enhance earning potential.
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The average senior staff psychologist salary in California, Nevada, and Washington are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average senior staff psychologist salary states are Vermont, North Carolina, and Tennessee.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $151,851 | $73.01 |
| 2 | Nevada | $118,033 | $56.75 |
| 3 | Washington | $117,507 | $56.49 |
| 4 | Maine | $104,364 | $50.17 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $101,305 | $48.70 |
| 6 | Oregon | $101,347 | $48.72 |
| 7 | Idaho | $109,454 | $52.62 |
| 8 | Maryland | $99,393 | $47.79 |
| 9 | New Mexico | $100,163 | $48.16 |
| 10 | Virginia | $104,428 | $50.21 |
| 11 | Utah | $91,976 | $44.22 |
| 12 | Connecticut | $97,048 | $46.66 |
| 13 | Colorado | $95,968 | $46.14 |
| 14 | New Hampshire | $95,929 | $46.12 |
| 15 | Ohio | $89,100 | $42.84 |
| 16 | Wisconsin | $98,100 | $47.16 |
| 17 | North Dakota | $100,460 | $48.30 |
| 18 | New York | $92,225 | $44.34 |
| 19 | Arizona | $86,297 | $41.49 |
| 20 | Florida | $89,526 | $43.04 |
| 21 | District of Columbia | $90,329 | $43.43 |
| 22 | Indiana | $83,159 | $39.98 |
| 23 | Arkansas | $83,718 | $40.25 |
| 24 | Delaware | $89,005 | $42.79 |
| 25 | Missouri | $83,360 | $40.08 |
| 26 | Alaska | $92,031 | $44.25 |
| 27 | Illinois | $80,471 | $38.69 |
| 28 | Pennsylvania | $76,929 | $36.99 |
| 29 | Louisiana | $79,363 | $38.16 |
| 30 | New Jersey | $81,637 | $39.25 |
| 31 | Iowa | $83,345 | $40.07 |
| 32 | Minnesota | $80,602 | $38.75 |
| 33 | Kansas | $81,492 | $39.18 |
| 34 | Texas | $79,566 | $38.25 |
| 35 | Massachusetts | $76,969 | $37.00 |
| 36 | Montana | $80,379 | $38.64 |
| 37 | Hawaii | $80,343 | $38.63 |
| 38 | South Dakota | $80,797 | $38.84 |
| 39 | Wyoming | $80,396 | $38.65 |
| 40 | Mississippi | $80,937 | $38.91 |
| 41 | Michigan | $77,965 | $37.48 |
| 42 | Kentucky | $78,428 | $37.71 |
| 43 | Vermont | $74,786 | $35.95 |
| 44 | Georgia | $75,320 | $36.21 |
| 45 | Oklahoma | $76,655 | $36.85 |
| 46 | Nebraska | $75,829 | $36.46 |
| 47 | North Carolina | $72,190 | $34.71 |
| 48 | Tennessee | $71,628 | $34.44 |
| 49 | Alabama | $62,151 | $29.88 |
| 50 | West Virginia | $70,358 | $33.83 |
| 51 | South Carolina | $62,818 | $30.20 |
The highest-paying cities for senior staff psychologists are Soledad, CA, Eugene, OR, and Annapolis, MD.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Soledad, CA | $159,113 | $76.50 |
| 2 | Eugene, OR | $102,197 | $49.13 |
| 3 | Annapolis, MD | $99,572 | $47.87 |
| 4 | Hartford, CT | $97,067 | $46.67 |
| 5 | Denver, CO | $95,762 | $46.04 |
| 6 | New York, NY | $92,338 | $44.39 |
| 7 | Columbus, OH | $88,773 | $42.68 |
| 8 | Fort Lauderdale, FL | $88,199 | $42.40 |
| 9 | Phoenix, AZ | $87,107 | $41.88 |
| 10 | Lubbock, TX | $83,152 | $39.98 |
| 11 | Chicago, IL | $80,687 | $38.79 |
| 12 | Minneapolis, MN | $80,614 | $38.76 |
| 13 | Bozeman, MT | $79,981 | $38.45 |
| 14 | Pontiac, MI | $78,143 | $37.57 |
| 15 | Boston, MA | $76,996 | $37.02 |
| 16 | Atlanta, GA | $75,575 | $36.33 |
| 17 | Goldsboro, NC | $73,221 | $35.20 |
A senior staff psychologist's salary ranges from $68,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $143,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $143,000 | $11,917 | $69 |
| 75th Percentile | $120,000 | $10,000 | $58 |
| Average | $99,313 | $8,276 | $48 |
| 25th Percentile | $81,000 | $6,750 | $39 |
| 10th Percentile | $68,000 | $5,667 | $33 |
The highest paying types of senior staff psychologists are chief psychologist, licensed psychologist, and psychologist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clinical Fellow | $69,060 | $5,755 | $33.20 | 59,094 |
| Clinical Psychology Internship | $38,471 | $3,206 | $18.50 | 107,002 |
| Clinical Psychologist-Licensed | $96,135 | $8,011 | $46.22 | 83,526 |
| Psychologist | $97,803 | $8,150 | $47.02 | 12,516 |
| Child Psychologist | $78,743 | $6,562 | $37.86 | 22,815 |
| Licensed Psychologist | $97,852 | $8,154 | $47.04 | 24,645 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for senior staff psychologists, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Terry Pettijohn Ph.D.
Professor of Psychology, Gupta College of Science
Top companies hiring senior staff psychologists now:
Senior staff psychologist salaries at Workday and Charles Schwab are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average senior staff psychologist salary at companies like Bio-Rad Laboratories and UTMB HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Workday | $120,703 | $58.03 |
| 2 | Charles Schwab | $105,524 | $50.73 |
| 3 | Bio-Rad Laboratories | $102,334 | $49.20 |
| 4 | UTMB HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS | $96,742 | $46.51 |
| 5 | California Dept Rehabilitation | $94,848 | $45.60 |
| 6 | DENTSPLY IH | $94,848 | $45.60 |
| 7 | eHealth | $91,896 | $44.18 |
| 8 | University of California-Berkeley | $90,039 | $43.29 |
| 9 | UCI Health | $89,511 | $43.03 |
| 10 | Booz Allen Hamilton | $88,680 | $42.63 |
| 11 | American Psychological Association | $88,183 | $42.40 |
| 12 | Northwell Health | $85,639 | $41.17 |
| 13 | Oakland, New Jersey | $85,281 | $41.00 |
| 14 | Simpson Gumpertz & Heger | $83,616 | $40.20 |
| 15 | Wheeler Clinic | $82,437 | $39.63 |
| 16 | Hennepin Healthcare | $81,882 | $39.37 |
| 17 | Youth Focus | $78,652 | $37.81 |
| 18 | Crowe | $77,465 | $37.24 |
| 19 | Boston College | $77,302 | $37.16 |
| 20 | Oakland County, Michigan Government | $73,923 | $35.54 |
The average senior staff psychologist salary varies across industries:
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Telecommunication | $92,154 | $44.30 |
| 2 | Health Care | $91,925 | $44.19 |
| 3 | Professional | $77,467 | $37.24 |
| 4 | Government | $62,608 | $30.10 |
The average senior staff psychologist salary has risen by $14,856 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average senior staff psychologist earned $84,457 annually, but today, they earn $99,313 a year. That works out to a 9% change in pay for senior staff psychologists over the last decade.
Compare senior staff psychologist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare senior staff psychologist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $99,300 | $47.75 | +2.0% |
| 2024 | $97,300 | $46.78 | +1.5% |
| 2023 | $95,800 | $46.05 | +2.5% |
| 2022 | $93,400 | $44.92 | +2.4% |
| 2021 | $91,200 | $43.83 | +3.7% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northwell Health | Senior Psychologist-Trauma Center | Glen, NY | 06/05/2025 | $121,200 |
| University Health System | Senior Staff Psychologist | San Antonio, TX | 05/29/2025 | $96,000 |
| State of North Carolina | Senior Psychologist I-Temporary Solutions | Raleigh, NC | 05/28/2025 | $104,350 |
| Maimonides Medical Center | SR Staff Psychologist | New York, NY | 05/24/2025 | $139,829 |
| Boston College | Staff/Senior Staff Psychologist or Staff/Senior Staff Social Worker | Boston, MA | 04/10/2025 | $92,320 |
| NYU Langone Hospitals | SR. Psychologist, PH.D. or Psy.D.-NYU Langone Orthopedic Hospital, Monday-F | New York, NY | 03/30/2025 | $115,000 |
| Northwell Health | Senior Psychologist | New York, NY | 03/18/2025 | $121,200 |
| New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation | Psychologist Senior | New York | 03/14/2025 | $118,450 |
| Boston College | Staff/Senior Staff Psychologist or Staff/Senior Staff Social Worker | Boston, MA | 03/07/2025 | $92,320 |
| Hennepin Healthcare | Psychologist-SR Clinical (Adult) Incentive; Excellent Benefits | Minneapolis, MN | 02/19/2025 | $112,000 |
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