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The differences between staff psychologists and school psychologists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a staff psychologist and a school psychologist. Additionally, a school psychologist has an average salary of $78,431, which is higher than the $77,671 average annual salary of a staff psychologist.
The top three skills for a staff psychologist include patients, group therapy and crisis intervention. The most important skills for a school psychologist are professional development, mental health, and psychological services.
| Staff Psychologist | School Psychologist | |
| Yearly salary | $77,671 | $78,431 |
| Hourly rate | $37.34 | $37.71 |
| Growth rate | 14% | 14% |
| Number of jobs | 85,221 | 25,457 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 44% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A staff psychologist is responsible for monitoring patients with mental health conditions and conducting counseling services to observe their behaviors and diagnose their developmental disorders. Staff psychologists develop treatment plans and administer medications for the patients and may also facilitate referrals to other institutions and medical professionals for further examinations. They utilize necessary resources, especially therapy programs, to manage the patients' conditions and document their progress during each session. A staff psychologist seeks advice from other mental health experts to identify case management concepts and assessments.
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.
Staff psychologists and school psychologists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Staff Psychologist | School Psychologist | |
| Average salary | $77,671 | $78,431 |
| Salary range | Between $54,000 And $110,000 | Between $55,000 And $110,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Kaiser Permanente | CORA Services |
| Best paying industry | - | Education |
There are a few differences between a staff psychologist and a school psychologist in terms of educational background:
| Staff Psychologist | School Psychologist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 44% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between staff psychologists' and school psychologists' demographics:
| Staff Psychologist | School Psychologist | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 43.7% Female, 56.3% | Male, 26.8% Female, 73.2% |
| 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, 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 | 12% | 12% |