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Psychologist salary in California

Updated October 30, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Published by Humblebee.

$116,000median pay per year in California, or $55.77 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $62,900lowest 10% earn less
  2. $77,05025th percentile
  3. $116,000median
  4. $162,36075th percentile
  5. $188,050top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[2]US median for this job, $100,580[3]

The median pay for psychologists in California was $116,000 a year[1]. That was $15,420 higher than the US median[6].

Jobs in CA
12,840[4]
Rank by median pay
8 of 48[5]
Compared with US median
+15.3%[6]

How much do psychologists make in California?

The median wage for psychologists in California was $116,000 a year, or $55.77 an hour[1]. Half of these workers earned more and half earned less. The average was higher at $123,570 a year[7]. Across the US, the median was $100,580[3], so California came in $15,420 above it[6]. California also ranked 8th among the 47 states and DC with a published median[5]. Compared with all jobs in the state, psychologists earned $57,760 more than the $58,240 median[8][9].

Pay spreads widely. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $62,900, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $188,050[2]. The middle half earned between $77,050 and $162,360[2]. About 12,840 people worked in this job in the state[4].

By metro area, San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont had the highest median at $166,400[10]. Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom followed among the larger metros at $153,050, and Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim was at $99,250[11]. These figures cover wage and salary workers only. The self-employed are not counted, and bonuses and benefits are left out of the wages[12].

California vs US pay

Pay for psychologists in California next to the national figures[1][3].

CAUS
Median per year$116,000[1]$100,580[3]
Median per hour$55.77[1]$48.36[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$62,900[2]$55,170[13]
Top 10% earn more than$188,050[2]$180,960[13]
Jobs12,840[4]75,990[3]

Pay by metro area in California

Metro areas in California with the most jobs for psychologists, and the median pay in each[11].

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA[11]$99,2504,790
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$72,0901,650
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$166,4001,540
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$92,7301,130
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$153,050630
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$102,710590
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA$116,960300
Fresno, CA$129,120280

Pay in nearby states

Median pay for psychologists in the states that border California, highest first[14].

StateMedian per yearJobs
Oregon[14]$134,350540
Arizona$119,010730
Nevada$102,650680

Median pay for psychologists in every state

Job outlook and training

Across the US, jobs for psychologists are projected to grow 11.7% from 2025 to 2035[15]. BLS does not publish this projection by state. The typical education for entry is: doctoral or professional degree[16].

How to become one: steps, training and duties

Frequently asked questions

How much does a psychologist make in California?
The median wage for psychologists in California was $116,000 a year[1]. The average was $123,570 a year[7].
How much does a psychologist make an hour in California?
The median hourly wage was $55.77[1]. The 25th percentile was $37.04 an hour and the 75th was $78.06[17].
Which city in California pays psychologists the most?
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont had the highest median annual wage, at $166,400[10]. This was out of 19 metro areas with a published median[10].
Is California a good state for psychologists?
California had the 8th highest median annual wage for psychologists among the 47 states and DC with a published median[5]. Its median was $15,420 above the US median[6].
What do you need to become a psychologist in California?
This is a US figure and not specific to California. Across the US, the typical entry education is a doctoral or professional degree, with an internship or residency as on-the-job training[16].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Clinical and Counseling Psychologists in California was $116,000 per year and $55.77 per hour. Half of these workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Clinical and Counseling Psychologists in California: 10th percentile $62,900, 25th percentile $77,050, 75th percentile $162,360, 90th percentile $188,050. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less, the 90th means 10% earned more. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Clinical and Counseling Psychologists in the US as a whole was $100,580 per year and $48.36 per hour, with about 75,990 jobs nationwide. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 12,840 people worked as Clinical and Counseling Psychologists in California (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: California had the 8th highest median annual wage for Clinical and Counseling Psychologists out of the 47 states and DC with a published median. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Clinical and Counseling Psychologists in California ($116,000) was $15,420 (15.3%) higher than the US median ($100,580). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Clinical and Counseling Psychologists in California was $123,570 per year and $59.41 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Clinical and Counseling Psychologists in California was $57,760 higher than the median for all occupations in the state ($58,240). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in California was $58,240. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 19 metro areas in or partly in California with a published median for Clinical and Counseling Psychologists, San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA had the highest median annual wage, $166,400. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. Metro areas with the most jobs in this occupation, with median annual wage, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Clinical and Counseling Psychologists in the US: 10th percentile $55,170, 25th percentile $73,210, 75th percentile $135,200, 90th percentile $180,960. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, median annual wage for Clinical and Counseling Psychologists in states that border California (highest first): Oregon $134,350; Arizona $119,010; Nevada $102,650. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state): employment of Clinical and Counseling Psychologists is projected to grow 11.7% nationwide from 2025 to 2035, with about 4,100 openings a year on average. All occupations are projected to grow 3.5%. BLS Employment Projections
  16. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state), typical path into Clinical and Counseling Psychologists: education needed for entry: Doctoral or professional degree; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Internship/residency. BLS Employment Projections
  17. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Clinical and Counseling Psychologists in California: 10th percentile $30.24, 25th percentile $37.04, 75th percentile $78.06, 90th percentile $90.41. BLS OEWS, May 2025

State figures cover only California. Job outlook and entry requirements are national (US) figures: BLS does not publish them by state in our sources. Figures labelled “CareerFacts calculation” are simple differences between the BLS numbers shown.