Pay, location & work-life context
Psychologist Salary Map by State (2026)
Median psychologist pay across 46 states from real job listings — switch views to adjust for cost of living or overlay burnout scores. Medians blend permanent salaries with annualized locums/contract rates. National median: $131,000.
Highest median
West Virginia
$312,000
Best real purchasing power
West Virginia
$348,615 adjusted
Best lifestyle score
Minnesota
7.9/10 avg burnout score
Compare state markets
Choose a metric, then select a state to see its figures and available breakdown.
Tile positions are approximate, not geographic boundaries. Selection adds an outline without changing the metric color. Work-life scores describe listings, not surveyed clinician burnout.
Psychologist pay by state
Sorted by median advertised pay. On smaller screens, scroll the table sideways to compare all metrics.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Take-home, COL-adj. | Work-life score | Listings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Virginia | $312,000 | $348,615 | $331,812 | 7.0/10 | 19 |
| New Mexico | $175,500 | $190,322 | $179,093 | 7.0/10 | 9 |
| North Dakota | $175,500 | $197,282 | $192,350 | 7.5/10 | 8 |
| Mississippi | $175,500 | $201,833 | $192,953 | 6.9/10 | 21 |
| Maine | $175,500 | $180,835 | $167,905 | 7.1/10 | 30 |
| Oregon | $156,000 | $150,927 | $135,986 | 6.4/10 | 34 |
| New Hampshire | $150,000 | $144,002 | $144,002 | 6.7/10 | 43 |
| Arkansas | $149,000 | $171,388 | $164,704 | 5.6/10 | 6 |
| California | $146,000 | $131,864 | $119,601 | 6.3/10 | 341 |
| Florida | $144,820 | $140,039 | $140,039 | 6.6/10 | 81 |
| Alaska | $143,069 | $139,772 | $139,772 | 4.5/10 | 5 |
| Hawaii | $143,000 | $130,058 | $115,752 | 6.7/10 | 7 |
| Washington | $142,500 | $133,161 | $133,161 | 6.2/10 | 65 |
| Kansas | $140,000 | $155,438 | $146,765 | 6.1/10 | 24 |
| Michigan | $139,500 | $144,985 | $138,823 | 6.9/10 | 77 |
| Arizona | $138,000 | $137,072 | $133,645 | 6.2/10 | 52 |
| Alabama | $136,500 | $153,676 | $145,993 | 7.0/10 | 16 |
| Iowa | $136,500 | $155,534 | $149,624 | 6.3/10 | 6 |
| Tennessee | $135,000 | $146,947 | $146,947 | 6.0/10 | 20 |
| Massachusetts | $131,000 | $123,869 | $117,675 | 6.7/10 | 103 |
| Colorado | $131,000 | $127,120 | $121,527 | 6.0/10 | 104 |
| Delaware | $130,000 | $130,250 | $121,654 | 7.5/10 | 13 |
| South Carolina | $128,500 | $137,068 | $128,570 | 6.8/10 | 49 |
| Idaho | $128,180 | $134,228 | $126,584 | 5.1/10 | 10 |
| Utah | $127,501 | $128,966 | $123,098 | 6.2/10 | 38 |
| New York | $125,000 | $115,825 | $107,891 | 6.3/10 | 193 |
| Missouri | $125,000 | $137,639 | $131,170 | 7.1/10 | 22 |
| Oklahoma | $125,000 | $142,299 | $135,540 | 6.5/10 | 16 |
| Vermont | $124,800 | $127,402 | $116,254 | 5.6/10 | 7 |
| Maryland | $124,520 | $118,637 | $111,815 | 6.4/10 | 83 |
| Nevada | $124,000 | $124,026 | $124,026 | 5.2/10 | 18 |
| Texas | $123,987 | $127,747 | $127,747 | 6.3/10 | 125 |
| Illinois | $123,500 | $123,552 | $117,436 | 6.6/10 | 150 |
| Louisiana | $122,750 | $139,161 | $134,986 | 6.3/10 | 6 |
| Pennsylvania | $122,500 | $125,548 | $121,694 | 6.9/10 | 131 |
| Virginia | $122,244 | $120,909 | $113,957 | 6.3/10 | 69 |
| Georgia | $121,192 | $125,858 | $119,074 | 5.8/10 | 38 |
| Wisconsin | $120,500 | $128,062 | $121,275 | 7.8/10 | 32 |
| Kentucky | $119,500 | $132,544 | $127,242 | 6.8/10 | 20 |
| North Carolina | $118,600 | $125,734 | $120,390 | 6.3/10 | 37 |
| Minnesota | $117,987 | $119,637 | $107,853 | 7.9/10 | 117 |
| Indiana | $116,480 | $124,806 | $121,062 | 6.5/10 | 19 |
| Rhode Island | $115,440 | $112,867 | $106,106 | 6.6/10 | 40 |
| Ohio | $114,400 | $123,310 | $118,995 | 6.3/10 | 43 |
| New Jersey | $111,925 | $102,868 | $96,315 | 5.2/10 | 32 |
| Connecticut | $108,000 | $104,237 | $96,951 | 7.4/10 | 24 |
Common questions
Which state pays psychologists the most?
West Virginia currently has the highest median psychologist salary at $312,000, based on 19 real job listings.
Which state offers the best after-tax psychologist pay?
West Virginia currently leads the take-home view at $331,812 — the state median after its state income tax (Tax Foundation state income tax rates (2025)), divided by the local cost-of-living index. No-income-tax states like Texas, Florida and Tennessee often outrank nominally higher-paying states here.
Why adjust psychologist salaries for cost of living?
Prices differ across states. The adjusted view divides each state's pay benchmark by its regional price index (U.S. average = 100). Source: BEA Regional Price Parities (2024). This is a state-level comparison, not a personal budget or a city-level cost estimate. Missing price data is shown as unavailable.
Which state has the best psychologist lifestyle scores?
Minnesota currently has the highest average WeekdayDoc burnout score (7.9/10, higher is better) for psychologist listings — a measure of call burden, weekend requirements, and schedule flexibility across postings.
More salary maps
See the full percentile breakdown on the Psychologist salary page.