Clinical and Counseling Psychologists: Salary, Job Outlook & How to Become One (2026 Parent Guide)

Clinical and Counseling Psychologists fall under the Life, Physical, and Social Science category in the U.S. occupational classification. Clinical and Counseling Psychologists earn a median salary of $95,830 per year, ranking in the top 16% of all U.S. occupations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects +11.2% job growth through 2034, projected to grow faster than the US average. Entry into this field typically requires a bachelor's degree, with specific licensing or certification depending on the state and employer. For parents whose teenager is exploring this path, the most actionable step is mapping the education requirements to specific colleges and majors before junior year — not waiting until application season.

What do clinical and counseling psychologists earn?

The median annual wage for clinical and counseling psychologists is $95,830. That puts clinical and counseling psychologists at #129 on the BLS ranked list of all U.S. occupations by median pay. This salary is above the U.S. median for individual workers and reflects a stable, credentialed occupation. Actual pay varies meaningfully by state, employer type, and years of experience — entry-level salaries are typically 30–40% below the median, while top-decile earners often exceed it by 50% or more.

Is clinical and counseling psychologists a growing career?

The 10-year outlook for clinical and counseling psychologists is +11.2%, projected to grow faster than the US average. Employment is projected to move from approximately 76K positions in 2024 to 84K in 2034, a net change of 8K. Faster-than-average growth means hiring is consistently outpacing the labor market overall. New entrants generally find their first roles faster than peers in stable fields.

What do clinical and counseling psychologists do every day?

According to O*NET task surveys of working clinical and counseling psychologists, these are the core responsibilities most professionals perform. This is what your teen would actually be doing in this role.

1. 1.Conduct assessments of patients' risk for harm to self or others.
2. 2.Document patient information including session notes, progress notes, recommendations, and treatment plans.
3. 3.Identify psychological, emotional, or behavioral issues and diagnose disorders, using information obtained from interviews, tests, records, or reference materials.
4. 4.Write reports on clients and maintain required paperwork.
5. 5.Counsel individuals, groups, or families to help them understand problems, deal with crisis situations, define goals, and develop realistic action plans.
6. 6.Interact with clients to assist them in gaining insight, defining goals, and planning action to achieve effective personal, social, educational, or vocational development and adjustment.
7. 7.Collect information about individuals or clients, using interviews, case histories, observational techniques, and other assessment methods.
8. 8.Evaluate the effectiveness of counseling or treatments and the accuracy and completeness of diagnoses, modifying plans or diagnoses as necessary.

Top skills for clinical and counseling psychologists

O*NET ranks these as the most important skills for this occupation, on a 1–5 importance scale derived from worker surveys.

What education does my child need to become clinical and counseling psychologist?

The standard path into clinical and counseling psychologists begins with a bachelor's degree in a related field, followed by entry-level experience or internships during college. For parents helping a teen prepare, the highest-leverage step before junior year is identifying colleges and programs that feed reliably into this occupation — Solyo's college search lets parents filter by major and admissions data side by side.

How to become clinical and counseling psychologist: step by step

The typical education and licensing pathway from high school into this profession. Total time to entry is about 10-13 years. Steps marked optional are common for advancement but not required to start.

1. 1

   Bachelor's degree (undergraduate foundation)

   ~4 years

   A four-year bachelor's degree, most often in psychology or a related field, that builds the statistics, research methods, and foundational psychology coursework required for competitive doctoral admission.

   • •Earn a bachelor's degree, commonly in psychology or a related field
   • •Complete prerequisites for doctoral admission: statistics, research methods, abnormal and developmental psychology
   • •No license at this stage
2. 2

   Doctoral degree (PhD or PsyD) with embedded internship

   ~6 years

   The gating credential. A research-intensive PhD (5-7+ years) or practice-oriented PsyD (4-5 years) beyond the bachelor's, ideally from an APA-accredited program, including a supervised pre-doctoral internship year of about 2,000 hours. Entering with a relevant master's can shave 1-2 years off this phase.

   • •Earn a doctorate (PhD or PsyD), required in all 50 states to practice independently
   • •Attend a program accredited by the APA Commission on Accreditation (strongly preferred or required by most states)
   • •Complete a supervised pre-doctoral internship of roughly 2,000 hours (often APA/APPIC-matched)
   • •A separate master's is optional; direct-entry programs fold master's-level coursework in and are the standard fastest route
3. 3

   Supervised postdoctoral experience

   ~1 year

   A structured, board-defined period of supervised postgraduate practice, typically about a year. A growing number of states now allow some or all of these hours at the doctoral level, but a supervised postgraduate phase remains the norm.

   • •Complete roughly 1,500-2,000 postdoctoral supervised hours (state-dependent)
   • •Total supervised hours across internship and postdoc commonly land in the 3,000-4,000 range (some states 1,500 to 6,000+)
   • •State examples: Pennsylvania 1,750; Florida 2,000; New Mexico 1,500; Washington up to 1,500 postdoc
4. 4

   Licensing examinations (EPPP + state exam)

   ~0.5 years

   National and state examinations gating licensure. Candidates first apply to their state board, which authorizes EPPP registration, then pass the EPPP and any state-specific ethics or jurisprudence exam.

   • •Apply for licensure to the state or provincial board, which reviews credentials and authorizes exam registration
   • •Pass the EPPP (Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology), administered by ASPPB, required in all states
   • •Currently two components: EPPP Part 1 (Knowledge, 8 content areas) and EPPP Part 2 (Skills), available until an integrated EPPP takes effect Q4 2027
   • •Many states add a state-specific jurisprudence or ethics exam

   EPPP Part 1 (Knowledge)EPPP Part 2 (Skills)State jurisprudence/ethics exam (varies by state)
5. 5

   State licensure (and optional board certification)

   ~0.5 years

   The state psychologist license issued by the Board of Psychology once all education, supervised hours, and exams are complete, authorizing independent practice. Optional ABPP board certification signals advanced specialty expertise.

   • •Hold a doctorate, required supervised hours, and passing EPPP and any state exam to obtain the state psychologist license
   • •License, governed by each state's Board of Psychology, is required to practice independently
   • •Optional: pursue board certification via the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP) in a specialty such as clinical or counseling psychology

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Common questions parents ask about clinical and counseling psychologists