How Much Money Do Child Psychologists Make a Year?
- Child psychologists who work in private practice can potentially make more money than those who work in schools or other doctors' offices. Private practice psychologists can choose how many clients to see and what to charge each family. However, private practice psychologists do not have as much job stability as those who work for outside employers, as the amount of money they earn may change from week to week and they may lose clients for reasons other than the quality of their work.
- School psychologists are the lowest-paid child psychologists; Guide to Online Schools reports that these psychologists make between $36,000 and $70,000 per year. School psychologist salaries often depend on the relative wealth of the school district they work for. These psychologists tend to work long hours and have a large number of job responsibilities, such as administering standardized tests and evaluating the results, sitting in on meetings regarding special-needs students and working one-on-one with students who appear to be experiencing emotional difficulties.
- A child psychologist's salary often depends on her education level. Although child psychologists can work with a master's degree, it is advantageous to pursue a doctorate. A doctoral degree often commands higher salaries; in addition, private practice child psychologists gain credibility, and therefore can charge more, if they possess a doctorate rather than terminating their education once they receive a master's degree.
- Private practice psychologists should consider how many clients they are willing to take in a day when setting prices. In addition, psychologists who have more experience are able to set higher prices than those who are first starting out, and those with doctorates can set higher prices than those with master's degrees. Child psychologists in private practice can make up to $85,000 per year, according to Guide to Online Schools.