Clinical and Counseling Psychologists Salary
Clinical and Counseling Psychologists in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA make a median of $97,090 a year, or about $46.68 an hour. The range runs from $19K at the entry level to $206K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.06), that's roughly $97,032 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,820/month, or 29.7% of estimated take-home pay.
Where the paycheck goes
What $97K actually covers in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell’s Regional Price Parity (100.06). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About clinical and counseling psychologists
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What this looks like in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell
Clinical and counseling psychologists pay in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell tracks closely to the national median, $97K locally vs. $101K nationwide, a 3% difference. Rent runs $1,820/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 30.4% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 100.06) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for clinical and counseling psychologists in metros near Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach | $89K | $78K |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $117K | $120K |
| Raleigh-Cary | $97K | $98K |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $77K | $80K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA
Entry-level clinical and counseling psychologists (10th percentile) start around $19K. Mid-career wages sit at $97K. Top earners bring in $206K or more, a $187K spread from bottom to top.
Clinical and Counseling Psychologists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Clinical and Counseling Psychologists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon | $134K | +34% | 540 |
| New Jersey | $127K | +26% | 2,700 |
| New Mexico | $125K | +24% | N/A |
| Alaska | $124K | +24% | 40 |
| Arizona | $119K | +18% | 730 |
| Hawaii | $118K | +17% | 250 |
| North Dakota | $116K | +15% | 170 |
| California | $116K | +15% | 12,840 |
| Washington | $115K | +15% | 1,270 |
| Massachusetts | $115K | +15% | 2,860 |
| New York | $114K | +14% | 8,420 |
| Wisconsin | $113K | +13% | 1,150 |
| Colorado | $113K | +13% | 1,170 |
| Delaware | $113K | +12% | 280 |
| Rhode Island | $107K | +7% | 420 |
| Minnesota | $107K | +6% | 1,290 |
| District of Columbia | $107K | +6% | 220 |
| Nevada | $103K | +2% | 680 |
| Ohio | $101K | +1% | 2,080 |
| Missouri | $99K | -1% | 840 |
| Utah | $99K | -1% | 1,020 |
| Kentucky | $99K | -1% | 710 |
| Idaho | $98K | -3% | 300 |
| Georgia | $96K | -4% | 1,120 |
| Nebraska | $95K | -6% | 770 |
| South Carolina | $93K | -8% | N/A |
| North Carolina | $92K | -8% | 2,770 |
| Pennsylvania | $92K | -9% | 3,140 |
| Iowa | $92K | -9% | 440 |
| Alabama | $91K | -10% | 260 |
| Wyoming | $90K | -11% | 50 |
| Virginia | $87K | -14% | 2,140 |
| Florida | $86K | -15% | 3,040 |
| Indiana | $85K | -16% | 1,850 |
| Michigan | $85K | -16% | 2,170 |
| Illinois | $84K | -17% | 5,810 |
| Texas | $84K | -17% | 3,640 |
| Vermont | $83K | -17% | 190 |
| South Dakota | $80K | -20% | 120 |
| Oklahoma | $80K | -21% | 950 |
| Arkansas | $78K | -23% | 370 |
| West Virginia | $77K | -23% | 920 |
| Tennessee | $77K | -24% | 1,180 |
| Kansas | $77K | -24% | 400 |
| Mississippi | $76K | -24% | 210 |
| Louisiana | $71K | -29% | 320 |
| Montana | $68K | -32% | 150 |
| New Hampshire | $64K | -36% | 330 |
Showing 1–10 of 48 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track clinical and counseling psychologists salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a clinical and counseling psychologist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $97K, rent takes 30.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,820/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for clinical and counseling psychologists in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new clinical and counseling psychologists typically earn — is $19K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,401/month. At HUD’s $1,820/month FMR, rent would take 130% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is clinical and counseling psychologist a high-paying job in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $97K locally vs. $101K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell compare to the national average for clinical and counseling psychologists?
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell pays $97K median vs. the U.S. average of $101K — that’s -3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.06), the purchasing-power equivalent is $97K — below the national median.
How much do clinical and counseling psychologists make in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA?
The median is $97,090 a year, that works out to about $47 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $19,340, and experienced clinical and counseling psychologists can clear $206,070. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $97K enough to live in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,984/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,820/month, which eats 30.4% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a clinical and counseling psychologists salary go in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell?
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell has a Regional Price Parity of 100.06 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median clinical and counseling psychologists salary is worth about $97,032 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do clinical and counseling psychologists get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.