Clinical and Counseling Psychologists Salary
Clinical and Counseling Psychologists in South Dakota make a median of $80,130 a year, or about $38.52 an hour. The range runs from $64K at the entry level to $123K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.89), which stretches that salary to about $89,142 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,017/month, or 19% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across South Dakota. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $80K get you in South Dakota?
About clinical and counseling psychologists
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What this looks like in South Dakota
Pay for clinical and counseling psychologists in South Dakota runs about 20% below the U.S. median of $101K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,017/month, 18.8% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.89 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, South Dakota can be a reasonable trade-off for clinical and counseling psychologistss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, South Dakota
Entry-level clinical and counseling psychologists (10th percentile) start around $64K. Mid-career wages sit at $80K. Top earners bring in $123K or more, a $60K spread from bottom to top.
Clinical and Counseling Psychologists salary by metro in South Dakota
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rapid City | $64K | -20% | 30 |
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Frequently asked questions
Can a clinical and counseling psychologist afford a 2BR apartment alone in South Dakota?
Yes — at the median salary of $80K, rent takes 18.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,017/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for clinical and counseling psychologists in South Dakota?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new clinical and counseling psychologists typically earn — is $64K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,818/month. At HUD’s $1,017/month FMR, rent would take 27% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is clinical and counseling psychologist a high-paying job in South Dakota?
Local pay runs 20% below the national median — $80K here vs. $101K nationally. Cost of living is 10% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does South Dakota compare to the national average for clinical and counseling psychologists?
South Dakota pays $80K median vs. the U.S. average of $101K — that’s -20%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $89K — below the national median.
How much do clinical and counseling psychologists make in South Dakota?
The median is $80,130 a year, that works out to about $39 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $63,630, and experienced clinical and counseling psychologists can clear $123,210. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $80K enough to live in South Dakota?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,396/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,017/month, which eats 18.8% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a clinical and counseling psychologists salary go in South Dakota?
South Dakota has a Regional Price Parity of 89.89 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median clinical and counseling psychologists salary is worth about $89,142 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.