Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary Salary
The median pay for a psychology teachers, postsecondary in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA is $101,980/year, per BLS data. The range runs from $68K at the entry level to $192K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 113.57), so that salary is closer to $89,795 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,601/month, about 41.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $102K get you in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim’s Regional Price Parity (113.57). 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 psychology teachers, postsecondaries
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What this looks like in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim sits well above the national pay line for psychology teachers, postsecondary, local pay runs about 27% higher than the U.S. median of $80K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,601/month, which is 41.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 14% above the national average (BEA RPP 113.57), so groceries and services cost more too. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for psychology teachers, postsecondaries in metros near Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $106K | $96K |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $138K | $129K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $127K | $113K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $130K | $112K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
Entry-level psychology teachers, postsecondaries (10th percentile) start around $68K. Mid-career wages sit at $102K. Top earners bring in $192K or more, a $123K spread from bottom to top.
Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $107K | +34% | 4,410 |
| Delaware | $102K | +27% | N/A |
| Maryland | $101K | +26% | 640 |
| District of Columbia | $101K | +26% | 340 |
| New York | $101K | +25% | 4,070 |
| Michigan | $100K | +24% | 920 |
| North Dakota | $97K | +21% | 60 |
| New Hampshire | $95K | +18% | 110 |
| Rhode Island | $94K | +17% | 180 |
| Utah | $93K | +16% | 200 |
| Louisiana | $91K | +14% | 140 |
| Connecticut | $85K | +5% | 920 |
| New Mexico | $84K | +4% | 100 |
| Idaho | $83K | +3% | 180 |
| Massachusetts | $83K | +3% | 2,640 |
| Minnesota | $83K | +3% | 760 |
| Maine | $82K | +2% | 110 |
| Nevada | $81K | +1% | 140 |
| Vermont | $81K | +1% | 100 |
| New Jersey | $81K | +1% | 1,630 |
| Oregon | $80K | -0% | 660 |
| Kansas | $80K | -1% | 230 |
| Georgia | $79K | -1% | 820 |
| Missouri | $79K | -1% | 590 |
| Alaska | $79K | -2% | 70 |
| Arizona | $79K | -2% | 940 |
| Ohio | $79K | -2% | 1,500 |
| Iowa | $78K | -2% | 320 |
| Washington | $78K | -3% | 840 |
| Virginia | $78K | -3% | 1,050 |
| Illinois | $78K | -3% | 2,260 |
| Indiana | $78K | -3% | 760 |
| Wisconsin | $78K | -3% | 630 |
| Nebraska | $77K | -4% | 170 |
| Montana | $77K | -4% | 90 |
| Texas | $77K | -4% | 3,380 |
| Colorado | $77K | -4% | 960 |
| Tennessee | $76K | -5% | 790 |
| Pennsylvania | $76K | -5% | 2,120 |
| Alabama | $75K | -6% | 610 |
| North Carolina | $75K | -6% | 1,100 |
| South Carolina | $75K | -7% | 390 |
| Kentucky | $75K | -7% | 590 |
| West Virginia | $74K | -8% | 150 |
| Florida | $69K | -14% | 1,120 |
| Wyoming | $65K | -19% | 80 |
| South Dakota | $65K | -19% | 70 |
| Mississippi | $63K | -22% | 260 |
| Oklahoma | $62K | -23% | 410 |
| Arkansas | $61K | -24% | 190 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track psychology teachers, postsecondary salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a psychology teachers, postsecondary afford a 2BR apartment alone in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $102K, rent takes 41.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,601/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for psychology teachers, postsecondaries in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new psychology teachers, postsecondaries typically earn — is $68K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,099/month. At HUD’s $2,601/month FMR, rent would take 63% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is psychology teachers, postsecondary a high-paying job in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim?
Local pay is 27% above the national median — $102K here vs. $80K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 14% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim compare to the national average for psychology teachers, postsecondaries?
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim pays $102K median vs. the U.S. average of $80K — that’s +27%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 113.57), the purchasing-power equivalent is $90K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do psychology teachers, postsecondaries make in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA?
The median is $101,980 a year. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $68,310, and experienced psychology teachers, postsecondaries can clear $191,670. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $102K enough to live in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,209/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,601/month, which eats 41.9% 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 psychology teachers, postsecondary salary go in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim?
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim has a Regional Price Parity of 113.57 (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 psychology teachers, postsecondary salary is worth about $89,795 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do psychology teachers, postsecondaries 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.