School Psychologists Salary
The median pay for a school psychologists in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY is $83,300/year ($40.05/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $53K at the entry level to $128K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 95.84), that's roughly $86,916 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,343/month, or 25.7% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $83K get you in Buffalo-Cheektowaga?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Buffalo-Cheektowaga’s Regional Price Parity (95.84). 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 school psychologists
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What this looks like in Buffalo-Cheektowaga
Pay for school psychologists in Buffalo-Cheektowaga runs about 13% below the U.S. median of $96K. Rent runs $1,343/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 25.6% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 95.84) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for school psychologists in metros near Buffalo-Cheektowaga, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $118K | $104K |
| Rochester | $73K | $75K |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy | $82K | $83K |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh | $98K | $89K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY
Entry-level school psychologists (10th percentile) start around $53K. Mid-career wages sit at $83K. Top earners bring in $128K or more, a $75K spread from bottom to top.
School Psychologists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View School Psychologists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $128K | +33% | 8,340 |
| Colorado | $125K | +30% | 1,380 |
| New Mexico | $110K | +15% | 630 |
| Maryland | $110K | +14% | 1,520 |
| Washington | $109K | +13% | 1,420 |
| District of Columbia | $108K | +12% | 250 |
| New York | $107K | +11% | 9,070 |
| Oregon | $106K | +11% | 570 |
| Connecticut | $101K | +5% | 1,140 |
| Georgia | $99K | +3% | 1,650 |
| Massachusetts | $99K | +3% | 3,300 |
| Delaware | $96K | +0% | 280 |
| New Jersey | $95K | -1% | 2,130 |
| Rhode Island | $95K | -1% | 210 |
| Alaska | $94K | -2% | 120 |
| Nevada | $94K | -2% | 290 |
| Arizona | $92K | -4% | 1,100 |
| Ohio | $91K | -5% | 2,050 |
| Nebraska | $89K | -7% | 440 |
| Virginia | $86K | -11% | 1,200 |
| Minnesota | $85K | -11% | 1,060 |
| Florida | $85K | -12% | 2,020 |
| Illinois | $85K | -12% | 3,590 |
| Michigan | $84K | -13% | 1,480 |
| Wyoming | $84K | -13% | 120 |
| Texas | $84K | -13% | 4,250 |
| Wisconsin | $83K | -13% | 1,180 |
| Vermont | $83K | -14% | 180 |
| Pennsylvania | $82K | -14% | 2,600 |
| Hawaii | $82K | -14% | 90 |
| Maine | $82K | -15% | 120 |
| Montana | $80K | -17% | 170 |
| South Dakota | $78K | -18% | 110 |
| Utah | $78K | -19% | 490 |
| Indiana | $78K | -19% | 710 |
| Tennessee | $77K | -20% | 900 |
| South Carolina | $77K | -20% | 720 |
| Kentucky | $75K | -21% | 590 |
| West Virginia | $75K | -22% | 250 |
| Alabama | $75K | -22% | 370 |
| Iowa | $74K | -22% | 400 |
| New Hampshire | $73K | -23% | 360 |
| North Carolina | $73K | -24% | 1,540 |
| Kansas | $73K | -24% | 630 |
| Idaho | $72K | -25% | 310 |
| Missouri | $70K | -27% | 520 |
| Louisiana | $69K | -28% | 670 |
| North Dakota | $69K | -28% | 90 |
| Oklahoma | $65K | -32% | 510 |
| Arkansas | $64K | -33% | 440 |
| Mississippi | $61K | -36% | N/A |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track school psychologists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Buffalo-Cheektowaga numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a school psychologist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Buffalo-Cheektowaga?
Yes — at the median salary of $83K, rent takes 25.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,343/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for school psychologists in Buffalo-Cheektowaga?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new school psychologists typically earn — is $53K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,165/month. At HUD’s $1,343/month FMR, rent would take 42% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is school psychologist a high-paying job in Buffalo-Cheektowaga?
Local pay runs 13% below the national median — $83K here vs. $96K nationally.
How does Buffalo-Cheektowaga compare to the national average for school psychologists?
Buffalo-Cheektowaga pays $83K median vs. the U.S. average of $96K — that’s -13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 95.84), the purchasing-power equivalent is $87K — below the national median.
How much do school psychologists make in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY?
The median is $83,300 a year, that works out to about $40 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $52,750, and experienced school psychologists can clear $127,940. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $83K enough to live in Buffalo-Cheektowaga?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,251/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,343/month, which eats 25.6% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a school psychologists salary go in Buffalo-Cheektowaga?
Buffalo-Cheektowaga has a Regional Price Parity of 95.84 (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 school psychologists salary is worth about $86,916 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do school 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.