School Psychologists Salary
The median pay for a school psychologists in Charleston, WV is $67,860/year ($32.62/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $59K at the entry level to $99K for experienced workers.
So what does $68K get you in Charleston?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Charleston’s Regional Price Parity (88.7). 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 Charleston
Pay for school psychologists in Charleston runs about 29% below the U.S. median of $96K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $874/month, 19.6% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.7 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Charleston can be a reasonable trade-off for school psychologistss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for school psychologists in metros near Charleston, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Huntington-Ashland | $68K | , |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $82K | , |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson | $115K | , |
| Cincinnati | $89K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Charleston, WV
Entry-level school psychologists (10th percentile) start around $59K. Mid-career wages sit at $68K. Top earners bring in $99K or more, a $40K 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 states
Track school psychologists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Charleston numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a school psychologist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Charleston?
Yes — at the median salary of $68K, rent takes 19.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $874/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for school psychologists in Charleston?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new school psychologists typically earn — is $59K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,540/month. At HUD’s $874/month FMR, rent would take 25% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is school psychologist a high-paying job in Charleston?
Local pay runs 29% below the national median — $68K here vs. $96K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Charleston compare to the national average for school psychologists?
Charleston pays $68K median vs. the U.S. average of $96K — that’s -29%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.7), the purchasing-power equivalent is $77K — below the national median.
How much do school psychologists make in Charleston, WV?
The median is $67,860 a year, that works out to about $33 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $59,000, and experienced school psychologists can clear $99,400. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $68K enough to live in Charleston?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,462/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $874/month, which eats 19.6% 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 Charleston?
Charleston has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median school psychologists salary is worth about $76,505 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.