School Psychologists Salary
The median pay for a school psychologists in Chico, CA is $124,980/year ($60.09/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $96K at the entry level to $149K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 101.2), that's roughly $123,498 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,625/month, or 22% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $125K get you in Chico?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Chico’s Regional Price Parity (101.2). 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 Chico
Chico sits well above the national pay line for school psychologists, local pay runs about 30% higher than the U.S. median of $96K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,625/month, 22.1% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 101.2) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Combined with manageable housing costs, Chico offers a genuinely strong financial position for school psychologistss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for school psychologists in metros near Chico, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $122K | $108K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $131K | $117K |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $139K | $131K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $131K | $113K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Chico, CA
Entry-level school psychologists (10th percentile) start around $96K. Mid-career wages sit at $125K. Top earners bring in $149K or more, a $53K 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 Chico numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a school psychologist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Chico?
Yes — at the median salary of $125K, rent takes 22.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,625/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for school psychologists in Chico?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new school psychologists typically earn — is $96K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,741/month. At HUD’s $1,625/month FMR, rent would take 28% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is school psychologist a high-paying job in Chico?
Local pay is 30% above the national median — $125K here vs. $96K nationally.
How does Chico compare to the national average for school psychologists?
Chico pays $125K median vs. the U.S. average of $96K — that’s +30%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 101.2), the purchasing-power equivalent is $123K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do school psychologists make in Chico, CA?
The median is $124,980 a year, that works out to about $60 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $95,690, and experienced school psychologists can clear $149,170. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $125K enough to live in Chico?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,368/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,625/month, which eats 22.1% 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 Chico?
Chico has a Regional Price Parity of 101.2 (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 school psychologists salary is worth about $123,498 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.