School Psychologists Salary
The median pay for a school psychologists in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA is $105,810/year ($50.87/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $84K at the entry level to $135K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.67), that's roughly $102,064 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,960/month, or 27.7% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $106K get you in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater’s Regional Price Parity (103.67). 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 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater
School psychologists pay in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater tracks closely to the national median, $106K locally vs. $96K nationwide, a 10% difference. Rent runs $1,960/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 28.4% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 103.67) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for school psychologists in metros near Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue | $116K | $104K |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley | $108K | $107K |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard | $126K | $119K |
| Yakima | $107K | $112K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA
Entry-level school psychologists (10th percentile) start around $84K. Mid-career wages sit at $106K. Top earners bring in $135K or more, a $51K 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 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a school psychologist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater?
Yes — at the median salary of $106K, rent takes 28.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,960/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for school psychologists in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new school psychologists typically earn — is $84K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,032/month. At HUD’s $1,960/month FMR, rent would take 39% 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 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $106K locally vs. $96K nationally, a 10% difference.
How does Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater compare to the national average for school psychologists?
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater pays $106K median vs. the U.S. average of $96K — that’s +10%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.67), the purchasing-power equivalent is $102K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do school psychologists make in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA?
The median is $105,810 a year, that works out to about $51 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $83,860, and experienced school psychologists can clear $134,770. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $106K enough to live in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,902/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,960/month, which eats 28.4% 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 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater?
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater has a Regional Price Parity of 103.67 (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 $102,064 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.