School Psychologists Salary
The median pay for a school psychologists in Tucson, AZ is $87,540/year ($42.09/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $78K at the entry level to $114K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 96.9), that's roughly $90,341 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,402/month, or 24.8% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $88K get you in Tucson?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Tucson’s Regional Price Parity (96.9). 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 Tucson
School psychologists pay in Tucson tracks closely to the national median, $88K locally vs. $96K nationwide, a 9% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,402/month, 24.8% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 96.9) 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 Tucson, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler | $94K | $91K |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $122K | $108K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $131K | $117K |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial | $129K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Tucson, AZ
Entry-level school psychologists (10th percentile) start around $78K. Mid-career wages sit at $88K. Top earners bring in $114K or more, a $36K 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 Tucson numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a school psychologist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Tucson?
Yes — at the median salary of $88K, rent takes 24.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,402/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for school psychologists in Tucson?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new school psychologists typically earn — is $78K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,698/month. At HUD’s $1,402/month FMR, rent would take 30% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is school psychologist a high-paying job in Tucson?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $88K locally vs. $96K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does Tucson compare to the national average for school psychologists?
Tucson pays $88K median vs. the U.S. average of $96K — that’s -9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 96.9), the purchasing-power equivalent is $90K — below the national median.
How much do school psychologists make in Tucson, AZ?
The median is $87,540 a year, that works out to about $42 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $78,300, and experienced school psychologists can clear $114,200. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $88K enough to live in Tucson?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,649/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,402/month, which eats 24.8% 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 Tucson?
Tucson has a Regional Price Parity of 96.9 (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 $90,341 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.