Clinical and Counseling Psychologists pay in California
$123,570avg. a year
$59.41 an hour · 12,840 employed
Clinical and Counseling Psychologists in California earn an average of $123,570 a year. That is $10,820 (10%) more than the U.S. average of $112,750. The best-paying metro area is San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA at $166,470.
$116,000Median pay
$59.41Average hourly
+1%Avg. pay since 2021
#8Of 47 states + D.C.
Top-paying California metro areas
Average pay for clinical and counseling psychologists by metro area. Swipe to see all 19.
190 jobs
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
$166,470
$80.03 an hour
21,540 jobs
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$153,490
$73.80 an hour
340 jobs
Hanford-Corcoran, CA
$147,510
$70.92 an hour
4630 jobs
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
$141,690
$68.12 an hour
5180 jobs
Vallejo, CA
$137,210
$65.97 an hour
6160 jobs
Stockton-Lodi, CA
$136,760
$65.75 an hour
770 jobs
Modesto, CA
$135,390
$65.09 an hour
8200 jobs
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
$127,910
$61.49 an hour
9300 jobs
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
$125,780
$60.47 an hour
1060 jobs
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
$120,840
$58.10 an hour
11280 jobs
Fresno, CA
$120,790
$58.07 an hour
12590 jobs
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
$119,160
$57.29 an hour
134,790 jobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$117,390
$56.44 an hour
14180 jobs
Bakersfield-Delano, CA
$115,160
$55.37 an hour
15150 jobs
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
$113,510
$54.57 an hour
161,650 jobs
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
$113,230
$54.44 an hour
171,130 jobs
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
$112,690
$54.18 an hour
1890 jobs
Salinas, CA
$110,070
$52.92 an hour
1970 jobs
Visalia, CA
$105,530
$50.74 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Clinical and Counseling Psychologists pay in California, charted
Pay over time
California, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where California clinical and counseling psychologists work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · California highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $98k$98k–$106k$106k–$118k$118k+California
California vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $112,750 | $54.21 |
| California | $123,570 | $59.41 |
| Oregon | $129,590 | $62.30 |
| Arizona | $115,230 | $55.40 |
| Nevada | $114,680 | $55.14 |
Related jobs in California
Average pay, California, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do clinical and counseling psychologists make in California?
The average is $123,570 a year, and the median is $116,000. That is $10,820 (10%) more than the U.S. average of $112,750.
What is the hourly wage in California?
$59.41 an hour on average; the median is $55.77.
Where in California do they earn the most?
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA ($166,470), followed by San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA ($153,490). The lowest average among 19 metro areas with data is Visalia, CA ($105,530).
How does California rank?
California ranks #8 of 48 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2021–May 2025), occupation code 19-3033. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national clinical and counseling psychologists page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.