Psychologist, Clinical

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Work Tasks

• Diagnose the mental and emotional disorders of individuals
• Interview patients and study medical and social case histories
• Counsel patients to help them resolve problems
• Help patients set goals and follow up to make sure treatment worked
• Work in offices, classrooms, and labs for the government, social service organizations, educational institutions, hospitals, clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes, research organizations, consulting firms, and market research firms
• Work with statistics, testing materials, case histories, and computers

Salary, Size & Growth

• $88,000 average per year ($42.25 per hour)
• A medium occupation (100,700 workers in 2010)
• Expected to grow moderately (1.1% per year)

Education/Training

• Minimum for Entry: A Ph.D. degree in clinical psychology
• Skills/Courses: College training includes a 4-year undergraduate degree, followed by 5 to 7 years of graduate study and at least one year of internship.
• Certification/Licensing: All states require clinical psychologists to be licensed or certified.