Benchmark Salary Information

  • The number of School Psychologists currently employed in San Diego-Carlsbad is 700.
  • School Psychologists in San Diego-Carlsbad earn an average of $97,320 per year or $46.79 per hour.
  • The percentage of California School Psychologists who work in San Diego-Carlsbad is less than 1%.
  • The percentage of U.S. School Psychologists who work in San Diego-Carlsbad is 1%.

Rankings for San Diego-Carlsbad

  • Ranks #17 in California for salary and #2 when adjusted for cost-of-living.
  • Ranks #4 in California for the number of psychologists employed.
  • Ranks #26 in the nation for salary and #4 when adjusted for cost-of-living.
  • Ranks #14 in the nation for the number of psychologists employed.

Compared to California

San Diego-Carlsbad School Psychologists earn an average of $97,320 or $46.79 per hour which is almost same as California average salary of $96,530.

AverageSan Diego-CarlsbadCalifornia% Difference
Hourly Wage$46.79$46.410.82%
Annual Salary$97,320$96,5300.82%
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and U.S. Department of Commerce – 2022*

Compared to the U.S.

San Diego-Carlsbad School Psychologists earn an average of $97,320 or $46.79 per hour which is 17% more than the U.S. average salary of $82,770.

AverageSan Diego-CarlsbadU.S.%
Hourly Wage$46.79$39.8017.56%
Annual Salary$97,320$82,77017.58%
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and U.S. Department of Commerce – 2022*

Salary Adjusted for Cost-of-Living

When adjusted for cost-of-living, School Psychologists in San Diego-Carlsbad earns an average annual salary of $85,828 which compares to the California average annual salary of $96,530. per year.

Cost-of-living in San Diego-Carlsbad is 13% higher than the California average, which means San Diego-Carlsbad residents have an overall higher cost for food, housing, utilities and transportation compared to California average.

  • California average salary is $96,530.
  • California cost-of-living adjusted salary is $87,452.
  • San Diego-Carlsbad average salary is $97,320.
  • San Diego-Carlsbad cost-of-living adjusted salary is $85,828.
LocationAverage Annual WageCost of LivingAdjusted COL Wage
San Diego-Carlsbad$97,320113.39%$85,828
California$96,530110.38%$87,452
U.S.$82,770$82,770
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and U.S. Department of Commerce – 2022*

Salary Ranges for Education and Experience

In San Diego-Carlsbad, 50% of School Psychologists earn between $76,730 and $123,980 a year, depending on factors such as level of education, experience, location and place of employment.

About 10% of School Psychologists earn more than $133,160, which is a rate for highly skilled, experienced and educated School Psychologists.

Approximately 10% of School Psychologists earn under $49,100, a rate generally reserved for less experienced or entry level School Psychologists.

PercentExperienceEmployedAnnual Salary
10%Less than a Year70Under $49,100
15%2 – 4 years105$49,100 – $76,730
25%5 – 9 years175$76,730 – $98,070
25%10 – 14 years175$98,070 – $123,980
15%15 – 20 years105$98,070 – $133,160
10%20+ years70Above $133,160
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and U.S. Department of Commerce – 2022*

Salary Compared to Related Professions

With an average annual salary of $97,320, San Diego-Carlsbad School Psychologists tend to earn less than Clinical and Counseling Psychologists ($136,630), Psychology Teachers ($110,410), and Forensic Psychologists ($105,610).

However, School Psychologists tend to earn more than Marriage and Family Therapists ($52,340), Substance Abuse Counselors ($53,090), Social Workers ($59,790), and Health Care Social Workers ($76,400).

TitleAnnual Salary
Clinical and Counseling Psychologists$136,630
Psychology Teachers$110,410
Forensic Psychologists$105,610
School Psychologists$97,320
Health Care Social Workers$76,400
Social Workers$59,790
Substance Abuse Counselors$53,090
Marriage and Family Therapists$52,340
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and U.S. Department of Commerce – 2022*

FAQ for San Diego-Carlsbad School Psychologists

The number of School Psychologists currently employed in San Diego-Carlsbad is 700.

School Psychologists earn an average of $97,320 per year or $46.79 per hour in San Diego-Carlsbad.

When adjusted for Cost of Living in San Diego-Carlsbad School Psychologists earn an average of $85,828 per year or $41 per hour.

The types of psychologists that are paid the highest annual salary in San Diego-Carlsbad are Clinical and Counseling Psychologists($136,630), Psychology Teachers($110,410), Forensic Psychologists($105,610).


Additional Salary Reports for School Psychologists in California cities and Metros and U.S. States.

Official Data Sources for School Psychologists: Salary Data | Projected Employment | Cost of Living Data