If you are wondering what the average sports psychologist salary in the United States is, you might be in for a surprise. However, just as many people ask themselves questions like:
- What is a sports psychologist?
- What do sports psychologists do?
- Where do sports psychologists work?
- Wow to become a sports psychologist?
This is a fairly new occupation on the job market, so it’s natural that people would be curious about these aspects, in addition to ‘how much do sports psychologists make?’. The good news is that in our article for the average sport psychologist salary we will also cover some basic info about the sports psychologist job description, sports psychologist education requirements and more.
To put it in a nutshell, this is a sports psychologist definition: a professional psychologist who counsels athletes, students, coaches and other individuals involved in sports. The sport psychologist job description seems pretty self-explanatory, but it’s not as easy as you might think. Top sports psychologists need to have a strong background in athletics in order to successfully offer counselling services for the aforementioned categories of people.
So, how much does a sports psychologist make a year? The answer is extremely different, depending on the source you are collecting information from. For instance, the average salary of a sports psychologist according to Psychologist School Guide can be anywhere from $60,000 and $80,000, with some cases exceeding $100,00. However, another trusted source reports that the average sports psychologist salary in the U.S. is $153,000 a year. This is also the same source that provides the salaries for sport psychologist jobs according to state, as you will soon see in the table we have provided below.
When you narrow everything down, salaries for sports psychologist jobs vary according to a series of factors. Read more about what you should keep in mind when you study for becoming a sports psychologist below.
Sports Psychologist Salary Influencers
1. Industry
The profession of a self-employed or clinical sports psychologist is still relatively new in the U.S. economy. For that reason, we don’t have much data available to talk about industry as an influential factor. The salaries for sports psychologists can be more or less depending on the specific sport they offer counseling for. In addition to this, the salary for sports psychologist that is self-employed and works directly with clients can be greater or smaller than the national average, depending on their portfolio.
2. Geographic Area
After you get a sports psychologist degree or some form of training, it’s time to see what locations offer the best sports psychologist salary ranges. Please note that the salaries mentioned below are the state averages according to one source, so they might vary from employer to employer in that particular location. Therefore, as Indeed.com reports, the greatest sports psychologist salary is in the District of Columbia, of $193,000 per year. The next states on the list are:
- New York sports psychologist salary – $186,000
- Average sports psychologist wage in Massachusetts – $185,000
- Connecticut salary for sports psychologist – $177,000
- Average salary for sports psychologist Atlanta, Georgia – $176,000
Two other highly sought-after salary ranges are for sports psychologist Houston employees – $149,000 and sports psychologist Chicago salaries – $175,000.
We currently do not have data about employment rates for sports psychologist duties, but we do know what states you should avoid for low salaries:
- South Dakota – $116,000
- Alaska – $113,000
- Nebraska – $113,000
- Idaho – $101,000
- Hawaii – $95,000
3. Experience
Obviously, experienced or famous sports psychologists will have a greater salary than entry-level professionals in this field. Healthcare Salaries informs us that the starting salaries for sports psychologists begin from around $41,200 per year. From there, they can increase to $64,710 – $89,900 annually. The top professionals in this field can exceed $119,940, as this source explains.
Working Hours and Environment
The working environment for sports psychologists is quite dynamic. If you only work with a few clients remotely, you will most likely only be with them in their environments. However, sports psychologists can travel with teams to various locations, depending on their agreements. Working hours also depend on the clients and their schedules, as well as the sports psychologist hours of operation, so to speak.
Sports Psychologist Salary by State
| State | Annual mean wage |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $156,000 |
| Alaska | $113,000 |
| Arizona | $126,000 |
| Arkansas | $157,000 |
| California | $165,000 |
| Colorado | $137,000 |
| Connecticut | $177,000 |
| Delaware | $135,000 |
| District of Columbia | $193,000 |
| Florida | $143,000 |
| Georgia | $176,000 |
| Hawaii | $95,000 |
| Idaho | $101,000 |
| Illinois | $175,000 |
| Indiana | $148,000 |
| Iowa | $151,000 |
| Kansas | $141,000 |
| Kentucky | $133,000 |
| Louisiana | $138,000 |
| Maine | $136,000 |
| Maryland | $158,000 |
| Massachusetts | $185,000 |
| Michigan | $156,000 |
| Minnesota | $135,000 |
| Mississippi | $161,000 |
| Missouri | $151,000 |
| Montana | $129,000 |
| Nebraska | $113,000 |
| Nevada | $117,000 |
| New Hampshire | $152,000 |
| New Jersey | $166,000 |
| New Mexico | $134,000 |
| New York | $186,000 |
| North Carolina | $147,000 |
| North Dakota | $137,000 |
| Ohio | $147,000 |
| Oklahoma | $142,000 |
| Oregon | $149,000 |
| Pennsylvania | $149,000 |
| Puerto Rico | $149,000 |
| Rhode Island | $140,000 |
| South Carolina | $152,000 |
| South Dakota | $116,000 |
| Tennessee | $143,000 |
| Texas | $149,000 |
| Utah | $120,000 |
| Vermont | $136,000 |
| Virginia | $155,000 |
| Washington | $159,000 |
| West Virginia | $145,000 |
| Wisconsin | $137,000 |
| Wyoming | $127,000 |
Source: Indeed
Bonuses and Benefit Packages
The only information about bonuses that we have available is provided by Healthcare Salaries. This source mentions that $10,391 is the average annual salary bonus for sports psychologists. Of course, this can also vary depending on location, clients and other similar factors.
Sports Psychologists Job Outlook
While we don’t have guidelines for the percent change in employment for sports psychologists in the following years, we do have some inside info thanks to the American Psychological Association (APA). The APA states that the greatest employer of sports psychologists in the country is the United States Army. Sports psychologists can also look into sports clubs and the athletic departments of schools for employment.
Conclusion
All in all, the sports psychologist salary is enough to spark anyone’s interest about this occupation. Even though this is a relatively new profession, there are numerous rewards for those who work in this field. If you pick the right location and work to meet industry standards, you can enjoy a flourishing career as a sports psychologist in the United States.
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