Salary AI Book a Demo

Staff Psychotherapist Salary in the United States

How much does a Staff Psychotherapist make in the United States?

As of October 01, 2026, the average salary for a Staff Psychotherapist in the United States is $299,628 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $144.

However, a Staff Psychotherapist's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $360,197
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $281,037 to $331,332
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $264,111
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence Staff Psychotherapist Salaries

A Staff Psychotherapist's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Staff Psychotherapist Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Staff Psychotherapist's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $290,100
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $291,433
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $292,765
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $294,631
  • Expert (over 8 years): $299,628
Levels Salary
Entry Level Staff Psychotherapist$290,100
Intermediate Level Staff Psychotherapist$291,433
Senior Level Staff Psychotherapist$292,765
Specialist Level Staff Psychotherapist$294,631
Expert Level Staff Psychotherapist$299,628
View as Graph

How Do Staff Psychotherapist Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Staff Psychotherapists. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $331,748.
  • California: $330,490.
  • Massachusetts: $326,085.

Top Paying Cities for Staff Psychotherapists

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $377,921
  • San Francisco: $373,783
  • Oakland: $365,906

What Skills Can Increase a Staff Psychotherapist's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Scheduling (Mentioned in 5.26% Job Postings): Scheduling is the process of arranging, controlling and optimizing work and workloads in a production process or manufacturing process.
  • Case Management (Mentioned in 3.48% Job Postings): Connecting patients with suitable healthcare providers, resources, and services to ensure they receive optimal, cost-effective care.
  • CPR (Mentioned in 2.24% Job Postings): Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) combines rescue breathing (mouth-to-mouth) and chest compressions to temporarily pump enough blood to the brain until specialized treatment is available.
Skills Demand Percentage
Scheduling 5.26%
Case Management 3.48%
CPR 2.24%
See More Skills

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Staff Psychotherapist's salary.

  • Healthcare Services: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
  • Medication Management: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
  • Collaboration: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Healthcare Services $323,598
8%
Medication Management $320,602
7%
Collaboration $314,609
5%
Get Latest Data

Staff Psychotherapist Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Staff Psychotherapist roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 30% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit and Pharmaceuticals sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 10% above the average. In contrast, Staff Psychotherapist positions in Biotechnology or Healthcare typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Staff Psychotherapist as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Staff Psychotherapist

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit$329,591$158.010%
Pharmaceuticals$329,591$158.010%

How Education impacts a Staff Psychotherapist's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Staff Psychotherapists enter the field with a JD, MD, PhD or Equivalent degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Staff Psychotherapist with a JD, MD, PhD or Equivalent is between $250,405 and $266,352).

Staff Psychotherapist Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Staff Psychotherapist
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 0.5%
High School 2.3%
Associates 1.6%
Bachelors 4.2%
Masters 5.7%
Doctorate 85.6%
View as Graph

Staff Psychotherapist Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Staff Psychotherapist's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on October 01, 2026
$281,037
Average $299,628/year
$331,332
$23,420
Average $24,969/month
$27,611
$5,405
Average $5,762/week
$6,372
$135
Average $144/hour
$159
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $331,332 $27,611 $6,372 $159
Average $299,628 $24,969 $5,762 $144
25th Percentile $281,037 $23,420 $5,405 $135

Most common benefits for Staff Psychotherapist

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Staff Psychotherapist

Here are companies hiring for Staff Psychotherapist and their salaries, click below for more details.

Find Your Next Staff Psychotherapist Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Staff Psychotherapist job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

For Employees

Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.

Get a Salary Increase

Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.

Search Job Openings

For Employers

Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.

Adjust Employee Salary

Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.

Price My Industry Jobs

FAQ about Staff Psychotherapist

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Staff Psychotherapist?

The Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit industry offers the highest average compensation for Staff Psychotherapist roles, with salaries approximately 10% above the market median.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

Are you an HR manager or compensation specialist?

Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:

  • Detailed skills and competency reports for specific positions
  • Job and employee pricing reports
  • Compensation data tools, salary structures, surveys and benchmarks.
Learn about CompAnalyst