Watch a student during class
Note when the student starts or quits working, then match notes to school records and the teacher's observations.
Career profile
School Psychologist
School psychologists find what blocks a student's learning, then help staff pick fitting support.
Say a student keeps leaving assignments unfinished. A class visit, learning-skill tests and talks with parents and the teacher turn worry into an action plan.
A day in the life
Test how a student learns
Run psychological tests, let software handle the scoring math, then read scores alongside family and staff input.
Present the evaluation results
Walk parents and teachers through your written evaluation, helping tie findings to a formal plan and suitable services.
Check plan progress with a teacher
If progress stalls, first check whether staff are using the behavior plan correctly before you suggest changes.
Help a student through anxiety
Counsel a student whose anxiety or trouble adjusting hurts schoolwork, and work with campus adults who can help.
Quick facts
Graduate degree + internship
United States
$95,990 median
United States · 2025
0.8% projected growth
United States · 2025–2035
Quick orientation
Preparation, pay & outlook
Preparation
Graduate degree + internshipA specialist-level school psychology program commonly takes three years after college, including supervised internship.
Pay
$95,990 median2025 national annual pay for school psychologists; approximately $46.15 per hour as a full-year equivalent.
Outlook
0.8% projected growthAbout 3,400 openings per year are projected nationally for 2025–2035, including replacement openings.
Fit, tradeoffs & changing tools
You might like this if…
- You like investigating why something happens before choosing a response.
- You can listen carefully when people describe the same situation differently.
- You enjoy explaining complicated findings in everyday language.
Things to weigh
- Reports, records, and meeting deadlines take substantial attention alongside time with students.
- You may support students through distress or school crises. Staying calm and compassionate can be emotionally demanding.
Where AI may help
Test-scoring software handles calculations. Tools that generate text—artificial intelligence (AI)—can also help draft or simplify report language.
What people still lead
You still choose appropriate assessments, interpret findings, and check recommendations. Protecting student information and verifying generated text remain part of the work.
What we can’t predict yet
How much report writing or analysis schools delegate to AI will depend on tool reliability, privacy protections, and district rules.
Pay in context
Earnings
The national median is a useful reference point, but it is not a starting-salary offer.
Median and spread
In 2025, school psychologists’ median pay was $95,990 annually, equivalent to about $46.15 an hour over 2,080 hours. The 10th and 90th percentiles were $63,070 and $142,330. These describe the wage distribution, not beginner and experienced salaries.
Workplace pay differs
For historical context, May 2023 average annual pay was $90,940 in elementary and secondary schools and $102,230 in educational support services. These are industry averages for school psychologists, not current offers or guaranteed premiums for changing settings.
Read the contract
School employers may use salary schedules or negotiated contracts. Compare required workdays and where you would enter the pay schedule; ask how later salary steps work.
Openings exceed net growth
Employment is projected to grow 0.8% from 2025 to 2035, with about 3,400 openings annually. Openings include replacing people who leave the occupation; they are not all newly created positions.
Getting started
Complete a specialist-level program
Commonly three years of graduate study, including internship.
- What the route involves
- Study assessment, learning, counseling, and school practice. Complete supervised fieldwork and an internship through a specialist-level program, such as an Education Specialist degree.
- What it can lead to
- This is the usual preparation for school practice and a basis for applying for the required practice credential.
- What to check
- Before enrolling, check the credentialing authority where you want to work. Required programs, examinations, and application steps vary by jurisdiction.
Choose doctoral preparation
Often five to six years of graduate study.
- What the route involves
- Combine school psychology coursework and supervised practice with advanced research and an internship in a doctoral program.
- What it can lead to
- Prepare for school practice while building qualifications for university teaching and research. Practice still requires the relevant jurisdiction’s credential.
Begin with a bachelor’s degree, then pursue graduate preparation specifically in school psychology.
After entry
Career paths
This starts where the entry routes leave off: early work, growing capability, and advancement or specialization. This path also has a credential or licensing boundary; see the requirements and limits.
Get established
Learn the district’s evaluation timelines and record system. Build a dependable routine for preparing reports and family meetings.
Develop your judgment
Get better at helping teachers choose and evaluate supports. Expand from individual cases to spotting patterns in a school’s learning and behavior data.
Guide other practitioners
With experience and appropriate preparation, you may supervise interns or train school staff in assessment and behavior support.
Where you can work
Public schools
Your work connects classrooms, individual assessment sessions, and meetings with families and teachers. You work closely with school staff to put supports into the student’s daily routine.
- Indoors
- Office
Education agencies serving several schools
Some positions involve driving between buildings and working with different principals and teaching teams. Alongside evaluations, you may help schools strengthen their systems for identifying and supporting struggling learners.
- Indoors
- Office
- Travel
Try it
See whether the job clicks before you commit to the path.
Imagine a student completes classwork accurately but rarely turns it in. Write what you would ask the student, teacher, and family, plus what you would observe before recommending support. Notice whether you enjoy gathering evidence before settling on an explanation.
Stay safe: Keep the situation fictional; do not test or diagnose classmates.
Sources
- O*NET OnLine. 19-3034.00 — School Psychologists. Accessed 2026-10-04.
- O*NET OnLine / U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. National Wages: School Psychologists. Accessed 2026-10-04.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational projections and worker characteristics. Accessed 2026-10-04.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Outlook Handbook: Psychologists. Accessed 2026-10-04.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2023: School Psychologists. Accessed 2026-10-04.
- Nova Southeastern University. School Psychology FAQ. Accessed 2026-10-04.
- National Association of School Psychologists. How To Become a School Psychologist. Accessed 2026-10-04.
- National Association of School Psychologists. NCSP Eligibility. Accessed 2026-10-04.
- National Association of School Psychologists. State Credentialing FAQs. Accessed 2026-10-04.
- National Association of School Psychologists. What Is a School Psychologist?. Accessed 2026-10-04.
- Cypress School District. School Psychologist Itinerant — Job Description. Accessed 2026-10-04.
- Tuscola Intermediate School District. School Psychologist — Position Description. Accessed 2026-10-04.
- California Association of School Psychologists. The New Age of Artificial Intelligence in Psychological Practices. Accessed 2026-10-04.