Mental and physical health problems, adjustment to the needs of different individuals and groups, training and selection of personnel… there are many areas in which a professional is needed who takes into account the different processes that make us people and shape our way of being, thinking, feeling, acting and relating.

This professional can be found in the figure of the psychologist . And nowadays, these psychologists are increasingly in demand due to the various problems existing in our society. As a professional activity, the services of psychologists are a regulated and paid activity.

How much does a psychologist charge? Let’s look at the average salary that these professionals earn in seven different countries and territories around the world.

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What does it mean to be a psychologist?

Psychologists are those professionals dedicated to the practice of psychology, the science dedicated to the study of the mind and the different processes that are part of it or in which it participates. Psychologists work by exploring and intervening at different levels and in different areas of specialization, both at a clinical level and in the areas of care, social, business or school, among others.

To become a professional in this sector will require great dedication, as well as extensive training and preparation that allows us to be efficient and guarantee the best possible service regardless of our field of action. It is also necessary, as in many other professions, to be aware of new developments so that we can optimize as much as possible the improvement of customers or patients.

Whoever works in psychology is in close contact with the thoughts, emotions and behaviours of those who decide to trust him as a professional. Being a psychologist demands a high level of vocation, requiring a deep interest in people and placing the well-being of clients above any other consideration.

The psychologist’s salary

The specific remuneration that a psychology professional receives may vary enormously , given that the final salary will depend on the area of psychology to which the professional is dedicated, the type of service and treatment offered and the degree of prestige of the professional. For example, someone who has just finished his or her degree will not be paid the same as someone who has multiple years of experience behind him or her.

There will also be differences depending on whether you are in the clinical and health field, in education or in business. There will also be variations depending on whether the psychologist is in private or public practice. It should also be taken into account that if the psychologist is a freelance professional, which is very common, he or she will have to pay multiple costs to maintain the practice in question.

Likewise, the deontological code allows that the salary that each professional receives for his work can vary to a great extent according to the criteria of each professional, as long as it does not de-ligitimate or degrade the profession and does not involve unfair competition with other professionals. It is even possible for a professional to decide to offer advice or therapy free of charge, as long as the person requesting it is in extreme need of it and is not able to afford to pay the stipulated fees.

For all these reasons, the figures shown below are merely indicative and may vary greatly depending on the case. Furthermore, it must also be taken into account that the lifestyles and purchasing power of the different countries differ greatly, as well as the socio-cultural assessment that the psychologist has as a professional.

Spain

Professionals dedicated to psychology in Spain can have a very variable salary. As a general rule, the average salary ranges from 1,000 to around 1,500 euros per month , in some cases reaching 3,000 euros. The average annual salary is therefore usually between 18,000 and 21,000 euros gross.

If we focus on the private clinic sector, in the field of health, the salary per session of a clinical psychologist can vary between about 40 and 120 euros, with the amount obtained by school psychologists from outside the centre being similar.

United Kingdom

The professional practice of psychology in the territories that are part of the United Kingdom is remunerated with between £30,000 and £48,000 per year on average . In cases of senior positions such as hospital chiefs of staff the figure can be as high as £80,000. In Britain, for example, a psychologist charges about £38 an hour.

Mexico

In Mexico, the remuneration received by psychology professionals is usually around 9000 pesos per month. In the private clinic each consultation tends to be charged between 300 and 500 pesos. In the hospital environment, the salary is around 10,000 pesos per month.

As regards the educational branch, the average salary is between 8,000 and 12,000 pesos . Finally, the average in the business area is between 10,000 and 12,000 pesos per month.

Australia

The average salary of a psychologist in Australia is around $85,000 per year . However, it should also be noted that the standard of living here is considerably more expensive than in other countries.

Argentina

Argentina is one of the countries where the profession of psychologist has had more expansion, especially from the psychodynamic branch. In this country the private consultation usually costs between $207 and $600 a session. The average salary of a professional with a degree in psychology can range from $202,695 to $261,000 per year .

Canada

The average annual salary of a psychologist in Canada is around 71,450 Canadian dollars . Approximately the session is charged at about $37.12.

United States

The average salary that psychology professionals in the United States receive per year is $51,000 . While this may seem a high amount (around $4,500 per month), it should be borne in mind that average salaries in North America also tend to be higher.

By sector, we can see that the clinical sector receives on average $60,000, while educational psychologists can reach $54,000. However, private practices tend to have a much lower remuneration, around $37,000.

Labour intrusion

It should be borne in mind that the money that psychologists earn depends, in turn, on many other factors that have nothing to do with their level of training and experience or with the effort that has been put into building a professional career.

Specifically, today, labour intrusion is one of the factors that most damage the prospects of getting a job and of progressing professionally. This is part of the problems of the labour market and its regulation in many countries with an abundance of psychologists.

Thus, the presence of people who present themselves as therapists of the psychological aspects having done courses of a few months or weeks related to coaching not only take away the work of many of the real psychologists , forced to stick to many more responsibilities, but also makes the salary of those who do have a job go down due to unfair competition.

Addressing these types of problems related to regulation is very important to enable psychologists to have access to the salary that corresponds to a profession that is accessed after more than 5 years of study and preparation.