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Psychologist salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a psychologist is $114,600 per annum, before tax, up $23,900 since 2018.
What you earn depends on where you work and how you are paid. Psychologists in hospitals, schools and community health are usually covered by enterprise agreements or public sector awards, while those in private practice set their own fees and carry the cost of rooms, insurance and administration. Endorsement area and years since registration also move pay, and part-time work is common.
How to negotiate a higher psychologist salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time psychologist salary is $114,600; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Use demand as leverage. Psychologists are on the national skills shortage list, so employers are more likely to move on price to keep or attract someone in a role they're struggling to fill.
- Lead with what's scarce, not just tenure. Skills like Clinical assessment and treatment and Care planning and coordination tend to command a premium over general psychologist experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Time it deliberately. Reviews, the end of a project you delivered, or taking on responsibility beyond your job description are stronger moments to ask than an arbitrary date on the calendar.
- Ask for a number, not a raise. "Based on the market rate and [specific contribution], I'd like to move to X" gets a clearer answer than "I think I deserve more."
Psychologist salary questions
How much do psychologists earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a psychologist is $114,600 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is psychologist pay rising or falling?
The median psychologist salary is up $23,900 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.