Forensic Psychologist | Salary & Job Information

Becoming a Forensic Psychologist via Online Education?

At the very least, online education can help you lay a foundation and/or open up alternate career paths. Walden University, one of the highest ranking online schools, is a US school (accredited) offering forensic psychology courses to train individuals to become top-notch forensic psychologists, forensics specialists, applied behavior science specialists, etc. Currently, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics there are 12,870 people employed as forensic science technicians alone in America, and their average annual salary is $55,070. Clinical, counseling, and school psychologists make on average $72,310 per year and there are about 98,330 of them employed today. Colleges and universities like Walden University that provide online education are successfully launching workers into this field.

Typical Work Locations for a Forensic Psychologist
  • cook building
  • department of behavioral health
  • industry secure center
  • crisis intervention mental health and drug and alcohol assessment center
  • health medical lab
  • behavioral health lab
  • virtual experience lab
  • a crime scene
  • behavioral mental health conference
  • hospital
Potential Advantages and Benefits of Working as a Forensic Psychologist
  • clinical psychologist
  • occupational psychologist
  • health psychologist
  • clinical neuropsychologist
  • sports psychologist
  • community psychologist
  • consultant pharmacist
  • mental health nurse
  • exercise fitness
  • armchair psychologist
Potential Drawbacks
  • must obtain a doctorate in applied psychology
  • risk of being attacked and threatened
  • must give testimony in court
  • have contact with misery and suffering
  • sometimes work long hours
  • must tolerate intense scrutiny of work
  • must be comfortable in an adversarial position
  • education is expensive
  • must write many reports
  • sometimes spend hours reviewing files
Related Professions to Consider
  • Licensed Psychologist
  • Chief Clinical Psychologist
  • Child Clinical Psychologist
  • UCHC Forensic Mental Health Clinician
  • Correctional Psychologist
  • Forensic Psychology faculty
  • Social Psychologist
  • Psychologist Occupational Medical
  • Forensic Evaluator
  • Senior Forensic Clinical Psychologist
Possible Interview Questions When Applying to be a Forensic Psychologist
  • What was your favorite subject in school?
  • Where did you go to school?
  • Tell me about yourself?
  • Why did you apply for this position?
  • Why are you interested in forensic psychology?
  • What skills and experience could you bring to the role?
  • Who has given you the most help?
  • Describe some of your strengths?
  • What is tough about your current position?
  • How do you handle a situation where you are in charge and colleagues are misbehaving?
Common Collaborating Professions
  • Forensic Analytical Specialist
  • Forensic Scientist
  • Economist
  • Forensic Pathologist
  • Forensic Detective
  • Forensic Researcher
  • Forensic Lab Technician
  • Forensic Director
  • Forensic Lab Assistant
  • Forensic Economist
Forensic Psychologist Training books Forensic Psychologist (More) Popular books Potential Companies to Work For Common College Majors
  • Forensic Psychology
  • Social Psychology
  • Victimology
  • Psychology of Violence and Aggression
  • Introduction to Counseling
  • Abnormal Behavior
  • Drugs and Society
  • Human Sexuality
  • Comparative Psychotherapies and Therapeutic Techniques
  • Psychology and Law

Forensic Psychologist Salary Information

Category: Clinical, counseling, and school psychologists

Total # Employed in the US 98,330
Average Hourly Wage: $34.77/hr
Hourly Wage Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$18.88 $24.14 $31.75 $41.0 $52.63
Average Yearly Salary $72,310
Yearly Salary Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$39,270 $50,210 $66,040 $85,270 $109,470
Employment Demographics
% OF WORKERS WITH
< High School Diploma High School Diploma Some College Associate Degree Bachelor Degree Master Degree Doctoral Degree
0.2% 0.2% 0.4% 0.3% 4.2% 43.2% 51.5%
Clinical, counseling, and school psychologists — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
STATEAverage Hourly WageAverage Annual Salary
North Dakota $44.41/hr $92,380
Connecticut $43.33/hr $90,130
Colorado $40.68/hr $84,600
South Carolina $38.69/hr $80,470
Virginia $38.28/hr $79,630
Oklahoma $38.21/hr $79,480
District of Columbia $37.13/hr $77,230
Montana $37.05/hr $77,060
Alabama $36.78/hr $76,500
Alaska $36.77/hr $76,480
Delaware $35.94/hr $74,750
Massachusetts $35.61/hr $74,070
Missouri $35.54/hr $73,930
Kansas $35.26/hr $73,340
Michigan $34.63/hr $72,030
Mississippi $34.28/hr $71,310
New York $34.26/hr $71,260
West Virginia $34.21/hr $71,160
Indiana $33.95/hr $70,630
California $33.64/hr $69,980
Puerto Rico $33.05/hr $68,750
Idaho $32.34/hr $67,270
Florida $32.33/hr $67,240
Hawaii $32.24/hr $67,050
Utah $32.23/hr $67,030
Wisconsin $31.26/hr $65,020
Oregon $31.23/hr $64,950
North Carolina $31/hr $64,480
Nebraska $31/hr $64,480
Tennessee $30.96/hr $64,390
Guam $30.4/hr $63,220
Iowa $30.33/hr $63,090
Kentucky $30.21/hr $62,830
Washington $30.11/hr $62,620
Louisiana $29.95/hr $62,300
Ohio $29.75/hr $61,880
Arkansas $29.72/hr $61,820
New Hampshire $28.87/hr $60,050
Wyoming $28.65/hr $59,590
Maine $27.95/hr $58,150
New Mexico $26.86/hr $55,870
Maryland $26.43/hr $54,970
Pennsylvania $26.16/hr $54,420
South Dakota $26.08/hr $54,250
New Jersey $22.84/hr $47,500
Nevada $21.64/hr $45,000


Category: Industrialorganizational psychologists

Total # Employed in the US 1,710
Average Hourly Wage: $49.31/hr
Hourly Wage Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$21.43 $30.24 $40.03 $58.55 $0.0
Average Yearly Salary $102,570
Yearly Salary Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$44,570 $62,900 $83,260 $121,780 $0
Employment Demographics
% OF WORKERS WITH
< High School Diploma High School Diploma Some College Associate Degree Bachelor Degree Master Degree Doctoral Degree
0.2% 0.2% 0.4% 0.3% 4.2% 43.2% 51.5%
Industrialorganizational psychologists — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
STATEAverage Hourly WageAverage Annual Salary
Hawaii $60.89/hr $126,640
Oklahoma $59.14/hr $123,010
Nebraska $56.78/hr $118,110
Oregon $52.76/hr $109,740
New Hampshire $52.09/hr $108,350
Utah $49.06/hr $102,040
Florida $43.25/hr $89,960
Missouri $42.07/hr $87,500
South Carolina $40.71/hr $84,680
Wyoming $32.8/hr $68,220
Kansas $30.9/hr $64,270


Category: Psychologists, all other

Total # Employed in the US 10,260
Average Hourly Wage: $40.49/hr
Hourly Wage Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$19.75 $29.49 $41.6 $49.74 $56.48
Average Yearly Salary $84,220
Yearly Salary Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$41,070 $61,340 $86,540 $103,450 $117,470
Employment Demographics
% OF WORKERS WITH
< High School Diploma High School Diploma Some College Associate Degree Bachelor Degree Master Degree Doctoral Degree
0.2% 0.2% 0.4% 0.3% 4.2% 43.2% 51.5%
Psychologists, all other — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
STATEAverage Hourly WageAverage Annual Salary
Arkansas $48.6/hr $101,100
North Carolina $46.77/hr $97,290
Colorado $46.18/hr $96,050
Florida $46.17/hr $96,040
Delaware $43.92/hr $91,360
California $43.53/hr $90,550
Mississippi $43.52/hr $90,530
New Jersey $42.53/hr $88,470
Oklahoma $42.38/hr $88,140
Connecticut $42.27/hr $87,920
Alabama $42.22/hr $87,810
Oregon $42.16/hr $87,700
Tennessee $41.87/hr $87,100
Hawaii $40.81/hr $84,880
Utah $39.88/hr $82,940
Kansas $39.59/hr $82,350
Kentucky $39.57/hr $82,320
Ohio $39.49/hr $82,140
Washington $39.19/hr $81,510
Wisconsin $39.08/hr $81,290
North Dakota $38.91/hr $80,940
Missouri $38.34/hr $79,750
Wyoming $38.14/hr $79,340
South Carolina $38.04/hr $79,120
Iowa $37.86/hr $78,750
Michigan $37.54/hr $78,090
Idaho $37.42/hr $77,820
Maine $37.17/hr $77,310
Massachusetts $36.89/hr $76,720
New Hampshire $36.21/hr $75,330
South Dakota $36.15/hr $75,190
Indiana $35.88/hr $74,640
Louisiana $35.59/hr $74,020
Maryland $34.98/hr $72,760
Nebraska $34.18/hr $71,100
Montana $33.36/hr $69,390
Guam $33.02/hr $68,690
Nevada $31.08/hr $64,640
Virginia $28.96/hr $60,240


Category: Clinical Psychologists

Total # Employed in the US 98,330
Average Hourly Wage: $34.77/hr
Hourly Wage Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$18.88 $24.14 $31.75 $41.0 $52.63
Average Yearly Salary $72,310
Yearly Salary Range
PERCENTILE
10%25%50%75%90%
$39,270 $50,210 $66,040 $85,270 $109,470
Employment Demographics
% OF WORKERS WITH
< High School Diploma High School Diploma Some College Associate Degree Bachelor Degree Master Degree Doctoral Degree
0.2% 0.2% 0.4% 0.3% 4.2% 43.2% 51.5%


Forensic Psychology Programs by State & City