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Hospitals & Health Systems
Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, Johns Hopkins Medicine
Psychologists, All Other
These psychologists test how brain conditions affect memory, language, attention, behavior, and everyday functioning, then turn those results into treatment plans and referrals. The work is distinct because it sits at the intersection of medicine and psychology, with a heavy focus on detailed testing and case interpretation. The tradeoff is that the job is intellectually rich and well paid, but it usually requires years of graduate training and in-person testing that is hard to do remotely.
Also known as NeuropsychologistClinical NeuropsychologistPediatric NeuropsychologistAdult NeuropsychologistConsulting Neuropsychologist
Median Salary
$117,580
Mean $111,340
U.S. Workforce
~18K
3.9K openings per year
10-Year Growth
+4.3%
55.3K to 57.7K
Entry Education
Master's degree
+ None experience
What This Role Looks Like in Practice
Psychologists, All Other sits in the Healthcare category. In practical terms, this role combines day-to-day execution, cross-team coordination, and consistent decision-making under real business constraints.
U.S. employment is currently about ~18K workers, with a median annual pay of $117,580 and roughly 3.9K openings each year. Based on BLS projections, total employment is expected to grow from 55.3 K in 2024 to 57.7K in 2034.
Most hiring paths start with Post-doctoral training in neuropsychology, and employers typically expect none of related experience. Many careers in this track begin around Pre-doctoral Psychology Intern and can progress toward Neuropsychology Program Director. High-value skills usually include Neuropsychological Test Batteries (WAIS, WMS, NEPSY), Cognitive Screening & Test Interpretation (MoCA, RBANS), and DSM-5-TR Differential Diagnosis & Clinical Formulation, paired with soft skills such as Active Listening, Reading Comprehension, and Critical Thinking.
Core Responsibilities
- Give patients tests that measure memory, attention, language, learning, and problem-solving.
- Interview patients and review their medical histories to understand symptoms, injuries, and past treatment.
- Work with doctors, therapists, and other specialists to explain what the results mean for care.
- Build or update rehab plans for people recovering from stroke, head injury, or another brain disorder.
Keep exploring: more Healthcare careers or browse all job titles.
A Day in the Life
01 Give patients tests that measure memory, attention, language, learning, and problem-solving.
02 Interview patients and review their medical histories to understand symptoms, injuries, and past treatment.
03 Work with doctors, therapists, and other specialists to explain what the results mean for care.
04 Build or update rehab plans for people recovering from stroke, head injury, or another brain disorder.
05 Evaluate children and teens with learning or developmental problems and recommend support services.
06 Write detailed reports, track changes over time, and help train students, interns, or hospital staff.
Industries That Hire
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Rehabilitation Centers
Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, Craig Hospital, Shepherd Center
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Children's Hospitals
Boston Children's Hospital, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Seattle Children's
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Veterans Affairs & Public Health
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, NIH Clinical Center
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Academic Medical Centers
Stanford Medicine, UCLA Health, University of Michigan Health
Pros and Cons
Advantages
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Pay is strong for the field, with a mean annual wage of $111,340 and a median of $117,580.
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The work is highly specialized and intellectually demanding, so you spend your day on real cognitive problem-solving instead of routine admin alone.
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You can make a concrete difference for people dealing with stroke, brain injury, dementia, or learning disorders.
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Demand is steady rather than flashy: the occupation is projected to grow from 55.3K jobs in 2024 to 57.7K in 2034, with about 3.9K openings a year.
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The job often mixes clinical work, consultation, teaching, and supervision, which gives experienced psychologists some variety and autonomy.
Challenges
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Getting into the field takes a long time: 87.84% of workers in the O*NET data have post-doctoral training, and BLS also notes internship or residency training.
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Growth is modest at 4.3% over the decade, so this is not a fast-expanding field with lots of new slots.
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Annual openings are limited compared with bigger healthcare occupations, with only 3.9K openings a year for a workforce of 17,790.
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Much of the work has to be done in person because testing, observation, and patient interviews are hard to do well from home.
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The job can be emotionally heavy and documentation-heavy, especially when you are working with serious brain disease, trauma, or long-term disability.
Career Progression
Pre-doctoral Psychology Intern
0-2 years
$45K-$65K
Works under close supervision, learning how to administer tests, write reports, and handle clinical records.
Postdoctoral Fellow
2-4 years
$66K-$90K
Builds specialty experience with complex assessments while still getting regular review from senior psychologists.
Licensed Neuropsychologist THIS ROLE
4-8 years
$105K-$128K
Independently evaluates patients, explains findings to care teams, and manages treatment planning for the cases that fit this role.
Senior Neuropsychologist
8-15 years
$129K-$165K
Handles more complex patients, mentors trainees, and often consults across neurology, rehab, pediatrics, or inpatient teams.
Neuropsychology Program Director
15+ years
$166K-$205K
Leads a service line or clinic, sets assessment standards, oversees staffing, and helps shape specialty practice in the organization.
Education Paths
Post-doctoral training in neuropsychology
The dominant route, used by 87.84% of workers in the O*NET data, is post-doctoral training after the doctorate.
Doctoral degree in psychology (PhD or PsyD)
A doctoral degree is the other recorded route in the O*NET data, used by 12.16% of workers before or alongside specialty training.
Master's degree with internship or supervised clinical experience
BLS lists a master's degree as the typical entry point, but the O*NET distribution here shows 0% at that level, so it is not the usual path for this specialty.
Key Skills
Technical
Neuropsychological Test Batteries (WAIS, WMS, NEPSY) 88%
Cognitive Screening & Test Interpretation (MoCA, RBANS) 87%
DSM-5-TR Differential Diagnosis & Clinical Formulation 85%
Electronic Health Records (Epic, Cerner) & Clinical Documentation 84%
Rehabilitation Planning & Outcome Tracking 83%
Multidisciplinary Case Consultation 82%
Soft Skills
Active ListeningReading ComprehensionCritical ThinkingJudgment and Decision MakingWritingSocial Perceptiveness Job Outlook and Trends
+4.3%
Projected growth (2024-2034)
3.9K
Annual job openings
Employment is projected to rise from 55.3K to 57.7 K over the next decade, representing 4.3% growth. Around 3.9 K openings per year include both newly created roles and replacement hiring from turnover.
Remote availability is currently Limited. Demand remains strongest where employers need practical domain knowledge plus modern workflow and data skills.