The median pay for Neuropsychologists is $110,840 a year ($53.29/hr), according to BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employment is projected to grow 2.3% through 2035, with about 3,500 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: Master's degree.
- SOC 19-3039
- Life, Physical, and Social Science
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Neuropsychologist in four numbers
- Median pay
- $110,840a year, or $53.29/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $55KTop 10% $169K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +2.3%Slower than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+2.3%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +2.3% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 3,50060,000 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202560K
- Projected 203561.4K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 60K Projected 2035 61.4K - Typical education
- Master'sneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Doctorate16%
- Post-doctoral training84%
Highest education held by neuropsychologists Segment Value Doctorate 16% Post-doctoral training 84%
Also advertised as: Aviation Neuropsychologist, Board Certified Neuropsychologist, Child and Adolescent Neuropsychologist, Forensic Neuropsychologist, Neuropsychologist, Neuropsychology Medical Consultant.
Pay
How much do Neuropsychologists make?
Every neuropsychologist in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$110,840
Middle half earn $68,850 to $147,240
- 10th
- $54,990
- 25th
- $68,850
- 75th
- $147,240
- 90th
- $168,520
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $54,990 |
| 25th | $68,850 |
| Median | $110,840 |
| 75th | $147,240 |
| 90th | $168,520 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $110,840
- Median hourly wage
- $53.29/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $111,210
- People employed
- 18,820
Versus all US occupations
At $110,840, Neuropsychologists earn 117% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $59,860 a year.
Versus life, physical, and social science occupations
Inside the Life, Physical, and Social Science group, where the middle occupation pays $82,220, this is 35% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $168,520 or more while the bottom 10% earn $54,990, a gap of 3.1×. That is an unusually wide spread, which usually tracks specialisation, employer type and years of experience.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 81% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
California posts the highest raw median ($157,540), but once local prices are taken into account Kentucky leads at $166,362 in national-average dollars.
Pay by state
Which states pay Neuropsychologists the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1California | $157,540 | $142,287 | 1,600 |
| 2Kentucky | $149,990 | $166,362 | 300 |
| 3Nevada | $146,850 | $146,881 | 100 |
| 4Oklahoma | $141,290 | $160,844 | 90 |
| 5Virginia | $140,640 | $139,104 | 510 |
| 6Iowa | $138,420 | $157,722 | 60 |
| 7Tennessee | $138,070 | $150,288 | 200 |
| 8Arizona | $137,510 | $136,585 | 240 |
| 9South Carolina | $136,990 | $146,124 | 140 |
| 10Alabama | $136,070 | $153,192 | 110 |
Job outlook
Is Neuropsychologist a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Slower than average. +2.3% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Neuropsychologists | +2.3% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Slower than average
BLS projects employment of Neuropsychologists to change 2.3% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 1,400 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 3,500 openings are projected each year, 5.8% of the 60,000 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Overall employment of psychologists is projected to grow 6 percent from 2025 to 2035, faster than the average for all occupations.
Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Projected employment of psychologists varies by occupation (see table).
Employment for psychologists is projected to grow due to demand for psychological services in schools, hospitals, mental health centers, and social service agencies.
Getting in
How to become a Neuropsychologist
Psychologists typically need an advanced degree, such as a master’s or doctoral degree, in psychology. Licensing requirements vary by state and position.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Master's degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Internship/residency
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Considerable preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as neuropsychologists.
- Post-Doctoral Training84%
- Doctoral Degree16%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Post-Doctoral Training | 84% |
| Doctoral Degree | 16% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Neuropsychologist do?
Apply theories and principles of neuropsychology to evaluate and diagnose disorders of higher cerebral functioning, often in research and medical settings. Study the human brain and the effect of physiological states on human cognition and behavior. May formulate and administer programs of treatment.
Psychologists study cognitive, emotional, and social processes and behavior by observing, interpreting, and recording how people relate to one another and to their environments. They use their findings to help improve processes and behaviors.
Day-to-day tasks
- Conduct neuropsychological evaluations such as assessments of intelligence, academic ability, attention, concentration, sensorimotor function, language, learning, and memory.
- Write or prepare detailed clinical neuropsychological reports, using data from psychological or neuropsychological tests, self-report measures, rating scales, direct observations, or interviews.
- Interview patients to obtain comprehensive medical histories.
- Diagnose and treat conditions involving injury to the central nervous system, such as cerebrovascular accidents, neoplasms, infectious or inflammatory diseases, degenerative diseases, head traumas, demyelinating diseases, and various forms of dementing illnesses.
- Establish neurobehavioral baseline measures for monitoring progressive cerebral disease or recovery.
- Provide education or counseling to individuals and families.
- Read current literature, talk with colleagues, and participate in professional organizations or conferences to keep abreast of developments in neuropsychology.
- Participate in educational programs, in-service training, or workshops to remain current in methods and techniques.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Most psychologists work full time, but part-time work is common. They may work evenings or weekends to accommodate their clients’ schedules.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayIndoors, in a climate-controlled space, every day.
Outdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayAlmost never works outdoors.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeSeated for more than half the working day.
Standing
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayDealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Schedules: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025–2035 edition. Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Reading Comprehension4.5
- Active Listening4.5
- Writing4.4
- Speaking4.3
- Critical Thinking4.3
- Active Learning3.9
- Science3.6
- Monitoring3.6
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 4.5 |
| Active Listening | 4.5 |
| Writing | 4.4 |
| Speaking | 4.3 |
| Critical Thinking | 4.3 |
| Active Learning | 3.9 |
| Science | 3.6 |
| Monitoring | 3.6 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Judgment and Decision Making4.3
- Social Perceptiveness4.1
- Complex Problem Solving4.1
- Service Orientation3.6
- Instructing3.4
- Coordination3.3
- Persuasion3.3
- Systems Analysis3.3
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Judgment and Decision Making | 4.3 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 4.1 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 4.1 |
| Service Orientation | 3.6 |
| Instructing | 3.4 |
| Coordination | 3.3 |
| Persuasion | 3.3 |
| Systems Analysis | 3.3 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Analytical or scientific software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Calendar and scheduling software
- Data base user interface and query software
- Electronic mail software
- Internet browser software
- Medical software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Neuropsychologist?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Neuropsychologist |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 3 |
| Investigative | 7 |
| Artistic | 3 |
| Social | 5 |
| Enterprising | 2 |
| Conventional | 3 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data, combined with teaching, helping and working directly with other people.
- Investigative7.0
- Social5.3
- Conventional3.3
- Artistic3.3
- Realistic2.6
- Enterprising1.7
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Neuropsychologist
O*NET related occupations
- Life, Physical, and Social Science
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Life, Physical, and Social Science
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
More life, physical, and social science careers
Median annual pay, with neuropsychologists highlighted
- Industrial-Organizational Psychologist$193,950
- Physicist$172,250
- Neuropsychologist$110,840
- Medical Scientist, Except Epidemiologists$103,410
- Chemist$91,240
- Environmental Scientist and Specialist, Including Health$82,220
- Conservation Scientist$73,010
- Chemical Technician$60,390
- Biological Technician$57,510
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Industrial-Organizational Psychologist | $193,950 |
| Physicist | $172,250 |
| Neuropsychologist | $110,840 |
| Medical Scientist, Except Epidemiologists | $103,410 |
| Chemist | $91,240 |
| Environmental Scientist and Specialist, Including Health | $82,220 |
| Conservation Scientist | $73,010 |
| Chemical Technician | $60,390 |
| Biological Technician | $57,510 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Neuropsychologist appears on
Questions
Neuropsychologist: frequently asked questions
How much do Neuropsychologists make?
Neuropsychologists earn a median of $110,840 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That is 117% above the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $53.29/hr. The middle half earn between $68,850 and $147,240. The top 10% earn $168,520 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Neuropsychologist?
Yes. BLS reports a master's degree as the typical entry-level education for Neuropsychologists, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as considerable preparation. BLS also lists internship/residency as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 84.0% hold post-doctoral training.
Is Neuropsychologist a growing career?
It is growing, but slowly: 2.3% over 2025–2035 against 3.5% for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 3,500 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Neuropsychologist do?
Psychologists study cognitive, emotional, and social processes and behavior by observing, interpreting, and recording how people relate to one another and to their environments. A core O*NET task: conduct neuropsychological evaluations such as assessments of intelligence, academic ability, attention, concentration, sensorimotor function, language, learning, and memory. Employers most often ask for Analytical or scientific software, Office suite software, Presentation software.
Which states pay Neuropsychologists the most?
The highest state medians for Neuropsychologists are California ($157,540), Kentucky ($149,990), Nevada ($146,850) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, Kentucky moves to the top at $166,362.
What personality type suits a Neuropsychologist?
O*NET scores Neuropsychologists highest on the Investigative, Social and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data with teaching, helping and working directly with other people. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are INFJ, INFP. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.