A licensed psychologist who helps athletes improve performance and manage mental health issues such as anxiety, injury recovery, and burnout. BLS does not publish separate figures for clinical and counseling psychologists; it counts them within clinical psychologist (SOC 19-3033), whose median pay is $100,580 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: Doctoral or professional degree.
- SOC 19-3033
- Life, Physical, and Social Science
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Sports Psychologist in four numbers
- Median pay
- $100,580a year, or $48.36/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $55KTop 10% $181K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +11.7%Much faster than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+11.7%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +11.7% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 4,10081,300 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202581.3K
- Projected 203590.9K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 81.3K Projected 2035 90.9K - Typical education
- Doctorateneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Master's8%
- Doctorate44%
- Post-doctoral training48%
Highest education held by clinical and counseling psychologists Segment Value Master's 8% Doctorate 44% Post-doctoral training 48%
Also advertised as: Sport Psychologist, Sport and Performance Psychologist, Performance Psychologist, Clinical Sport Psychologist, Team Psychologist.
Pay
How much do Clinical and Counseling Psychologists make?
Every sports psychologist in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$100,580
Middle half earn $73,210 to $135,200
- 10th
- $55,170
- 25th
- $73,210
- 75th
- $135,200
- 90th
- $180,960
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $55,170 |
| 25th | $73,210 |
| Median | $100,580 |
| 75th | $135,200 |
| 90th | $180,960 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $100,580
- Median hourly wage
- $48.36/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $112,750
- People employed
- 75,990
Versus all US occupations
At $100,580, Clinical and Counseling Psychologists earn 97% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $49,600 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 22% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $180,960 or more while the bottom 10% earn $55,170, a gap of 3.3×. 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 73% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
Oregon posts the highest raw median ($134,350), but once local prices are taken into account New Mexico leads at $135,340 in national-average dollars.
Pay by state
Which states pay Clinical and Counseling Psychologists 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Oregon | $134,350 | $129,981 | 540 |
| 2New Jersey | $127,090 | $116,805 | 2,700 |
| 3New Mexico | $124,800 | $135,340 | N/A |
| 4Alaska | $124,270 | $121,406 | 40 |
| 5Arizona | $119,010 | $118,210 | 730 |
| 6Hawaii | $117,860 | $107,193 | 250 |
| 7North Dakota | $116,130 | $130,543 | 170 |
| 8California | $116,000 | $104,769 | 12,840 |
| 9Washington | $115,240 | $107,688 | 1,270 |
| 10Massachusetts | $115,180 | $108,910 | 2,860 |
Job outlook
Is Sports Psychologist a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Much faster than average. +11.7% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Clinical and Counseling Psychologists | +11.7% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Much faster than average
BLS projects employment of Clinical and Counseling Psychologists to change 11.7% over 2025–2035, roughly 3.3× the 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 9,500 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 4,100 openings are projected each year, 5.0% of the 81,300 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Sports Psychologist
Sports psychologists earn a doctoral degree in clinical or counseling psychology, complete a supervised internship and postdoctoral training, and pass the EPPP to become licensed. Many take additional coursework in sport science and seek supervised experience with athletes during training.
The American Psychological Association recognizes sport psychology as a proficiency, and its Division 47 (Society for Sport, Exercise and Performance Psychology) provides training resources. Many sports psychologists also earn the Certified Mental Performance Consultant (CMPC) credential from the Association for Applied Sport Psychology. College athletic departments increasingly hire licensed psychologists to support athlete mental health.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Doctoral or professional 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 clinical and counseling psychologists.
- Post-Doctoral Training48%
- Doctoral Degree44%
- Master's Degree8%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Post-Doctoral Training | 48% |
| Doctoral Degree | 44% |
| Master's Degree | 8% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Sports Psychologist do?
Sports psychologists apply psychology to athletes and other performers. They teach mental skills such as goal setting, focus, visualization, and arousal control to help athletes perform under pressure. Because they are licensed clinicians, they also diagnose and treat conditions such as anxiety, depression, eating disorders, substance use, and the emotional effects of injury and retirement.
They work with individuals and teams, consult with coaches and medical staff, and help build mental health programs for athletic departments. Some also work with musicians, surgeons, military personnel, and first responders on performance under stress, and others research motivation, team dynamics, and concussion recovery.
Day-to-day tasks
- Teach athletes mental skills such as focus, imagery, and routines
- Assess and treat anxiety, depression, and eating disorders in athletes
- Support athletes through injury, rehabilitation, and retirement
- Consult with coaches on team communication and culture
- Work with sports medicine staff on concussion and return to play
- Develop mental health programs for athletic departments
- Travel with teams to training camps and competitions
- Keep confidential clinical records and treatment plans
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Sports psychologists work in university athletic departments, professional team organizations, Olympic training programs, sports medicine clinics, the military, and private practice. Work happens in offices, training facilities, and at competitions, and travel with teams is common in some roles. Schedules follow training and competition seasons, including evenings and weekends.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors 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
NoneConstantConstant contact with other people.
Face-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing 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.
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 Comprehension4.8
- Active Listening4.3
- Writing4.3
- Critical Thinking4.3
- Speaking4.1
- Active Learning3.9
- Monitoring3.8
- Learning Strategies3.6
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 4.8 |
| Active Listening | 4.3 |
| Writing | 4.3 |
| Critical Thinking | 4.3 |
| Speaking | 4.1 |
| Active Learning | 3.9 |
| Monitoring | 3.8 |
| Learning Strategies | 3.6 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Social Perceptiveness4.4
- Service Orientation3.8
- Complex Problem Solving3.8
- Judgment and Decision Making3.8
- Coordination3.5
- Persuasion3.5
- Instructing3.3
- Time Management3.3
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Social Perceptiveness | 4.4 |
| Service Orientation | 3.8 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.8 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.8 |
| Coordination | 3.5 |
| Persuasion | 3.5 |
| Instructing | 3.3 |
| Time Management | 3.3 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Medical software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Project management software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Video conferencing software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Analytical or scientific software
- Billing and invoicing software
- Calendar and scheduling software
- Data base user interface and query 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 Sports Psychologist?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code SIE) built on O*NET's Clinical Psychologist profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Sports Psychologist |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 1 |
| Investigative | 6 |
| Artistic | 3 |
| Social | 7 |
| Enterprising | 3 |
| Conventional | 3 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around teaching, helping and working directly with other people, combined with investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data.
- Social6.6
- Investigative5.7
- Conventional3.5
- Enterprising3.5
- Artistic3.1
- Realistic1.1
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 Sports Psychologist
O*NET related occupations
- Life, Physical, and Social Science
- Community and Social Service
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker
$60,280median a year
Most earn $40K to $104K
+10.3%Master's - Community and Social Service
- Community and Social Service
Mental Health Counselor
$60,320median a year
Most earn $39K to $101K
+10.9%Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed - Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Community and Social Service
More life, physical, and social science careers
Median annual pay, with clinical and counseling psychologists highlighted
- Industrial-Organizational Psychologist$193,950
- Physicist$172,250
- Medical Scientist, Except Epidemiologists$103,410
- Sports Psychologist$100,580
- 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 |
| Medical Scientist, Except Epidemiologists | $103,410 |
| Sports Psychologist | $100,580 |
| 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 Sports Psychologist appears on
Questions
Sports Psychologist: frequently asked questions
How much do Clinical and Counseling Psychologists make?
BLS does not publish a separate wage for clinical and counseling psychologists. It counts them within clinical psychologist, whose median pay is $100,580 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $73,210 and $135,200, and the top 10% earn $180,960 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Sports Psychologist?
Yes, and beyond a bachelor's: BLS lists a doctoral or professional degree as the typical entry requirement for Clinical and Counseling Psychologists. BLS also lists internship/residency as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 48.0% hold post-doctoral training.
Is Sports Psychologist a growing career?
Yes, strongly. Employment is projected to grow 11.7% over 2025–2035, more than double the 3.5% projected for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 4,100 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Sports Psychologist do?
Sports psychologists apply psychology to athletes and other performers. A typical task: teach athletes mental skills such as focus, imagery, and routines. Employers most often ask for Electronic mail software, Medical software, Office suite software.
Which states pay Clinical and Counseling Psychologists the most?
The highest state medians for Clinical and Counseling Psychologists are Oregon ($134,350), New Jersey ($127,090), New Mexico ($124,800) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, New Mexico moves to the top at $135,340.
What personality type suits a Sports Psychologist?
O*NET scores Clinical and Counseling Psychologists highest on the Social, Investigative and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes teaching, helping and working directly with other people with investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ENFJ, INFJ, ENFP. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.