Sizes and salary schedules of agency clinical psychology programs.

Abstract

Reports results from 240 questionnaires requesting information on staff size and salary schedules of agency clinical psychology programs in the United States. The median number of staff members in these clinical psychology departments was found to be 15. Of these, 6 was the median number at the PhD level. Bachelor-level technicians were found to be more extensively utilized in the South and Midwest than in the East or West. The median beginning annual salary for a PhD clinical psychologist was $13,437, and for a PhD with 10 or more yr. of experience, the median was $20,500. The median salary for interns was $7,055, and the beginning salary for employees at the master level was $8,582. The median PhD-to-patient ratio was 1:189, and the median psychology staff-to-patient ratio was 1:73. The American Psychological Association (APA)-approved departments were found to have more advantageous staff-to-patient ratios. A great increase in salaries for psychology personnel over the past years was noted. Possible reasons for the finding that salaries tended to be higher in the agencies which did not have APA-approved clinical internship programs were also presented.

The Empirical Clinical Psychology Department: Administration of Clinical Services.

“…During this decade, the total number of psychology staff members increased from 7 full-time employees to 63. Thus, the department grew to be one of the largest in the country during this period (Wildman, Wildman, & Elliott, 1972). The patient population of Central State Hospital decreased from 10,000 to 6,900 residents during this time.…”