Child Psychologist Job Description Information

A clinical child psychologist conducts development and psychological assessments of children and adolescents. This includes assessments related to mental health issues, emotional and social disorders. The aim of the clinical child psychologist is to help the student perform better in school, address developmental limitations or correct behavioral issues.

 

Function

• With an assessment team, the clinical child psychologist makes a comprehensive appraisal of the developmental and psychological status of the child. The psychologist must report this information to the child's parents or guardians, disciplinary team, and other professionals in the community directly involved with the child or adolescent. Educational programs aligned with the assessment results are drawn up for the child by the psychologist. Statistical records of children receiving psychology services are maintained by the psychologist.

Education

• A clinical child psychologist holds a doctoral degree in clinical child psychology and must be licensed or registered by his respective state. State registration or license requirements vary by state. Most institutions prefer if the psychologist has had previous experience working with children or adolescents.

Personal Attributes

• Communication is vital in this field, so the clinical child psychologist must be able to communicate effectively with children, adolescents, parents and other persons involved with the child. She also needs interpersonal and self-awareness attributes, and should have a strong sense of wanting to help and work with children.

Skills

• The psychologist must be able to collaborate with other medical professionals for the needs of the child. Clinical child psychologists must keep abreast of child psychology and treatment methods available to their individual patients.

Salary

• According to Collegecrunch.org, a child psychologist just starting out earns between $30,000 and $45,000 annually. After five years or so, their annual salary increases to between $55,000 and $80,000. Clinical child psychologists with 10 years or more of on the job experience earn between $80,000 and $100,000 annually. These statistics show salary ranges depending on years of work experience, but salary may also be based on educational credentials where applicable.

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Child Psychologist Salary Information

Child psychologists use various types of therapy to help children work through mental problems, including learning disabilities. Because these workers have such an influence on cognitive and emotional functioning, they must receive formal training and be licensed in the state in which they work. Pay for child psychologists is not quite as good as in some related professions such as psychiatry, but the salaries still are excellent.

 

Annual Income

• The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not provide information on child or pediatric psychologists alone, but they have information on clinical, counseling and school psychologists. Child psychologists would fall into this category. The BLS asserts that, based on 2009 data, psychologists in this group have an average annual salary of $72,310. This is notably higher than the median annual salary, which is $66,040.

Hourly Wage

• When translated into an hourly wage, the average annual salary reported by the BLS for child psychologists is $34.77. Psychologists in the lowest 10th percentile of earners, which typically includes entry-level workers, earn just $18.88 per hour. Top earners in the 90th percentile may take home hourly wages of $52.63.

Range

• Child psychologists may make anywhere from $39,270 to $109,470, according to 2009 data from the BLS. The Guide to Online Schools website shows a smaller range of $64,600 to $85,200 as of 2010. Another source, the College Crunch website, reports that salaries may range from $30,000 to 100,000 or more as of 2011.

Experience

• Experience influences child psychologists' salaries. College Crunch asserts that starting child psychologists earn $30,000 to $45,000 as of 2011, while those with five to 10 years of experience have salaries of $55,000 to $85,000. With 10 or more years in the field, a child psychologist may earn $80,000 to $100,000.

Employer

• Child psychologists can work in many different venues, including health care offices, hospitals and family services centers. These all are among the top employers, according to 2009 BLS data. However, most child psychologists work in elementary and secondary schools. With an average annual wage of $69,870, schools are not the highest-paying employer. The top-paying employer, management, scientific and technical consulting services, pays $102,150. Jobs are very limited, however -- the BLS indicates only 90 psychologists work in this area. A child psychologist has better chances with employment from offices of other health care practitioners and psychiatric and substance abuse hospitals, because these employers offer high pay ($87,270 and $83,120 respectively) and have a larger number of positions available. Guide to Online School claims that the salaries for psychologists in schools is $36,000 to $70,000 based on 2010 information. They assert that those in private practices have higher pay because they can set their own rates and determine the number of clients they see.

Location

• You may earn more as a child psychologist depending on the state in which you live. The BLS shows that, based on 2009 data, the top-paying states for child psychologists are New Jersey, Colorado, California, Ohio and Rhode Island. Pay in these states ranges from $79,630 to $92,380, which is $7,320 to $20,070 more than the average child psychologist's salary.

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How to Become an Psychologist

While psychology seems to be among the sciences with virtually infinite applications in the modern day society, many are left wondering just how to become a psychologist. However, answering the question on how to become a psychologist entails knowing the psychology field in which you want to activate.

Furthermore, it is also important to assess exactly how the legislation of the state in which you wish to activate defines the term of “psychologist”, as you may be surprised to find out that it varies quite a bit. Let us start about discussing the prerequisite education and what it should incorporate.

 

How to become a psychologist: High school education

Anyone who wants to find out how to become a psychologist should note that this vocation entails starting your studying about it and related subjects as early as high school. While it is true that not all high school educational facilities will provide a specific Psychology 101 course, it is important to focus on sciences and mathematics as well as on social studies like philosophy, religion or history.
Overall, these courses will help you a great deal later on, as you will have acquired the basic know-how in the field of psychology. As a side note, all grades will be taken into account when applying for a college, so do not neglect the other courses.

How to become a psychologist: College and university

During college, those who are interested in how to become a psychologist will be happy to know that they will gain access to slightly more specialized courses of the field. Before choosing the best path for this vocation, an adviser can prove immensely helpful in selecting the right courses. While it is true that you will not need to follow the set path to the letter, you will gain a bit of direction towards the important coursework on how to become a psychologist.
It is also worth mentioning that the GPA score attained will weigh heavily when applying for a post-graduate psychology school. As a further tip for those interested in how to become a psychologist, enrolling in a research study conducted in your university, undergoing the GRE examination and obtaining a letter of recommendation from tutors in the field will hold significant benefits for your future career

How to become a psychologist: PhD versus Psy. D

Once you have graduated from university, the next step towards how to become a psychologist entails deciding between the PhD or the Psy. D follow-up education and the institution that can provide it. The choice should be taken according to your vocational prospects, as while the PhD will recommend you for research in addition to the actual patient treatment, the Psy. D is a bit more constricting.
More exactly, the Psy. D will only enable you to treat patients based on accredited methods rather than develop your own manner of conducting the therapy sessions and publishing your research. Therefore, do not approach this decision hasty or without considering all the implications in full.

How to become a psychologist: Hands-on practice

While the theoretical knowledge on how to become a psychologist is necessary before attaining your license, it is equally important that you follow clinical practice in certified institutions and under expert supervision. Depending on the legislation of your state, the clinical experience required varies in duration, so it is advisable to consult the local board. However, once you have met both the theoretical know-how and the hands-on practice criteria, you will be able to undergo the examination and obtain your license to practice. As a side note for everyone that wants to know how to become a psychologist, legislation usually mandates subjecting yourself to constant psychoanalysis.

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