School psychologists help students with learning and behavioral problems. They work with teachers and parents to improve a student’s school experience.
| Quick Facts: School Psychologists | |
|---|---|
| Wages | Earn $79,744 per year |
| Employment | Large occupation |
| 10 Year Growth | More slowly than average |
| Annual Openings | Moderate |
Preparation 
Preparation
The Preparation section describes the education, training, and experience you need to prepare for work in an occupation. This section covers the types of formal and informal training programs you should take. In addition, this topic covers the amount of experience you need to enter an occupation.
For more information see the Preparation topic.
A school psychologist typically needs to:
- have a high school diploma or equivalent
- have a bachelor’s degree
- have a master’s degree in school psychology
- complete an internship
- pass a licensing exam
Working Conditions
Working Conditions
The Working Conditions section describes an occupation's characteristics. This section covers the conditions and settings that workers in an occupation are exposed to. This list also shows characteristics that a worker needs to do well in the occupation.
For more information see the Working Conditions topic.
In a typical work setting, school psychologists:
- Have a high degree of social interaction. They deal with students, teachers, and parents throughout the day.
- Usually work indoors.
- Must be very exact and accurate when dealing with students. Errors can impact a student's ability to succeed.
- Generally have a set schedule each week. Most work 40 hours per week.
Wages
Wages
The Wage section tells you how much money most workers in an occupation earn at the state level. Annual wage data appear for most occupations. The annual wage is based on working full time, 12 months of the year.
The wage graph provides two types of information about wages - the median wage and the wage range.
The median wage is represented by the vertical line inside the shaded bar. Half of all workers in the occupation earn an amount below the median wage and half of workers earn an amount above the median wage. Move your cursor over the bar to see the median wage value.
The wage range is represented by the shaded bar, a range that half of all workers in the occupation earn. 25% earn less than the low amount and 25% earn more than the high amount. Move your cursor over the bar to see the wage range values.
If the graph does not display a median wage it is because it is representing several occupations. In this case, the median wage range displays in the wage statement.
For more information see the Wages topic.
In Illinois, school psychologists earn a median wage of $79,744 per year.
| $0 | $50 | $100 | $150 | $200 |
| Illinois |
$ amounts are in thousands of dollars.
Employment and Outlook
Employment and Outlook
The Employment and Outlook section gives you information about the size of an occupation, whether it is growing or declining in size, and how many job openings there may be each year.
There are five size categories for occupations in CIS: very small, small, medium, large, and very large. Similarly, five categories are used for the number of job openings: very few, few, moderate, high, and very high.
Five categories are also used for growth: declining, more slowly than average, average, faster than average, and much faster than average. The growth rate tells you how rapidly an occupation is expected to grow in comparison to all other occupations. This information is an estimate. No one can predict exactly how many jobs will be available. The rate of growth of an occupation is determined by several factors. A few major factors are the state of the economy, competition, technological advances, and environmental rules.
For more information see the Employment and Outlook topic.
In Illinois, 5,766 school psychologists work in this large occupation.
| Location | Employment | 10 Year Growth | Annual Openings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | 5,766 Large | 2.5% Slow | 395 Moderate |