Clinical Neuropsychologists: Job Description
Assess and diagnose patients with neurobehavioral problems related to acquired or developmental disorders of the nervous system, such as neurodegenerative disorders, traumatic brain injury, seizure disorders, and learning disabilities. Recommend treatment after diagnosis, such as therapy, medication, or surgery. Assist with evaluation before and after neurosurgical procedures, such as deep brain stimulation.
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What Tasks Do Clinical Neuropsychologists Do?
Typical responsibilities of clinical neuropsychologists span:
- Interview patients to obtain comprehensive medical histories.
- Write or prepare detailed clinical neuropsychological reports, using data from psychological or neuropsychological tests, self-report measures, rating scales, direct observations, or interviews.
- Conduct neuropsychological evaluations such as assessments of intelligence, academic ability, attention, concentration, sensorimotor function, language, learning, and memory.
- 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.
- Diagnose and treat pediatric populations for conditions such as learning disabilities with developmental or organic bases.
- Provide education or counseling to individuals and families.
- Distinguish between psychogenic and neurogenic syndromes, two or more suspected etiologies of cerebral dysfunction, or between disorders involving complex seizures.
- Diagnose and treat neural and psychological conditions in medical and surgical populations, such as patients with early dementing illness or chronic pain with a neurological basis.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Effective clinical neuropsychologists draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
The abilities most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Other Clinical Neuropsychologists Job Titles
This career also goes by job titles like:
- Adult Neuropsychologist
- Aviation Neuropsychologist
- Board Certified Clinical Neuropsychologist
- Clinical Neuropsychologist
- Neuropsychology Medical Consultant
- Pediatric Clinical Neuropsychologist
- Pediatric Neuropsychologist
- Staff Psychologist
Job Outlook
The U.S. employs around 198,310 clinical neuropsychologists working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to grow by +8.9% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Clinical Neuropsychologists
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $57,643 |
| Hourly median | $27.71 |
| 10th percentile | $39,802 |
| 25th percentile | $48,722 |
| 75th percentile | $66,563 |
| 90th percentile | $75,483 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
How Much Do Clinical Neuropsychologists Make in Different U.S. States?
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| California | $147,650 |
| Oklahoma | $147,010 |
| Nevada | $144,390 |
| Nebraska | $137,990 |
| North Carolina | $137,130 |
| South Carolina | $135,950 |
| Tennessee | $135,570 |
| Alabama | $134,370 |
| Kansas | $133,540 |
| Connecticut | $132,040 |
| Ohio | $131,310 |
| South Dakota | $128,560 |
| Massachusetts | $128,180 |
| Arizona | $128,040 |
| Missouri | $127,230 |
| Pennsylvania | $126,460 |
| Virginia | $125,630 |
| New Jersey | $124,800 |
| Kentucky | $124,550 |
| Indiana | $123,880 |
| Iowa | $123,740 |
| Florida | $123,610 |
| Maryland | $123,490 |
| Idaho | $122,720 |
| Puerto Rico | $120,270 |
| Washington | $120,080 |
| Colorado | $118,640 |
| Arkansas | $118,600 |
| District of Columbia | $117,960 |
| New York | $113,730 |
| Georgia | $113,730 |
| Louisiana | $113,620 |
| Mississippi | $111,430 |
| Rhode Island | $111,310 |
| Minnesota | $110,190 |
| Wisconsin | $107,540 |
| Utah | $90,270 |
| Oregon | $82,960 |
| Texas | $81,830 |
| Illinois | $81,270 |
| Michigan | $78,670 |
| Vermont | $76,490 |
| New Hampshire | $75,990 |
| Maine | $63,490 |
| West Virginia | $41,900 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Compensation for clinical neuropsychologists vary by region. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $129,810 | 16.6% | 1.27 |
| Plains States | $120,900 | 5.3% | 0.88 |
| Middle Atlantic | $120,815 | 15.9% | 1.29 |
| Other U.S. Territories | $120,270 | 0.4% | 0.67 |
| Southeast | $120,151 | 21.7% | 1.00 |
| Rocky Mountains | $119,237 | 2.4% | 1.00 |
| New England | $105,682 | 7.2% | 1.92 |
| Great Lakes | $99,377 | 15.9% | 1.56 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Clinical Neuropsychologists
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $169,330 | 110 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | CA | $160,640 | 500 |
| Fresno, CA | CA | $157,240 | 40 |
| Reno, NV | NV | $151,900 | 30 |
| Asheville, NC | NC | $149,990 | 50 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | OK | $147,910 | |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | NC | $147,830 | 40 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | CA | $146,350 | 240 |
Industry Breakdown
Most clinical neuropsychologists work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 7,200 | $81,270 |
| Educational Services | 980 | $80,130 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 300 | $102,990 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 100 | $112,250 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 40 | $140,730 |
Clinical Neuropsychologists work in the following industries:
Tools and Technology
- Analytical or scientific software: IBM SPSS Statistics (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
The Day-to-Day Environment
The work environment for clinical neuropsychologists reflects the following characteristics:
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Freedom to Make Decisions
- Spend Time Sitting
Education and Training
The role falls in Extensive Preparation Needed (Job Zone 5), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Similar Occupations
Similar Occupations
- Clinical and Counseling Psychologists (Primary-Long)
- Neuropsychologists (Primary-Short)
- Physician Assistants (Supplemental)
- Occupational Therapists (Supplemental)
- Acute Care Nurses (Supplemental)
- Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses (Primary-Long)
- Clinical Nurse Specialists (Primary-Short)
- Nurse Practitioners (Supplemental)
Where to Study
Aspiring clinical neuropsychologists often complete programs in:
Psychology
24 programs across 4 majors
Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences
3 programs across 1 majors
Social Sciences
1 programs across 1 majors
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
1 programs across 1 majors
Sources
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 19-3039.03 (Psychologists, All Other).
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