Psychologist Salary in Tennessee

The psychologist salary in Tennessee is a range, not one number. Half of the clinical and counseling psychologists BLS counted in Tennessee earned more than $76,820 a year in May 2025 and half earned less. Percentiles mark places in the pay distribution; they are not experience levels. Set beside the U.S. figures for the same occupation, the 10th percentile wage in Tennessee is 92 percent of the national $55,170, the median 76 percent of $100,580, and the 90th percentile 70 percent of $180,960.

Within the psychologist salary in Tennessee, the 90th percentile wage is 2.5 times the 10th, against 3.3 times across the country. The band between the 25th and 75th percentile spans $43,190, 70 percent of the $61,990 national band. The mean annual wage of $84,350 is 110 percent of the median, and the hourly median is $36.93. The 25th percentile wage ranks forty-fifth of 48 jurisdictions, the 75th percentile wage forty-fifth and the mean annual wage forty-fifth.

The psychologist salary in Tennessee also changes from one metropolitan area to the next. Chattanooga, TN-GA has the highest median annual wage among the metropolitan areas BLS publishes for clinical and counseling psychologists (SOC 19-3033) in Tennessee: $85,480 in May 2025, 111 percent of the statewide median.

Knoxville, TN has the lowest, $64,410, 84 percent of the statewide median. Two of the five areas sit above the statewide median of $76,820.

Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN has the most clinical and counseling psychologists of the areas listed, about 460, with a median of $77,110, 100 percent of the statewide median.

BLS defines a metropolitan area by county, so an area that crosses a state line has one figure for the whole area.

School psychologists (SOC 19-3034) in Tennessee earned a median annual wage of $76,850 in May 2025, 80 percent of the U.S. median of $95,990. That median ranks thirty-sixth of 51 jurisdictions. It is 100 percent of the $76,820 median for clinical and counseling psychologists in Tennessee.

BLS counted about 900 school psychologists and about 1,180 clinical and counseling psychologists in Tennessee, 0.8 school psychologists for every one of the others.

The school psychologist 10th percentile wage ranks forty-third of 51 jurisdictions and the 90th percentile wage thirty-eighth, and the occupation ranks fortieth by concentration, 0.27 for every 1,000 jobs.

Clarksville, TN-KY has the highest median annual wage among the areas BLS publishes for school psychologists in Tennessee: $101,430, with about 30 employed. Chattanooga, TN-GA has the lowest, $68,060. BLS publishes six such areas in all.

BLS also publishes psychologists, all other (SOC 19-3039) for Tennessee: a median annual wage of $138,070 in May 2025, with about 200 employed, 180 percent of the $76,820 median for clinical and counseling psychologists there. The group holds the psychologists BLS does not list separately, so it is not a wage for any one specialty.

Tennessee has 1 ranked PsyD program, led by Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, TN (ranked 103th of 117).

Tennessee accepts either an APA-accredited professional program or one on the ASPPB and National Register designated list, and ties its internship and postdoctoral hours to the health service provider designation. The licensing board is the Tennessee Board of Examiners in Psychology, read October 21, 2026. PsyD programs in Tennessee ranks all one with the state’s licensing rules.

BLS puts the licensing rule this way: “In most states, practicing psychology or using the title of ‘psychologist’ requires licensure.” (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, read October 14, 2026). The steps from a doctorate to a license, with Tennessee’s own rules in a table of every state, are in the licensing guide that covers Tennessee.