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Psychologist - Federal Salaries of 2021
Pay Rates for "Psychologist"
How much does a Psychologist in the federal government get paid? $106,048.39* *Based on the 2021 average.Psychologist was the 38th most popular job in the U.S. Government in 2021, with 8,828 employed. The most common payscale was the general schedule payscale.
In 2021, the Veterans Health Administration hired the most employees titled Psychology, with an average salary of $104,303.
Government Psychology jobs are classified under the General Schedule (GS) payscale. The minimum paygrade for a Psychology job is GS-6, and the highest paygrade that can be attained within this job series is GS-15. Remember that the starting and maximum yearly pay listed above reflect base pay only - your actual salary will be higher based on the Locality Pay Adjustment for the area in which you work.
This occupation includes positions involving professional work relating to the behavior, capacities, traits, interests and activities of human and animal organisms. This work may involve any one or a combination of the following functions: (1) experimenting with or systematically observing organisms to develop scientific principles or laws concerning the relationship of behavior to factors of environment, experience or physiology, or to develop practical applications of findings, (2) applying professional knowledges of psychological principles, theories, methods or data to practical situations and problems, and (3) providing consultative services or training in psychological principles, theories, methods, and techniques to advance knowledge of them and their appropriate use.
Agencies that have hired a Psychologist
Psychologist Pay Distribution
The average pay for a Psychologist is $106,048.39. The highest paid Psychologist made $258,740 in 2021.
Common Psychologist Payscales
| Payscale | Number of Psychology Employees |
|---|---|
| GS - General Schedule | 7,378 |
| AD - Administratively Determined Rates, Not Elsewhere Specified | 1,186 |
| EI - Advisory Committee Member (other) | 91 |
| FV - Federal Aviation Administration Core Compensation Plan | 48 |
| RG - Scientists Appointed As Fellows And Compensated Under 42 U.s.c. 209(g). Includes Non-citizens Whose Employment | 40 |
| RF - Employees Appointed And Compensated As Special Consultants Under 42 U.s.c. 209(f). Includes Non-citizens Whose | 15 |
| SV - Transportation Security Administration Employees Other Than Executives | 11 |
| FP - Foreign Service Personnel | 8 |
| * - Invalid | 7 |
| GL - Gs Employees In Grades 3 Through 10 Paid A Law Enforcement Officer Special Base Rate | 6 |
| GG - Grades Similar To General Schedule | 5 |
| SR - Statutory Rates Not Elsewhere Specified | 4 |
| CN - Bureau Of Consumer Financial Protect(cfpb) Independent Agcy Within The Fed Res Syst(use By Cfpb Only) | 4 |
| FG - Similar To The General Schedule | 4 |
| SK - Non-supervisorty Postions Employed By The Securities And Exchange Commission (sec) And Formerly Under Gs Pay | 4 |
| GM - Employees Covered By The Performance Management And Recognition System (pmrs) Termination Provisions | 3 |
| ES - Senior Executive Service | 3 |
| SL - Senior Level Positions | 2 |
| NB - Office Of The Comptroller Of The Currency Only | 2 |
| CG - Corporate Graded | 2 |
| SN - Senior Level System | 1 |
| NY - All Other Positions In The Corporation For National And Community Service, P.l. 103-82, Subtitle G, Section | 1 |
| ED - Expert (5 U.s.c. 3109) | 1 |
| NQ - Employees In The National Nuclear Secuirty Administration's Professional, Technical, And Admin Career Path | 1 |
| ZA - Administrative | 1 |
| Starting Paygrade: | $36,070.00 / year base pay at paygrade GS-6, Step 1 |
| Maximum Paygrade: | $152,771.00 / year base pay at paygrade GS-15, Step 10 |
| Category: | Professional and Scientific |
| Occupation Family: | 0100 SOCIAL SCIENCE, PSYCHOLOGY, AND WELFARE GROUP |
Other Jobs at the GS-6 Paygrade
GS-6 is the starting paygrade for Psychology jobs. Here are some other Federal Government jobs that can be held by employees at the GS-6 paygrade.
| Occupation | Occupation Category | Starting Paygrade | Maximum Paygrade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Instructional Systems | Professional and Scientific | GS-6 | GS-15 |
| Ecology | Professional and Scientific | GS-6 | GS-15 |
| International Cooperation | Administrative and Management | GS-4 | GS-15 |
| Geodetic Technician | Technical and Medical Support | GS-1 | GS-9 |
| Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering | Professional and Scientific | GS-6 | GS-15 |
Average Psychology Pay Trend from 2004 to 2021
In 2004, the average pay for a Psychologist was $76,433. Since then, the average pay has increased to $106,048 in 2021.
Data Sources
The information provided on these pages is sourced from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) 
Enterprise Human Resources Integration (EHRI) dataset. Postal Service data is managed exclusively by the USPS . All information is displayed unmodified and as provided by the source agency.
Federal employee salaries are public information under open government laws (5 U.S.C. § 552). FederalPay provides this data in the interest of government transparency — employee data may not be used for commercial soliciting or vending of any kind. Learn more about the FederalPay Employees Dataset here.
The series code of this occupation is 0180.