Clinical psychologists: average salary and pay in the UK
Full-time clinical psychologists in the UK earned a median £58,366 in the year to 5 April 2025, according to the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE): 50% more than the £39,039 median for all full-time jobs.
What the figures show
That ranks 22nd of 382 occupations on this measure.
The mean (£55,180) is below the median.
Median full-time pay: women £52,406 a year, men £61,627 a year.
About 65% of the roughly 17,000 employee jobs are full-time.
Since 2021 the median has risen 29.0% (from £45,260), faster than the 25.0% for all jobs.
The Annual Population Survey counts 23,900 people in this line of work across the UK.
Pay distribution, 2025 provisional
| Gross pay | Full-time, annual | Full-time, weekly | Full-time, hourly | All, annual | All, weekly | All, hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | – | – | £19.09 | £29,064* | £627.60 | £19.14 |
| 20th percentile | £37,577* | £749.70 | £20.01 | £36,404 | – | £23.60 |
| 25th percentile | £38,468* | £755.20 | £20.20 | – | £715.60 | £26.76 |
| 30th percentile | £38,922* | £884.40 | £23.60 | £37,368 | £752.70 | £27.49 |
| 40th percentile | £49,946* | £979.20 | £27.32 | £39,925 | £831.30 | £28.91 |
| Median (50th percentile) | £58,366* | £1,030.20 | £29.28 | £45,954* | £908.40 | £31.13 |
| 60th percentile | £61,000* | £1,159.60 | £31.21 | £50,707* | £998.10 | £31.78 |
| 70th percentile | £63,022* | £1,195.70 | £31.91* | £59,254* | £1,152.30 | £33.28 |
| 75th percentile | – | £1,247.00* | £33.37* | £61,251* | £1,165.70* | £36.96 |
| 80th percentile | – | – | – | – | £1,199.20* | £36.97* |
| Mean | £55,180 | £1,073.00 | £29.26 | £49,160 | £965.00 | £30.41 |
Pay since 2021
| ASHE year | Full-time, annual median | Full-time, weekly median | Full-time, hourly median | All, annual median | All, weekly median | Jobs (thousands, indicative) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 revised | £45,260* | £847.00* | £23.52* | £39,570* | £713.30 | 13* |
| 2022 revised | £41,516* | £769.80* | £20.55* | £37,211 | £720.90 | 14* |
| 2023 revised | £35,114* | £681.70 | £18.21 | £36,677 | £697.40 | 18* |
| 2024 revised | £45,795* | £859.00 | £22.98 | £43,668 | £810.50 | 20* |
| 2025 provisional | £58,366* | £1,030.20 | £29.28 | £45,954* | £908.40 | 17* |
Clinical psychologists by region
UK: 23,900 (± 6,000), April 2025 to March 2026.
Annual Population Survey (Nomis)
What clinical psychologists do
Clinical psychologists work with people experiencing emotional, psychological or behavioural distress, perform tests and assess their emotional, cognitive and behavioural processes, and determine treatments to help patients improve their mental wellbeing. (ONS SOC 2020, 2225)
Also covers: clinical psychologist, consultant clinical psychologist and clinical associate (applied psychology).
- Administers tests to assess patients' needs through interviews, psychometric tests and observation of their behaviour
- Determines appropriate treatment and may refer patients to other mental health professionals
- Provides treatment or guidance using a variety of therapy and counselling techniques
- Helps patients to manage their own psychological conditions
- Maintains required contacts with family members, education or other health professionals, as appropriate, and recommends possible solutions to problems presented
- Writes reports on their work and conducts applied research
Entrants require a degree in psychology recognised by the British Psychology Society. Postgraduate and professional qualifications relating to different areas of psychology are available and are required for certain posts.
Related
Therapy professionals (median £43,240) · Psychotherapists and cognitive behaviour therapists · Other psychologists · salary percentile · UK average weekly earnings growth · Median
ASHE Table 14: 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 · coding index · notes · 15 October 2026