College Psychology Instructors

Median Salary: $65,800

Many college psychology instructors across the nation share a few important professional characteristics. For example, independence, achievement/effort, and analytical thinking can be vital for success in the industry, especially when mixed with career training. Around 33,450 folks were employed as college psychology instructors nationwide in 2009. With that much workplace competition, it's essential to hone these attributes and receive top-notch training, particularly if you're aiming to move forward in the field.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual income for college psychology instructors in the U.S. was $65,800 in 2009, which works out to a median hourly wage of $31.60. Of course, income can vary with training and by location. Below, you'll find more data about college psychology instructors, including wages and job density for areas all over the nation.

College psychology instructors should be skilled in:

  • Written Comprehension
  • Written Expression
  • Inductive Reasoning
  • Near Vision
  • Speech Recognition

Different folks go into different careers; college psychology instructors are typically:

  • Social
  • Investigative
  • Conventional

Working as a college psychology instructor requires knowledge in subjects like:

  • Psychology
  • English Language
  • Education and Training
  • Therapy and Counseling
  • Philosophy and Theology

Related Occupations

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Below, you'll see links to more information on the top cities for this occupation (based on the number of folks employed as college psychology instructors). Note: "Job density" refers to the proportion of college psychology instructors in each city as compared to the national average.

Alabama
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Birmingham 70 $70,400 $33.90 $90,600 $43.60 -48.8%
Huntsville 50 $51,700 $24.90 $66,900 $32.20 -4.7%
Mobile 30 NA NA NA NA -28.1%
Montgomery 40 $55,900 $26.90 $72,000 $34.60 6.3%
Arizona
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Flagstaff 30 $60,200 $28.90 $70,400 $33.80 117.2%
Phoenix NA $48,000 $23.10 $55,300 $26.60 NA
Arkansas
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Little Rock 60 $51,300 $24.70 $61,900 $29.80 -26.6%
California
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Fresno 80 $98,600 $47.40 $109,000 $52.40 -9.4%
Los Angeles (Area) 1,760 $77,700 $37.30 $98,400 $47.30 30.5%
Oakland 290 $78,700 $37.90 $102,500 $49.30 12.9%
Riverside 240 $100,500 $48.30 $137,700 $66.20 -21.1%
Sacramento 150 $71,300 $34.30 $84,400 $40.60 -32.8%
San Diego 570 $83,800 $40.30 $108,900 $52.40 74.2%
San Francisco (Area) 540 $81,100 $39.00 $103,500 $49.70 5.5%
San Francisco (City) 250 $83,600 $40.20 $104,400 $50.20 -2%
San Jose 210 $76,500 $36.80 $96,200 $46.20 -9%
Santa Barbara 230 $86,200 $41.50 $101,400 $48.80 425.8%
Colorado
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Denver 590 $81,400 $39.10 $122,100 $58.70 88.3%
Connecticut
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Bridgeport 70 $70,200 $33.70 $113,100 $54.40 -35.2%
Hartford 300 $62,000 $29.80 $84,500 $40.60 107.4%
New Haven 140 $64,900 $31.20 $79,300 $38.10 104.7%
District of Columbia
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Washington (Area) 810 $66,700 $32.10 $84,800 $40.80 -16.4%
Florida
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Deltona 40 $59,700 $28.70 $70,000 $33.70 -7.4%
Jacksonville 90 $49,600 $23.90 $59,600 $28.70 -39.5%
Miami (Area) 360 $86,600 $41.60 $106,200 $51.10 -18.4%
Orlando 310 $61,100 $29.40 $84,600 $40.70 21.1%
Palm Bay 30 $63,000 $30.30 $74,900 $36.00 -34.4%
Pensacola 50 $65,400 $31.50 $81,400 $39.10 18%
Tampa 160 $69,400 $33.40 $88,000 $42.30 -44.9%
Georgia
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Atlanta 380 $63,300 $30.40 $83,200 $40.00 -35.5%
Augusta 40 $53,300 $25.60 $61,600 $29.60 -29.3%
Hawaii
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Honolulu 380 $75,100 $36.10 $102,100 $49.10 248.4%
Illinois
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Bloomington 70 $62,400 $30.00 $73,600 $35.40 205.1%
Chicago (Area) 870 $59,200 $28.50 $78,800 $37.90 -32.8%
Peoria NA $62,900 $30.20 $82,400 $39.60 NA
Indiana
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Evansville 40 $71,300 $34.30 $82,300 $39.60 -15.6%
Fort Wayne 50 $61,800 $29.70 $69,900 $33.60 -5.5%
Indianapolis 140 $58,600 $28.20 $78,200 $37.60 -37.1%
South Bend 90 $63,600 $30.60 $82,900 $39.80 165.6%
Iowa
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Waterloo 30 NA NA NA NA 44.5%
Kansas
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Wichita NA $70,200 $33.80 $90,900 $43.70 NA
Kentucky
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Lexington 120 NA NA NA NA 94.5%
Louisville 80 $65,200 $31.30 $82,700 $39.70 -49.2%
Louisiana
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Baton Rouge 40 $64,900 $31.20 $80,500 $38.70 -54.7%
New Orleans 50 $54,100 $26.00 $62,000 $29.80 -59.8%
Shreveport 40 $33,800 $16.20 $45,500 $21.90 -9.4%
Maine
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Bangor 40 $71,100 $34.20 $80,900 $38.90 146.1%
Portland 40 $58,100 $27.90 $75,000 $36.00 -20.7%
Maryland
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Baltimore 460 $73,500 $35.30 $96,300 $46.30 43.8%
Massachusetts
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Boston (Area) 810 $69,000 $33.20 $86,400 $41.60 79.7%
Springfield 170 $67,500 $32.50 $82,600 $39.70 130.9%
Worcester 150 $55,800 $26.80 $72,700 $35.00 151.2%
Michigan
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Detroit (Area) 200 NA NA NA NA -53.9%
Minnesota
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Duluth 60 $61,300 $29.50 $77,700 $37.40 100.8%
Minneapolis 280 $63,200 $30.40 $78,300 $37.60 -36.7%
Mississippi
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Jackson 100 $49,600 $23.80 $61,600 $29.60 61.7%
Missouri
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Columbia 140 $60,700 $29.20 $79,200 $38.10 556.6%
Kansas City 210 $55,800 $26.80 $67,700 $32.60 -17.6%
Springfield 170 $56,500 $27.20 $74,300 $35.70 260.9%
St. Louis 420 $57,300 $27.60 $78,300 $37.60 24.6%
Nebraska
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Omaha 90 $64,100 $30.80 $80,400 $38.70 -20.7%
New Hampshire
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Manchester 40 $64,900 $31.20 $74,000 $35.60 43%
New Mexico
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Albuquerque 120 $51,100 $24.60 $64,100 $30.80 23.4%
New York
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Albany 100 $58,800 $28.30 $77,900 $37.50 -12.5%
Buffalo 100 $69,900 $33.60 $88,300 $42.40 -27.3%
New York (Area) 1,810 $74,100 $35.60 $103,000 $49.50 5.5%
Poughkeepsie 70 $55,000 $26.50 $87,000 $41.80 3.9%
Rochester 120 $78,300 $37.60 $107,600 $51.80 -7%
Syracuse NA $71,300 $34.30 $89,300 $42.90 NA
Utica 50 $59,900 $28.80 $75,200 $36.20 53.5%
North Carolina
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Asheville 30 $58,100 $27.90 $69,400 $33.30 -22.7%
Charlotte 160 $56,200 $27.00 $71,200 $34.20 -24.2%
Fayetteville 40 $59,700 $28.70 $66,800 $32.10 32.8%
Greensboro 100 $60,800 $29.30 $84,600 $40.70 11.7%
Raleigh 120 $57,900 $27.80 $94,100 $45.20 -6.3%
Winston-Salem 50 NA NA NA NA -2.7%
North Dakota
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Fargo 30 NA NA NA NA 0.4%
Grand Forks 30 $82,100 $39.50 $101,800 $48.90 158.2%
Ohio
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Akron 50 $67,900 $32.60 $90,600 $43.60 -41.8%
Canton 50 $70,300 $33.80 $80,300 $38.60 14.5%
Cincinnati 190 $60,800 $29.20 $80,900 $38.90 -27%
Cleveland 190 $58,800 $28.30 $84,200 $40.50 -27.3%
Columbus 200 $66,200 $31.80 $95,400 $45.90 -15.6%
Dayton 160 $58,500 $28.10 $79,300 $38.10 71.1%
Toledo 120 NA NA NA NA 57%
Youngstown 60 $63,800 $30.70 $74,800 $36.00 11.3%
Oklahoma
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Oklahoma City 170 $52,600 $25.30 $116,400 $55.90 16.4%
Tulsa 90 $40,900 $19.60 $59,200 $28.40 -19.9%
Oregon
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Eugene 40 $93,600 $45.00 $106,300 $51.10 -1.6%
Portland 160 $78,600 $37.80 $108,400 $52.10 -37.5%
Pennsylvania
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Allentown 90 $71,300 $34.30 $92,700 $44.60 3.1%
Erie 50 $69,600 $33.50 $93,900 $45.20 60.9%
Harrisburg 110 $72,100 $34.70 $88,900 $42.70 41.4%
Philadelphia (Area) 820 $77,600 $37.30 $105,100 $50.50 -3.5%
Pittsburgh 430 $70,900 $34.10 $89,400 $43.00 51.2%
Reading 100 $57,100 $27.50 $78,500 $37.70 133.2%
Scranton 90 $61,000 $29.30 $74,400 $35.80 39.8%
Rhode Island
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Providence NA $77,000 $37.00 $101,600 $48.90 NA
South Carolina
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Charleston 120 $59,500 $28.60 $72,000 $34.60 67.6%
Columbia 80 $70,000 $33.70 $86,300 $41.50 -3.1%
Greenville 160 $57,400 $27.60 $72,100 $34.60 106.3%
Spartanburg 50 $53,700 $25.80 $62,000 $29.80 66.4%
Tennessee
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Chattanooga 40 $69,800 $33.60 $78,800 $37.90 -23.8%
Knoxville 110 $48,500 $23.30 $61,000 $29.30 36.7%
Memphis 70 $67,700 $32.60 $80,300 $38.60 -56.6%
Nashville 230 $64,700 $31.10 $90,700 $43.60 27%
Texas
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Austin 260 $77,300 $37.10 $110,400 $53.10 30.9%
Dallas (Area) 270 $52,200 $25.10 $67,400 $32.40 -48%
El Paso 90 $61,500 $29.50 $69,200 $33.30 28.5%
Houston 440 $77,200 $37.10 $89,000 $42.80 -32.8%
Killeen NA $66,600 $32.00 $85,100 $40.90 NA
Laredo 50 $66,400 $31.90 $87,200 $41.90 129.3%
McAllen 90 NA NA NA NA 50.8%
San Antonio 290 $65,200 $31.40 $84,200 $40.50 33.6%
Waco 40 $68,800 $33.10 $84,600 $40.70 72.7%
Utah
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Provo 80 $71,700 $34.50 $90,000 $43.30 75.4%
Salt Lake City 100 $62,600 $30.10 $79,500 $38.20 -36.3%
Vermont
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Burlington 40 $64,800 $31.20 $81,200 $39.00 37.5%
Virginia
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Lynchburg 40 $38,200 $18.40 $62,100 $29.80 60.5%
Richmond 120 $56,700 $27.30 $75,900 $36.50 -19.1%
Virginia Beach 280 $64,500 $31.00 $80,900 $38.90 47.3%
Washington
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Seattle (Area) 400 $52,200 $25.10 $67,800 $32.60 5.9%
Spokane 100 $52,800 $25.40 $69,900 $33.60 85.9%
West Virginia
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Huntington 40 NA NA NA NA 34.4%
Wisconsin
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Madison 70 $66,300 $31.90 $101,700 $48.90 -17.2%
Milwaukee 180 $53,800 $25.90 $71,000 $34.10 -12.1%