Clinical Psychologist Salary Australia: Reading the Same Pay as a Year, a Week, and an Hour
If you are looking for a single, authoritative figure for a clinical psychologist salary in Australia, the short answer is that the Australian Bureau of Statistics does not publish a median weekly earnings figure for this specific occupation. That does not mean we have nothing to work with. By combining data from the ABS, Jobs and Skills Australia, and the Fair Work Commission, we can build a picture of where clinical psychologist pay sits relative to the national full-time average, and how to read that pay across different timeframes.
What the Official Sources Say
The ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours (August 2025) provides median weekly earnings for four-digit occupation groups, but not for six-digit ANZSCO codes such as Clinical Psychologists (272311). The Jobs and Skills Australia profile for clinical psychologists confirms that median weekly earnings are not available. However, that profile does tell us that 81% of clinical psychologists are female, the median age is 43, and 51% work full-time hours. The average full-time hours worked per week for those in full-time roles is 42 hours, slightly below the all-occupations average of 44 hours.
For a broader benchmark, we can look at the industry in which most clinical psychologists work: health care and social assistance. According to the ABS Average Weekly Earnings survey for May 2026, full-time adult ordinary time earnings in that industry averaged $2,037.20 per week. Multiplied by 52 weeks, that is about $105,934 per year. On a 38-hour week (the standard used by the site), that equates to roughly $53.61 per hour. This is a useful reference point, though individual salaries can vary widely by employer, location, and experience.
How It Compares to the National Full-Time Average
The national full-time adult average ordinary time earnings, as measured by the ABS in May 2026, is $2,083.70 per week. That works out to $108,352 per year on a 38-hour week, or about $54.83 per hour. The health care and social assistance industry average is about 2.2% below that national figure. Given that clinical psychologists are a specialised and highly trained group, it is plausible that their typical earnings are closer to or even above the national average, but without a published median we cannot say for certain.
It is also worth noting the gender pay gap within the profession. The ABS reports that women in full-time roles across all industries earn a median of $1,934.50 per week in ordinary time earnings, compared to $2,181.00 for men. With 81% of clinical psychologists being female, the overall average for the occupation may be pulled towards the female average, depending on the distribution of men and women in higher-paying roles.
State-by-State Differences
Where you work as a clinical psychologist can affect your pay. The ABS Average Weekly Earnings survey provides state-level full-time adult ordinary time earnings. For example, the Australian Capital Territory has the highest average at $2,290.20 per week ($119,090 per year), while Tasmania has the lowest at $1,846.30 per week ($96,008 per year). Clinical psychologists in states with higher overall earnings, such as Western Australia ($2,227.40 per week) and New South Wales ($2,108.80 per week), may also see higher salaries, though this depends on the local labour market and employer.
Place a salary on the line to see how your own pay compares to these averages.
Award Coverage and Minimum Rates
Many clinical psychologists are employed under the Health Professionals and Support Services Award 2020, which sets minimum wages, allowances, and penalty rates. The Fair Work Commission updated this award effective 1 July 2026, with a 4.75% increase flowing from the Annual Wage Review. The national minimum wage itself is $26.44 per hour, or $1,004.90 per week on a 38-hour week ($52,255 per year). Award rates for health professionals are higher, but the exact classification for a clinical psychologist depends on their level of experience and responsibility.
For those working in private practice or under enterprise agreements, earnings can be significantly above award rates. The ATO tax brackets for 2026–27 show that a clinical psychologist earning around $105,000 would fall into the 30% marginal rate (after the tax-free threshold of $18,200), plus the 2% Medicare levy. After tax, take-home pay would be roughly $80,000 to $85,000 depending on deductions and offsets.
Reading Your Salary as a Year, Week, and Hour
The site converts any yearly salary into a weekly figure based on a 38-hour week, and an hourly rate. For example, if you earn $105,934 per year (the health care industry average), that is $2,037 per week and $53.61 per hour. The distance from the national full-time average line of $108,352 per year is shown as a percentage. This makes it easy to see where you stand.
Industry medians provides more context for comparing across sectors.
What About Other Psychologist Roles?
If you are an educational psychologist, organisational psychologist, or psychotherapist, the same data limitations apply. The ABS does not publish medians for those six-digit occupations either. However, the broader Psychologists and Psychotherapists group (ANZSCO 2723) may have more data at the four-digit level. Jobs and Skills Australia reports that this group has a median age of 43 and a female share of 81%, similar to clinical psychologists. For a more tailored comparison, consider using the site's occupation search.
Summary
While a precise clinical psychologist salary figure is not published by the ABS, the available data suggests that earnings are likely in the range of $100,000 to $115,000 per year for full-time roles, with variations by state, sector, and experience. The national full-time average of $108,352 is a useful benchmark. Use the site's tools to place your own salary on the line and see how it measures up.
Guides offers more articles on understanding Australian salary data.