Clinical Neuropsychologists
Assess and diagnose patients with neurobehavioral problems related to acquired or developmental disorders of the nervous system, such as neurodegenerative disorders, traumatic brain injury, seizure disorders, and learning disabilities. Recommend treatment after diagnosis, such as therapy, medication, or surgery. Assist with evaluation before and after neurosurgical procedures, such as deep brain stimulation.
Also called: Adult Neuropsychologist, Aviation Neuropsychologist, Board Certified Clinical Neuropsychologist, Clinical Neuropsychologist, Neuropsychology Medical Consultant, Pediatric Clinical Neuropsychologist
Median pay
$110,840
Pay for the broader BLS group “Psychologists, All Other”
Pay range (10th–90th)
$54,990 – $168,520
People employed
18,820
Whole BLS group
Holland code
ISC
Investigative · Social · Conventional
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Is this career right for you?
These are the things that stand out in this job compared with other U.S. jobs (O*NET 31.0 work context). Answer honestly.
- 1.Do you prefer working indoors?
- 2.Are you OK working more than 40 hours a week?
- 3.Do you want a lot of freedom to make your own decisions?
- 4.Are you comfortable sitting at a desk most of the day?
- 5.Do you prefer doing your own work rather than directing others?
- 6.Do you want the same hours every week?
- 7.Do you want a job with little physical risk?
- 8.Do you work well under tight deadlines?
The hard parts
- Tight deadlines are common
Clinical Neuropsychologists pay by state
Highest-paying states
Annual median pay by state (41 states and DC with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025, for the broader group “Psychologists, All Other”.
What clinical neuropsychologists do
- 01Interview patients to obtain comprehensive medical histories.
- 02Write or prepare detailed clinical neuropsychological reports, using data from psychological or neuropsychological tests, self-report measures, rating scales, direct observations, or interviews.
- 03Conduct neuropsychological evaluations such as assessments of intelligence, academic ability, attention, concentration, sensorimotor function, language, learning, and memory.
- 04Diagnose and treat conditions involving injury to the central nervous system, such as cerebrovascular accidents, neoplasms, infectious or inflammatory diseases, degenerative diseases, head traumas, demyelinating diseases, and various forms of dementing illnesses.
- 05Diagnose and treat pediatric populations for conditions such as learning disabilities with developmental or organic bases.
- 06Provide education or counseling to individuals and families.
Skills that matter most
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Speaking
- Writing
- Active Learning
Knowledge
- Psychology
- Therapy and Counseling
- English Language
- Education and Training
- Medicine and Dentistry
Work styles that stand out
- Integrity
- Cautiousness
- Intellectual Curiosity
- Cooperation
- Achievement Orientation
Education and first steps
Share of workers by required education, as reported to O*NET.
How people get started
- Usually needs a graduate degree (O*NET Job Zone 5).
- Related work experience: over 2 years, up to and including 4 years.
- On-the-job training: anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month.
- A professional certification is often expected.
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from clinical neuropsychologists
- Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses93% · group pay
- Clinical Nurse Specialists91% · group pay
- Genetic Counselors89% · —
- Occupational Therapists83% · —
- Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary82% · —
Majors that lead here
- Adult Development and Aging
- Child Development
- Early Childhood and Family Studies
- Behavioral Sciences
- Psychology, General
- Cognitive Psychology and Psycholinguistics
- Comparative Psychology
- Experimental Psychology
- Personality Psychology
- Behavioral Neuroscience
- Social Psychology
- Psychometrics and Quantitative Psychology
From the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk.