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ANZSCO 2723Skill level 1Health and care

Psychologist

Assess and treat mental-health and behavioural conditions through evidence-based therapy.

Registration: AHPRA registration as a psychologist (postgraduate study required)

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Salary

Cited figures from Job Outlook and QILT. ExamExplained does not publish predictive earnings or projections.

FigureAUDSource
Full-time weekly earnings$1950Job Outlook (2025-06-01)
Graduate starting salary$73,000QILT (2025-03-01)

How far does this stretch in each city?

What a psychologist actually does

Private-practice psychologists typically run six to eight 50-minute client sessions a day, four to five days a week, with short breaks between to write notes and update case formulations. The first session with a new client is a structured intake covering presenting problem, history, risk and a working diagnosis; follow-up sessions deliver evidence-based therapy (CBT, ACT, Schema Therapy, EMDR or family therapy depending on training). Most days include a moment of risk management - a client describing suicidal thinking, a family violence disclosure or a child safety concern - that requires documentation and a clear safety plan. Public-sector and community-mental-health psychologists do less direct therapy and more assessment, case-conferencing and crisis triage. Mondays and Tuesdays tend to be the heaviest. Working hours are mostly daytime, with some early-morning and evening sessions to fit working clients. The emotional load is heavy: most psychologists invest in their own supervision and self-care.

Typical tasks

  • Conduct clinical interviews and standardised assessments.
  • Deliver psychological therapies such as CBT and ACT.
  • Maintain clinical notes and treatment plans.

Skills you'll use

  • Standardised psychometric assessment
  • Diagnostic formulation using DSM-5-TR or ICD-11
  • Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and behavioural activation
  • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
  • Risk assessment for self-harm, suicide and violence
  • Note-taking that meets Medicare and AHPRA standards
  • Boundary-setting and ending therapy ethically
  • Telehealth therapy delivery

How to become one

  1. 1Finish Year 12 with English (a high ATAR helps with competitive psychology entry)
  2. 2Complete a 4-year accredited undergraduate sequence (3-year Bachelor of Psychological Science plus 4th-year Honours, or equivalent)
  3. 3Apply for a 2-year accredited masters (Clinical, Counselling, Forensic, Organisational, Sport, Educational or Community) or do a 5+1 internship pathway
  4. 4Complete two years of supervised practice for registration (5+1) or accredited masters with placement
  5. 5Apply for general AHPRA psychology registration
  6. 6Decide whether to pursue an area of practice endorsement (clinical, counselling etc.) which requires a 2-year registrar programme
  7. 7Build supervision, peer-consult and continuing-professional-development habits early

Where you can work

  • Private psychology clinics (solo and group)
  • Public mental-health services (community and inpatient)
  • Schools and tertiary student-wellbeing services
  • Hospitals (consultation-liaison, eating-disorder, chronic pain)
  • Corrections and forensic services
  • Defence Force psychology services
  • Workcover and rehabilitation providers
  • Sport and performance settings

Career progression

Typical stages and salary bands. Salary figures are sourced from Job Outlook, QILT or industry bodies; brackets are 25th-75th percentile not absolute floors or ceilings.

  1. Provisional psychologist
    0-2 years
    Typical roles: Provisional psychologist, Intern in 5+1 programme
    Salary band: $70,000 - $85,000 per year (source, sourced 2026-05-21)
  2. Registered psychologist
    2-7 years
    Typical roles: Generalist psychologist, Mental-health clinician, School psychologist
    Salary band: $90,000 - $120,000 per year (source, sourced 2026-05-21)
  3. Endorsed psychologist
    7+ years
    Typical roles: Clinical psychologist, Counselling psychologist, Forensic psychologist
    Salary band: $120,000 - $165,000 per year (source, sourced 2026-05-21)
  4. Practice owner or supervisor
    10+ years
    Typical roles: Practice principal, Clinical supervisor, Senior consultant

Is this for you?

You might love this if

  • You can sit with someone's distress without trying to fix it immediately
  • You're intellectually curious about the science of behaviour
  • You're disciplined about confidentiality and ethical practice
  • You can hold a long postgraduate study plan (6-8 years minimum)
  • You can carry the emotional load of clients across an entire week

This might not suit you if

  • You want quick wins and immediate measurable outcomes
  • You don't want to invest in years of supervised training after your degree
  • You can't tolerate the heavy regulatory and Medicare paperwork
  • You don't cope well with vicarious trauma exposure

Three ways in

Uni, TAFE and trade routes for psychologist. Not every career has all three; we only list pathways that actually lead to this occupation.

University

Bachelor degrees that lead to this career.

TAFE / VET

Nationally accredited Certificate and Diploma qualifications.

No direct TAFE pathway to this career.

Apprenticeship trade

Earn while you learn through an Australian Apprenticeship.

Not an apprenticeship trade.

Sources

ExamExplained does not publish predictive salary figures. For current Australian earnings data check Job Outlook directly. Career classifications follow the ABS ANZSCO 2022 release.