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 only: median full-time weekly earnings for the ANZSCO unit group Psychologists (2723) from Your Career (Jobs and Skills Australia), and where available the QILT graduate starting salary for the matching study area.

Figure	AUD	Source
Median full-time weekly earnings	$2054	Your Career (2026-09-23)
Graduate starting salary	$75,300	QILT (2026-08-31)

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

1Finish Year 12 with English (a high ATAR helps with competitive psychology entry)
2Complete a 4-year accredited undergraduate sequence (3-year Bachelor of Psychological Science plus 4th-year Honours, or equivalent)
3Apply for a 2-year accredited masters (Clinical, Counselling, Forensic, Organisational, Sport, Educational or Community) or do a 5+1 internship pathway
4Complete two years of supervised practice for registration (5+1) or accredited masters with placement
5Apply for general AHPRA psychology registration
6Decide whether to pursue an area of practice endorsement (clinical, counselling etc.) which requires a 2-year registrar programme
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 roles. Years of experience are a rough guide; pay at each stage depends on the employer, award or agreement.

Provisional psychologist
0-2 years
Typical roles: Provisional psychologist, Intern in 5+1 programme
Registered psychologist
2-7 years
Typical roles: Generalist psychologist, Mental-health clinician, School psychologist
Endorsed psychologist
7+ years
Typical roles: Clinical psychologist, Counselling psychologist, Forensic psychologist
Practice owner or supervisor
10+ years
Typical roles: Practice principal, Clinical supervisor, Senior consultant

Is this for you?

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

Ways in

Uni and TAFE routes for psychologist. 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.

Sources

ExamExplained does not publish predictive salary figures. For current Australian earnings data check Your Career (yourcareer.gov.au) directly. Career classifications follow the ABS ANZSCO 2022 release.