Being a Psychologist in Charlotte, Fort Worth, Detroit, and Atlanta: A Comparative Analysis
Charlotte stands out here: its metro median of $117,170 stays the highest at U.S. prices, about $120,362, while Atlanta and Detroit both sit below Fort Worth’s metro. The Dallas-Fort Worth area also shows the most jobs of the group, at 950.
| City | BLS metro area | Psychologist jobs | Median pay | Price level | Median at U.S. prices | HRSA shortage area |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 720 | $117,170 | 97.3 | $120,362 | Partial |
| Fort Worth | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 950 | $106,480 | 103.1 | $103,288 | Partial |
| Detroit | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 820 | $91,610 | 100.3 | $91,338 | Partial |
| Atlanta | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 770 | $97,090 | 100.1 | $97,034 | Partial |
Charlotte’s numbers come with a wide spread, from $51,940 at the 10th percentile to $256,700 at the 90th, so that median may not describe the job you’d be offered. Fort Worth has no separate figure, since BLS reports the combined Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metro. Price level is BEA’s index, with 100 as the U.S. average.
Licensing
| State | Supervised experience in total | After the doctorate | Rule read |
|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia | Internship, plus 1,500 postdoctoral | 1,500 | Ga. Rule 510-2-.01 |
| Michigan | Not given as one total in this rule | 2,000 | Mich. Admin. Code R 338.2553 |
| Texas | 3,500 | 1,750, after a 1,750-hour internship | 22 TAC 463.11 |
| North Carolina | 3,000 | At least 1,500 | 21 NCAC 54 .2009 |
A move between these states isn’t equal. North Carolina’s total includes at least 1,500 hours after the doctorate. Texas asks for 1,750 after a 1,750-hour internship. Michigan’s rule sets 2,000 postdoctoral hours. Georgia sets 1,500 postdoctoral hours after the internship, with 40 renewal credits every two years, 6 in ethics. The Charlotte metro also crosses into South Carolina, so your license follows where you’ll practice. Rules read: Georgia: Ga. Rule 510-2-.01; Michigan: Mich. Admin. Code R 338.2553; Texas: 22 TAC 463.11; North Carolina: 21 NCAC 54 .2009. Confirm current text with each board.
Before you choose
Ask a Charlotte employer where its pay falls in that wide range. In Detroit, compare a specific offer against Atlanta’s: at U.S. prices the two medians are $91,338 and $97,034. Insurance rates, referral sources, and open positions aren’t measured here, so test them with two local psychologists in each city.
Pay: BLS OEWS, May 2025, clinical and counseling psychologists; employees only. Prices: BEA, 2024. Shortage: HRSA, November 2026; “Partial” means part of a county or a population group.