Being a Psychologist in Chesapeake, Gilbert, Baton Rouge, and Atlanta: A Comparative Analysis
Gilbert’s Phoenix metro is ahead at about $111,861 at U.S. prices, Atlanta is next at $97,034, Chesapeake’s Virginia metro follows at $92,923, and Baton Rouge is at $83,609. Baton Rouge’s row rests on 50 jobs, the thinnest count in this set, so one employer could move it.
| City | BLS metro area | Psychologist jobs | Median pay | Price level | Median at U.S. prices | HRSA shortage area |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chesapeake | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | 420 | $91,010 | 97.9 | $92,923 | Partial |
| Gilbert | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 500 | $115,570 | 103.3 | $111,861 | Partial |
| Baton Rouge | Baton Rouge, LA | 50 | $75,900 | 90.8 | $83,609 | Partial |
| Atlanta | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 770 | $97,090 | 100.1 | $97,034 | Partial |
Baton Rouge’s mean, $92,200, sits well above the $75,900 median. In the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk metro the same pattern appears, with a $105,250 mean against a $91,010 median. In both, a higher-paying group exists above the middle, so ask which jobs belong to it.
Licensing
| State | Supervised experience in total | After the doctorate | Rule read |
|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia | Internship, plus 1,500 postdoctoral | 1,500 | Ga. Rule 510-2-.01 |
| Louisiana | 4,000 | At least 2,000, since the internship can supply at most 2,000 | La. Admin. Code 46:LXIII.703 |
| Arizona | 3,000, including at least 1,500 internship | Optional for the other 1,500, which can also be pre-internship or extra internship | A.R.S. 32-2071 |
| Virginia | Not given as one total in this rule | 1,500 residency; internship hours do not count | 18VAC125-20-65 |
These four states differ sharply. Louisiana sets 4,000 hours, up to 2,000 from an acceptable internship and the rest postdoctoral. Arizona sets 3,000, with at least 1,500 in internship, and the other 1,500 may be earned in more than one way. Virginia’s rule sets a 1,500-hour residency and excludes internship hours from it. Georgia sets 1,500 postdoctoral hours after internship, with 40 renewal credits every two years, 6 in ethics. Rules read: Georgia: Ga. Rule 510-2-.01; Louisiana: La. Admin. Code 46:LXIII.703; Arizona: A.R.S. 32-2071; Virginia: 18VAC125-20-65.
Someone leaving a doctoral program with extra supervised hours may reach Arizona’s total sooner than Louisiana’s. Hours you can’t get credit for can cost you a year, so check before you relocate.
What to ask
The Chesapeake row is for a metro that crosses into North Carolina, so confirm which state’s license a job needs. In Gilbert, compare employers across the Phoenix area, since BLS has no separate Gilbert figure. In Baton Rouge, find out who supervises postdoctoral fellows and whether that’s included in the job.
Pay: BLS OEWS, May 2025; employees only. Prices: BEA, 2024. Shortage: HRSA, November 2026; “Partial” means part of a county or a population group.