Being a Psychologist in Fayetteville, Tacoma, Oxnard, and Atlanta: A Comparative Analysis
Oxnard’s metro leads the three cities with published pay, at $116,960 or about $105,814 at U.S. prices, while Fayetteville’s $78,780 becomes $85,651 and Tacoma has no published median. BLS withheld the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue median, so older salary ranges for Tacoma can’t be checked against it. Fayetteville here is the North Carolina city.
| City | BLS metro area | Psychologist jobs | Median pay | Price level | Median at U.S. prices | HRSA shortage area |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fayetteville | Fayetteville, NC | 80 | $78,780 | 92.0 | $85,651 | Partial |
| Tacoma | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 740 | Not published | 111.1 | Not published | Partial |
| Oxnard | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | 300 | $116,960 | 110.5 | $105,814 | Partial |
| Atlanta | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 770 | $97,090 | 100.1 | $97,034 | Partial |
Tacoma’s row still gives you two facts: 740 jobs across the metro and a 111.1 price level. To test an offer, divide it by 1.111, then compare it with the last column. A $120,000 offer, for example, would be about $108,000 at U.S. prices.
Fayetteville has a small base of 80 jobs, and Oxnard has a wide range, $49,110 to $221,280 from the 10th to 90th percentile.
Licensing
| State | Supervised experience in total | After the doctorate | Rule read |
|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia | Internship, plus 1,500 postdoctoral | 1,500 | Ga. Rule 510-2-.01 |
| California | 3,000 | At least one year, or 1,500 | 16 CCR 1387 |
| Washington | 3,300, including 300 practicum and 1,500 internship | Optional for the last 1,500 | WAC 246-924-043 |
| North Carolina | 3,000 | At least 1,500 | 21 NCAC 54 .2009 |
Washington’s rule is the longest list here: 3,300 hours including a 300-hour practicum, a 1,500-hour internship, and 1,500 more that can be practicum, internship, or postdoctoral. California sets 3,000 with at least a year after the doctorate. North Carolina sets 3,000 with at least 1,500 after it. Georgia requires 1,500 postdoctoral hours after internship, with 40 renewal credits every two years, 6 in ethics. Rules read: Georgia: Ga. Rule 510-2-.01; California: 16 CCR 1387; Washington: WAC 246-924-043; North Carolina: 21 NCAC 54 .2009.
Where to look
For Tacoma, ask employers for their pay range directly, since public data won’t supply one. For Fayetteville, ask how many employers hire psychologists, and whether federal or military-related jobs have their own license rules. For Oxnard, ask how pay varies by setting.
Pay: BLS OEWS, May 2025; employees only. Prices: BEA, 2024. Shortage: HRSA, November 2026; “Partial” means part of a county or a population group.