Average Industrial-Organizational Psychologists Salary in the United States
The national median salary for Industrial-Organizational Psychologists is $193,950 per year. The middle 50% earn between $107,310 and $222,280, with 790 workers employed nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 estimates . Data covers 2 states and 0 metro areas.
Pay distribution
Here is how Industrial-Organizational Psychologists pay is distributed across workers nationally. The 10th percentile typically reflects entry-level or early-career pay, the median is the midpoint, and the 90th percentile represents the top earners in the field.
- 10th
- $79,010
- 25th
- $107,310
- Median
- $193,950
- 75th
- $222,280
- 90th
- $247,220
All values are percentiles of annual wages.
Industrial-Organizational Psychologists are among the highest-paid occupations tracked by BLS, well into the top decile of US wages.
The spread between entry-level and top-end pay is typical for US occupations. Experience and specialization matter, but the range is not unusually wide.
Job outlook
BLS projects employment for industrial-organizational psychologists from 2024 to 2034. Growth is above the US average of about 4% across all occupations. This is an expanding field.
- Projected growth
- +6.3%
- 300 net jobs over the projection period.
- Annual openings
- 400
- Includes growth plus replacements for workers who leave. Annual openings are high relative to the workforce size, reflecting meaningful turnover and new-hire volume.
- Typical entry education
- Master's degree
- On-the-job training
- Internship/residency
A master's degree is the typical entry point, which tends to limit supply and support higher pay.
Where Industrial-Organizational Psychologists earn the most
Geographic variation is relatively low. Pay for industrial-organizational psychologists is fairly consistent across the country, so moving for higher pay has limited upside. Right now, the top-paying state is Oregon at $174,980, about -9.8% above the national median.
Top-paying metros
| Metro area | Median salary | Employment |
|---|
Compare two locations side by side
Pick two states or metros to see industrial-organizational psychologists pay in each, along with a cost-of-living adjusted view.
Salary trend and related occupations
Between 2019 and 2025, the national median salary for Industrial-Organizational Psychologists rose from $92,880 to $193,950, a gain of +108.8% in nominal dollars.
Over the same period, US consumer prices rose by +25.9%. Just to keep pace with inflation, the 2019 median of $92,880 would need to be worth $116,962 in 2025 dollars.
The actual 2025 median of $193,950 is $76,988 above that inflation-adjusted benchmark, a real change of +65.8% in purchasing power.
Real wages have grown strongly, 65.8% above inflation. Workers in this field have meaningfully gained purchasing power.
- Nominal change
- +108.8%
- 2019–2025
- Cumulative inflation
- +25.9%
- US CPI, 2019–2025
- Real change
- +65.8%
- After adjusting for inflation
Median salary over time
Industrial-Organizational Psychologists median pay by year, going back through the available BLS releases.
- 2025
- $193,950
- 2024
- $109,840
- 2023
- $147,420
- 2022
- $139,280
- 2021
- $105,310
- 2020
- $96,270
- 2019
- $92,880
BLS did not publish a median for 2000–2018, so those years are omitted.
Related occupations
Other occupations in the same field, with median pay for comparison.
- Political Scientists
- $142,080
- Economists
- $124,720
- Psychologists, All Other
- $110,840
- Sociologists
- $106,030
- Geographers
- $102,040
- School Psychologists
- $95,990
Common salary questions for Industrial-Organizational Psychologists
What does the median salary mean? +
The median is the midpoint of all wages. Half of Industrial-Organizational Psychologists workers earn more and half earn less. It is a better measure of typical pay than the average, which can be skewed by very high or very low earners.
Why does pay vary so much by location? +
Local labor markets, cost of living, industry concentration, and employer competition all affect wages. High-cost metros like San Francisco and New York often pay more in nominal terms, though some of that premium is offset by higher living costs.
How current is this salary data? +
This page uses the May 2025 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics release. BLS publishes OEWS data once per year, typically in the spring for the previous May reference period.
What do the percentile ranges tell me? +
The 10th and 90th percentiles show the full pay band. The 25th to 75th percentile range, the middle 50%, is where most workers fall. A wide spread usually means experience, specialization, or location matter a lot for this occupation.