Neuropsychologists

Neuropsychologists investigate how physiological brain states affect human behavior and mental processes. On a typical day, these professionals gather and process complex information, analyze data, and solve difficult clinical problems to diagnose disorders of higher cerebral functioning. They document their findings, interpret scientific information for patients or medical teams, and provide direct care and therapy.

This role requires a strong investigative interest and a deep knowledge of psychology, counseling, medicine, biology, and sociology. To succeed, practitioners must use active listening, critical thinking, and social perceptiveness. They rely on strong reading comprehension and writing skills to keep up with scientific literature and document patient cases. Because they work closely with patients in medical and research settings, neuropsychologists must demonstrate empathy, sincerity, and cooperation. They also need high stress tolerance, cautiousness, and strict attention to detail when making decisions that affect patient health.

Entering this field requires extensive preparation. Most professionals need a graduate degree, such as a master's degree, a PhD, an MD, or a JD. A master's degree is the typical minimum education level required to enter the occupation. Students preparing for this career often major in general psychology, clinical, counseling and applied psychology, research and experimental psychology, behavioral sciences, or human development and family studies. Other relevant majors include criminology and general psychology studies.

Depending on where they practice, aspiring neuropsychologists should prepare for state-level regulations. Some states list a license for this work. This career is also known by titles such as board certified neuropsychologist, pediatric neuropsychologist, clinical neuropsychologist, or forensic neuropsychologist.

The median annual pay for neuropsychologists is $110,840. This figure, along with the broader pay range, is for the general BLS category of "Psychologists, all other." Within this group, the lowest 10% of earners make less than $54,990, while the highest 10% earn more than $168,520.

There are 18,820 people employed in this field. Between 2025 and 2035, employment is projected to grow by 2.3%, which is as fast as the average for all occupations. Despite this steady growth rate, the field expects about 3,500 job openings each year.