Average salary and workweek for Psychs?

[sirvandy]

Does anyone know what the average salary is for psychiatrists, and the average workweek (in hours)? How much does malpractice insurance cut into the income? Who pays the insurance- the individual psych or the firm he is employed in? Does a psych have the time to conduct research in addition to practicing? Thanks!

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[Blue084]

I'm surprised at the lack of replies. I'm afraid I can only answer the first question and I look forward to replies from people who know the answers to the rest because I am also curious. According to salary.com the median is $152,639. This might not be exact but it should be ballpark.

http://swz.salary.com/salarywizard/...swzttsbtn_psr&p=&s=salary&geocode=&metrocode=

 

[OldPsychDoc]

I'm surprised at the lack of replies. I'm afraid I can only answer the first question and I look forward to replies from people who know the answers to the rest because I am also curious. According to salary.com the median is $152,639. This might not be exact but it should be ballpark.

http://swz.salary.com/salarywizard/...swzttsbtn_psr&p=&s=salary&geocode=&metrocode=

That's because the answer is "It depends..."

 

[Blue084]

That's because the answer is "It depends..."

That can be said about any occupation. This person is asking for the average salary, and therefore expects a generalized answer.

Sirvandy, you can find some more information about working hours, and such here: http://www.schoolsintheusa.com/careerprofiles_details.cfm?CarID=531 it looks like a very good resource.

 

[OldPsychDoc]

That can be said about any occupation. This person is asking for the average salary, and therefore expects a generalized answer.

Sirvandy, you can find some more information about working hours, and such here: http://www.schoolsintheusa.com/careerprofiles_details.cfm?CarID=531 it looks like a very good resource.

There can be multi-thousand dollar differences in salary and _significant_ differences in work hours depending on the region of the country one chooses to practice, the size of the community, whether one is on an academic track or an entrepeneur in private practice or working for a government institution or being a member of a group practice...
In some areas of the country, a child psychiatrist can start >$200K.

The generalized answer to this question is essentially meaningless unless the
poster has some idea of what they want to do with their life...

 

[Blue084]

There can be multi-thousand dollar differences in salary and _significant_ differences in work hours depending on the region of the country one chooses to practice, the size of the community, whether one is on an academic track or an entrepeneur in private practice or working for a government institution or being a member of a group practice...
In some areas of the country, a child psychiatrist can start >$200K.

The generalized answer to this question is essentially meaningless unless the
poster has some idea of what they want to do with their life...

Well I would think that most people would realize if the average salary was in the 160's then many would make above 200. It is the average after all. As a matter of fact the salary site I gave makes mention that the highest paid 25% of all psychiatrists make above 175,000. It also makes mention that the lowest paid 25% of all psychiatrists make below 135,000. I think the poster was just looking for a generalization of what "type" of salary the psychiatrist makes. Many occupations (clinical psychology for example) make only around 60,000 and I think this poster just wanted a broad understanding of whether psychiatrists make decent money or not.

Usually when someone asks for the "average salary" then they want to know the kind of salary but not the actual figures. I assist in a career counciling/college student advising center and normally the students coming in want this kind of information. He doesn't expect to get the "hard figures," just what the ideal salary range is. In this case the salary is normally in the early 100 to middle 200's. As for geography there is actually a list on the site I provided that show the average salary in different cities and suburbs and it is largely apparent that different areas pay alot better to psychiatrists. Did you actually look at the site I provided OldPsychDoc?

 

[OldPsychDoc]

Well I would think that most people would realize if the average salary was in the 160's then many would make above 200. It is the average after all. As a matter of fact the salary site I gave makes mention that the highest paid 25% of all psychiatrists make above 175,000. It also makes mention that the lowest paid 25% of all psychiatrists make below 135,000. I think the poster was just looking for a generalization of what "type" of salary the psychiatrist makes. Many occupations (clinical psychology for example) make only around 60,000 and I think this poster just wanted a broad understanding of whether psychiatrists make decent money or not.

Usually when someone asks for the "average salary" then they want to know the kind of salary but not the actual figures. I assist in a career counciling/college student advising center and normally the students coming in want this kind of information. He doesn't expect to get the "hard figures," just what the ideal salary range is. In this case the salary is normally in the early 100 to middle 200's. As for geography there is actually a list on the site I provided that show the average salary in different cities and suburbs and it is largely apparent that different areas pay alot better to psychiatrists. Did you actually look at the site I provided OldPsychDoc?

It is hard to tell from the OP what info he/she really did want. They were asking questions about work hours and insurance that would be entirely determined by the type of environment. You could give any answer and be correct about *some* psychiatrist *somewhere*.

I did look at the site (before replying, even) and found it also too general--lumping community practice, academic psychiatry, and forensic psychiatry together as practically indistinguishable. And an "average salary" that takes into account all levels of training, all regions, and all levels of seniority is still essentially meaningless. Psychiatry is a diverse field, with some of the most flexible career trajectories available anywhere in clinical medicine.

 

[50960]

...and there is a big difference between a median and a mode!!

 

[Blue084]

It is hard to tell from the OP what info he/she really did want. They were asking questions about work hours and insurance that would be entirely determined by the type of environment. You could give any answer and be correct about *some* psychiatrist *somewhere*.

I did look at the site (before replying, even) and found it also too general--lumping community practice, academic psychiatry, and forensic psychiatry together as practically indistinguishable. And an "average salary" that takes into account all levels of training, all regions, and all levels of seniority is still essentially meaningless. Psychiatry is a diverse field, with some of the most flexible career trajectories available anywhere in clinical medicine.

He asked "Does anyone know what the average salary is for psychiatrists" so I told him the median, 25% & 75% salary for psychiatrists nation wide. I don't understand what you mean by "what he really wanted." He said clearly that he wanted to know the average salary for psychiatrists, not psychiatrists in new york and not a certain type of seniority level of psychiatrist. I realize that psychiatry is a diverse field but if he asks a general question then I will give him the answer to that question. You simply don't think the question should be answered but I would like him to at least understand the salary of psychiatrists rather than simply ignoring him. If you don't want to answer the question then don't but don't go out on me for simply answering his question. I don't know what you want from this tug of war game you are playing.