SOC 19-3034 · Modesto, CA metro

School Psychologists Salary in Modesto, CA

The average salary for school psychologists in Modesto, California is $133,120 a year ($64.00 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $128,750: half of the 100 people in this job in the Modesto, CA metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 31% more than the U.S. metro average for this job ($101,705).

$133,120average per year

$64.00 / hourMedian $128,750Take-home ≈ $93,965

  • $112K10th
  • $123K25th
  • $129KMedian
  • $144K75th
  • $164K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

100people in this job
+31%vs U.S. metro average
#5 of 20California metros
104cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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School Psychologists pay range in Modesto

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $111,660 a year or less, while the top 10% make $164,210 or more. The middle half of school psychologists in Modesto earn between $123,030 and $143,900.

  • $112K10th
  • $123K25th
  • $129KMedian
  • $144K75th
  • $164K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$133,120$11,093$64.00
Median$128,750$10,729$61.90
Entry level (25th percentile)$123,030$10,252$59.15
Experienced (75th percentile)$143,900$11,992$69.18

*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.

School Psychologists salary after taxes in Modesto

On the average salary of $133,120, a single filer in Modesto takes home about $93,965 a year, or $7,830 a month and $3,614 every two weeks. Taxes take 29% of gross pay.

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.

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Is Modesto a good place for school psychologists? Pay vs. cost of living

Prices in the Modesto area are 4% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 104.1), so the average $133,120 buys what about $127,867 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.5 times the median wage of all jobs in Modesto ($50,610). A typical home costs $468,302, or 3.5 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $133,120 is worth in another city

School Psychologists salary in other California cities

Modesto ranks 5th of 20 California metro areas for this job; El Centro pays the most ($141,360).

All School Psychologists salaries in California

Highest-paying cities for school psychologists

Boulder, CO pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($142,700).

School Psychologists salary by city

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School Psychologists salary in Modesto: questions

How much do school psychologists make an hour in Modesto?

$64.00 an hour on average, and $61.90 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

What is the entry-level school psychologists salary in Modesto?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $111,660 a year and the 25th percentile is $123,030, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the school psychologists take-home pay in Modesto?

About $93,965 a year ($7,830 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $133,120. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.

Do school psychologists earn more in Modesto than elsewhere?

The average here is 31% more than the U.S. metro average for this job ($101,705).

Sources and how to read this page

  • Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 19-3034; area Modesto, CA (33700). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.5%.
  • Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
  • Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
  • Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
  • Job concentration: location quotient 1.30, this job is 1.3 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.

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