How to become a Clinical Neuropsychologist
Official title: Clinical Neuropsychologists
Also called: Aviation Neuropsychologist, Board Certified Clinical Neuropsychologist, Clinical Neuropsychologist, Neuropsychology Medical Consultant, Pediatric Clinical Neuropsychologist, Pediatric Neuropsychologist, Staff Psychologist
Assess and diagnose patients with neurobehavioral problems related to acquired or developmental disorders of the nervous system, such as neurodegenerative disorders, traumatic brain injury, seizure disorders, and learning disabilities. Recommend treatment after diagnosis, such as therapy, medication, or surgery. Assist with evaluation before and after neurosurgical procedures, such as deep brain stimulation.
Main tasks
- Interview patients to obtain comprehensive medical histories.
- Write or prepare detailed clinical neuropsychological reports, using data from psychological or neuropsychological tests, self-report measures, rating scales, direct observations, or interviews.
- Conduct neuropsychological evaluations such as assessments of intelligence, academic ability, attention, concentration, sensorimotor function, language, learning, and memory.
- Diagnose and treat conditions involving injury to the central nervous system, such as cerebrovascular accidents, neoplasms, infectious or inflammatory diseases, degenerative diseases, head traumas, demyelinating diseases, and various forms of dementing illnesses.
- Diagnose and treat pediatric populations for conditions such as learning disabilities with developmental or organic bases.
- Provide education or counseling to individuals and families.
- Distinguish between psychogenic and neurogenic syndromes, two or more suspected etiologies of cerebral dysfunction, or between disorders involving complex seizures.
- Diagnose and treat neural and psychological conditions in medical and surgical populations, such as patients with early dementing illness or chronic pain with a neurological basis.
How to become one
Psychologists typically need an advanced degree, such as a master's or doctoral degree, in psychology. Licensing requirements vary by state and position.
Typical education to start: Master's degree
Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Ways in
- College: Psychology degrees, Offered by 33 universities in the US
Pay · Outlook · AI and this job
- Median pay: $110,840 a year The middle half earn $68,850 to $147,240.
- About 60,000 people work in this job now, and about 61,400 are projected by 2035. (+2.3%)
- People already use generative AI for some of this work. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as medium.
Related jobs
- Industrial-Organizational Psychologists
- Clinical and Counseling Psychologists
- School Psychologists
- Neuropsychologists
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Questions people ask
How do I become a Clinical Neuropsychologist?
Psychologists typically need an advanced degree, such as a master's or doctoral degree, in psychology. Licensing requirements vary by state and position.
How much does a Clinical Neuropsychologist earn in the US?
Median full-time pay is $110,840 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $68,850 to $147,240.
Is a Clinical Neuropsychologist a growing career in the US?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 2% by 2035, from about 60,000 to about 61,400 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Do you need a degree to become a Clinical Neuropsychologist?
Usually. 100% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Will AI change the work of a Clinical Neuropsychologist?
People already use generative AI for some of this work. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as medium.
Sources
- Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
Updated 2026-10-03
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.