Criminal Psychologist Salary: What Do Criminal Psychologists Make in 2026?

The BLS does not separately report wages for criminal or forensic psychologists. General psychologist wages show a median of approximately $85,330. Forensic psychologists who contract as expert witnesses, consult with law enforcement, or work for federal agencies often earn above this median.

Those in academic or direct clinical service roles may earn less.

For comparison, a clinical psychologist salary in private practice settings can range from $90,000 to $175,000 with experience — similar to what forensic psychologists in active consulting and expert witness work can achieve.

A child psychologist salary working in school settings typically falls below this range, reflecting the difference in institutional pay structures versus specialized consulting fees.

For a complete breakdown of how any hourly wage in these ranges translates to annual, monthly, weekly, and after-tax take-home, see our hourly-to-annual salary conversion guides.

Federal government (FBI, CIA, Secret Service, Bureau of Prisons) typically offers above-average salaries plus federal employment benefits.

Consulting work for law firms and private clients can generate high hourly rates for expert witness testimony.

Direct service roles in state correctional systems and public defender offices tend to offer more modest salaries.

Criminal psychologists in federal government roles follow the GS pay scale, typically at GS-12 to GS-14 levels, which as of 2026 corresponds to approximately $90,000 to $130,000 depending on locality pay.

This is comparable to other federal science and mental health careers such as the social worker salary in VA or federal health settings.

Psychologists considering whether to pursue a federal career path or a law firm consulting model should factor in the average net worth by age implications of the different income trajectories each path offers.

Criminal psychologists typically hold doctoral degrees (Ph.D. or Psy.D.) in clinical or counseling psychology with forensic specialization, or a Ph.D. in forensic psychology specifically.

Board certification in Forensic Psychology from the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP) is a prestigious credential that can increase earnings and credibility.

The extended training pathway — 4 years undergraduate, 4–7 years doctoral program, 1–2 years postdoctoral supervised experience — means many forensic psychologists don't enter independent practice until their early-to-mid 30s.

Early use of a Roth IRA during lower-income postdoctoral years, and later a SEP-IRA once in private practice, can help build tax-advantaged retirement savings efficiently.

The student loan interest deduction may also be available in early postdoctoral years before income disqualifies the deduction.

The BLS projects overall psychologist employment to grow by approximately 6% through 2032.

Forensic psychology roles are influenced by the needs of the criminal justice system, which is expanding its use of psychological expertise in areas ranging from eyewitness testimony research to offender treatment programs.

The expanding interface between mental health and the legal system — including mental health courts, trauma-informed corrections, and police crisis response teams — is increasing demand for forensic psychology expertise across government and nonprofit sectors.

Criminal psychologists who develop expert witness practices should understand how to structure consulting income, as negotiating compensation for legal consulting and testimony work differs significantly from traditional employed positions.