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by Anonymous on March 11th, 2007
It depends on:
-Where they live
-How much they charge per hour
-How many hours a week they work
-If they are a Medicare provider
Generally, a psychiatrist can charge more and make more. They also do hospital calls and rounds, which they get paid for as well.
A "therapist" can be an MSW, a psychologist, a psychiatrist, or other branches of mental health counseling. So it is a general term.
by branciforte3241 on March 11th, 2007
Generally a psychiatrist will make the most money, as they have a medical degree and can write perscriptions. But the money really depends more on how good you are and how long you have been practicing.
by kaykay on March 11th, 2007
Psychiatrists make more, but your job will be mostly diagnosing mental illness. Also keep in mind that becoming a psychiatrist requires med school, as well as residency training.
Psychologists/therapists make good money too, especially if you can build up a good reputation. Psychologists/therapists are the ones who typically do counseling and help patients with their everyday problems, which can include depression, eating disorders...you name it. You don't need med school to become a psychologist - just graduate study in psychology.
by unknown on March 11th, 2007
Psychiatrist make more because they have a medical degree. If they handle "pain management" then they make a killing.
by Patti jo on March 11th, 2007
The Psychiatrist -- They can order medicine a Psychologist can not
by Sam_K7554 on January 27th, 2011
Psychiatrist make more money. They can prescribe medication, because in order to become a psychiatrist, one needs to be a physician first. On the other hand, psychologists are not physicians, but need to earn a PhD in Psychology. (In some state, one can earn a license to practice psychology with a master's degree in psychology)
Psychiatrists are scientist by training and mainly are concerned with chemical imbalances in brain/body. Psychologist do psychological testing and therapy.
By the way, if you're considering to enter to enter this field based on the amount of money you can earn, then please don't. You should not pursue a healthcare profession based on how rich you can get. The starting point should be an assessment of your passion to help others.
http://psychologypa.com
by NYC Therapist on February 3rd, 2009
I am a psychotherapist in NYC. I graduated with my MSW (Masters in Social work) from NYU and now have my PhD in social work. In 2008, I made 102k. When the term therapist is used, it is often used to refer to social workers with extensive clinical experience. It is not necessary to get a degree in psychology of psychiatry to be a therapist. LCSW Social workers are also excellent clinicians and are usually on the front lines at hospitals and other mental health facilities.
by IMDartist on December 29th, 2010
The Psychologists do, once they are trained and in the business of drugging the public then they are in it for the money!
Just watch this ad.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMi_s8hYRSg&feature=player_embedded
by Rain13 on February 26th, 2009
Except for some extraordinary exceptions, Psychiatrists make significantly more money than Psychologists. These are the average salaries of the two professions where I live:
Psychologist: $90,000
Psychiatrist: $200,000
Both of these figures are significantly higher than the national average as I live in Boston which is sort of a hub for the health professions, but you'll find that Psychiatrists will be making approximately double what Psychologists make in most other areas as well. This is mainly due to the fact that Psychiatrists are able to bill more due to their ability to prescribe medication and their more prestigious, though perhaps not much more rigorous, training.
Therapist is not a legally regulated term and can be used to describe any mental health professional who provides therapy to clients including Psychologists, Psychiatrists, Clinical Social Workers, people with Masters degrees in Counseling, etc.
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Comments
Great answer, pretty much what I was about to say. +3
by science_geek on March 11th, 2007
I thought a psychiatrist and therapist were the same? & I thought the psychologist has the medical degree? Am i wrong? So what does each do?
by Sandra Moscicki on March 11th, 2007
Yes, a psychiatrist has an MD or DO degree, but anyone doing mental health counseling can call themselves a "therapist." It is a generic term. A psychologist has a PhD degree only, and cannot prescribe medications.
by Anonymous on March 11th, 2007