What Does a Psychometrist Do?
With a stopwatch, a test manual and a quiet room, a psychometrist gives memory, thinking and personality tests exactly as they are written. The people tested range from children assessed for a learning disability to adults recovering from a head injury, and the work happens in hospital neuropsychology clinics, private practices and university testing offices. Psychologists interpret the scores.
Also known as: Psychometric Assistant, Psychometric Specialist
Other Job Titles for This Work
Workers in this occupation report titles such as Birth Center Midwife, Certified Direct-Entry Midwife, Certified Professional Midwife (CPM), Homebirth Midwife, Lay Midwife, Licensed and Certified Midwife, Licensed Certified Professional Midwife, Licensed Direct Entry Midwife.
Psychometrist Duties and Responsibilities
The primary responsibilities of a psychometrist include:
- Administer standardized cognitive, memory and personality tests exactly as the manuals require.
- Score test protocols by hand or in scoring software and double-check every total.
- Record behavior during testing, such as fatigue, effort and attention, for the psychologist.
- Explain the testing session to patients and families and put nervous test-takers at ease.
- Schedule testing appointments and gather records, questionnaires and consent forms beforehand.
- Keep test materials secure and follow copyright and test security rules.
- Enter scores into databases and draft data tables for the psychologist's report.
- Maintain testing rooms free of noise and distractions so results stay valid.
- Assist with research studies by testing participants and managing study data.
- Arrange accommodations testing for students referred by campus disability services.
Required Skills and Qualifications
To succeed as a psychometrist, you will need the following skills and qualifications:
- Certified Specialist in Psychometry (CSP) credential
- Standardized administration of tests such as the WAIS or WISC
- Accurate scoring and data entry
- Rapport with children, older adults and anxious patients
- Close observation of behavior during testing
- Confidentiality and test security
- Patience through long testing sessions
- Scoring software such as Pearson Q-global
Education and Training
A bachelor's degree in psychology is the usual start. BLS lists a postsecondary certificate as typical for the broad group that includes psychometrists, but most clinics hire graduates in psychology or neuroscience and train them to give each test. With experience and the CSP credential, you could progress to senior psychometrist or move into graduate study in psychology.
Salary and Job Outlook
Typical pay: varies widely for this role, and BLS does not publish pay for it separately. In the wider BLS group it belongs to (Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Workers, All Other), the middle half of earners made $47,750 to $97,000 a year, and the median was $65,790.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Workers, All Other.
Psychometrists fall into a BLS catch-all group of healthcare practitioners and technical workers, where employment is projected to grow about 5 percent from 2025 to 2035. That broad group should see roughly 2,200 openings a year. Demand for neuropsychological testing is likely to grow with an aging population and more concussion and ADHD assessments, so trained psychometrists usually find work near large hospitals and universities.
Outlook source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, Healthcare practitioners and technical workers, all other.
Psychometrist Pay Range
| Earners | Annual pay |
|---|---|
| Bottom 10% earn less than | $38,660 |
| Bottom 25% earn less than | $47,750 |
| Median (half earn more, half less) | $65,790 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $97,000 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $129,830 |
Highest-Paying States for Psychometrists
The states with the highest median pay for this occupation are District of Columbia ($113,640), New York ($102,990), Kentucky ($91,560), Missouri ($86,110), Wisconsin ($81,580). Pay is lowest in Mississippi ($37,920), Arkansas ($37,660), New Mexico ($35,270).
Median pay in all 49 states with BLS data
| State | Median annual pay |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $69,520 |
| Alaska | $68,610 |
| Arizona | $62,860 |
| Arkansas | $37,660 |
| California | $75,800 |
| Colorado | $74,480 |
| Connecticut | $78,980 |
| Delaware | $49,990 |
| District of Columbia | $113,640 |
| Florida | $75,900 |
| Georgia | $63,230 |
| Hawaii | $57,330 |
| Idaho | $62,490 |
| Illinois | $72,610 |
| Indiana | $81,290 |
| Iowa | $42,070 |
| Kansas | $43,430 |
| Kentucky | $91,560 |
| Louisiana | $63,240 |
| Maryland | $75,000 |
| Massachusetts | $80,240 |
| Michigan | $77,130 |
| Minnesota | $79,990 |
| Mississippi | $37,920 |
| Missouri | $86,110 |
| Montana | $79,070 |
| Nebraska | $49,400 |
| Nevada | $64,170 |
| New Hampshire | $79,860 |
| New Jersey | $76,570 |
| New Mexico | $35,270 |
| New York | $102,990 |
| North Carolina | $57,390 |
| North Dakota | $52,240 |
| Ohio | $60,670 |
| Oklahoma | $73,320 |
| Oregon | $67,270 |
| Pennsylvania | $45,360 |
| Rhode Island | $63,060 |
| South Carolina | $67,940 |
| Tennessee | $63,400 |
| Texas | $62,420 |
| Utah | $67,320 |
| Vermont | $59,300 |
| Virginia | $63,410 |
| Washington | $80,730 |
| West Virginia | $66,080 |
| Wisconsin | $81,580 |
| Wyoming | $60,410 |
What the Work Is Like
O*NET surveys people who work as healthcare practitioners and technical workers, all other about their daily conditions. Of those surveyed:
- 92% say teamwork is very or extremely important in their job
- 91% say being exact and accurate is very or extremely important
- 74% work indoors in a climate-controlled space every day
- 66% are on the phone every day
- 66% use email every day
- 65% have a lot of freedom to make decisions
- 47% wear safety gear such as gloves, safety glasses or a hard hat every day
Education Workers Say the Job Needs
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Post-secondary certificate | 33% |
| Master's degree | 29% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 16% |
| Bachelor's degree | 12% |
Tools and Software Psychometrists Use
Tools and equipment
Software
Is This Job a Good Fit for You?
People who do well in this job tend to enjoy helping, teaching or caring for people as well as analyzing problems and working with ideas.
Skills O*NET rates most important: Social Perceptiveness, Critical Thinking, Monitoring, Active Listening, Speaking, Service Orientation.
Knowledge areas used most: Customer and Personal Service, Medicine and Dentistry, Psychology, Therapy and Counseling, English Language.
Applying for a Psychometrist Job
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Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035.
- O*NET 30.1 Database, occupation 29-9099.00 (Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Workers, All Other). View on O*NET OnLine.
This page includes information from the O*NET 30.1 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. The Job Explorer has modified some of the information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed or tested these changes.