Psychologists employed in research settings earned slightly higher average salaries than those in academia. The APA reported that the mean initial annual salary for psychologists working at a research center at a university or institute was $67,364 for 2009 Ph.D. recipients.The lowest average salary was for researchers in the psychiatry departments at medical schools, where they earned a mean wage of $50,275.linical psychologists had initial salaries ranging from $48,846 at community mental-health clinics or centers to $73,563 in the criminal-justice center. If entering a group practice, the mean salary was $50,667.