Workforce
Registration, growth, and distribution of psychologists across Australia.
50,409
Total Registered Psychologists
As at 30 June 2025. Up from 48,240 at 30 June 2024. Includes general, provisional, and non-practising registrations.
4.5%
Annual Registration Growth
Year-on-year increase in psychologist registrations to June 2025. Previously 4.1% growth to June 2024.
172
Psychologists per 100,000 Population
National rate based on AHPRA registration and ABS population data.
~49%
Working in Private Practice
Almost half of employed psychologists work in solo, group, or other private practice settings.
32.6 hrs
Average Total Hours per Week
Female psychologists averaged 31.6 hrs and males 35.7 hrs total weekly hours in 2022.
23.8 hrs
Average Clinical Hours per Week
Female psychologists averaged 23.5 clinical hrs/wk and males 25.2 clinical hrs/wk.
~33,000
Employed Psychologists
Number of psychologists actively working in Australia, out of total registrations.
109.6 vs 31.1
Major City vs Very Remote FTE per 100,000
Major cities had 109.6 FTE psychologists per 100k vs 31.1 in very remote areas, reflecting significant maldistribution.
~30%
Approved Supervisors
Nearly 30% of psychologists with general registration are also Board-approved supervisors.
Psychologist FTE Rate by State/Territory
| State | FTE per 100,000 Population |
|---|---|
| NSW | 96.8 |
| VIC | 101.0 |
| QLD | 91.0 |
| WA | 96.8 |
| SA | 68.8 |
| TAS | 75.5 |
| ACT | 161.6 |
| NT | 69.8 |
Medicare & Mental Health Services
Psychology has unique Medicare funding through the Better Access to Mental Health Care initiative -- separate from the standard Chronic Disease Management (CDM) pathway used by most allied health professions. This section covers Better Access, MBS rebates, and NDIS pricing.
$715M
Medicare Benefits Paid for Psychology Services
Psychologist services represent 47% of all $1.5 billion in Medicare mental health spending in 2023-24.
6.0M
Medicare-Subsidised Psychology Services
Clinical and other psychologist services provided in 2023-24, out of 12.6 million total Medicare mental health services.
2.7M
Australians Accessing Medicare Mental Health Services
Approximately 10% of the Australian population received Medicare mental health services in 2023-24.
10 sessions
Better Access Sessions per Calendar Year
Under Better Access, individuals with a Mental Health Treatment Plan can claim up to 10 individual and 10 group therapy sessions per calendar year. From 1 November 2025, eligibility was tightened to patients assessed with at least moderate intensity care needs.
$145.25
Medicare Rebate -- Clinical Psychologist (Item 80010)
Rebate for a standard 50+ min consultation with a clinical psychologist under Better Access (2025-26 MBS schedule).
$98.95
Medicare Rebate -- General Psychologist (Item 80110)
Rebate for a standard 50+ min session with a registered (non-clinical) psychologist under Better Access (2025-26 MBS schedule).
$588.5M
Federal Budget -- Better Access Investment (8-Year Package)
Announced in the 2024-25 Federal Budget to reform and improve the Better Access initiative over eight years, including the November 2025 eligibility changes.
$232.99/hr
NDIS Psychology Hourly Price Limit (2025-26)
National price limit for psychology supports from 1 July 2025, a $10/hr increase from the 2024-25 rate of $222.99/hr. Now a single national rate across all states.
$57-$64
Medicare Mental Health Spend per Capita
Per-capita spending on Medicare-subsidised mental health services ranged between $57 and $64 (real terms) between 2018-19 and 2023-24.
Demographics
Age, gender, and workforce composition data for psychologists.
80%
Female Psychologists
Psychologists are overwhelmingly female. In 2023, 29,896 registered female general psychologists vs 7,168 male general psychologists.
35-44 years
Largest Age Group
The 35-44 age bracket is the most common among working psychologists; females aged 35-44 are the single largest group (7,787).
7.6%
Overseas-Qualified Psychologists
2,154 psychologists held overseas initial qualifications vs 25,818 (90.9%) qualified in Australia.
<1%
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Psychologists
Less than 1% of registered psychologists identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander -- significant underrepresentation relative to 3.8% of the general population.
27,000+
APS Members
The APS is the largest peak professional body for psychologists in Australia, representing over 27,000 members.
Sources
Verified directly from source| Awaiting verification