Cost of Psychological Testing

The cost of psychological testing can vary significantly depending on various factors such as the type of testing, the qualifications of the professional administering the test, your geographic location, and your specific needs. We review the cost of psychological testing as we design your unique battery and talk to you about the questions you want answered. In this post, we cover the cost of psych testing, which involves the administration of a specific battery; a psych evaluation cost, which involves few to no measures and more interview time; and a psychological assessment cost, which involves a combination of interviews and tests.

Every evaluation we do is uniquely tailored to the individual, their needs, and the questions they want answered, so unlike some other practices, we do not have set fees for each type of evaluation. Instead, we collaboratively design a battery based on what is best for you, and the cost of psychological testing, a psych evaluation, or a psychological assessment is calculated from that. There is room for some flexibility, and often, we can fit into the budget you hope for while still answering your questions.

We also cover the cost of neuropsychological testing separately.

Cost of Psychological Testing Factors

Generally, the cost of psychological testing can range from a few hundred to several thousand dollars. For example, in our practice:

1. Basic cognitive or IQ testing will be under a thousand dollars
2. A more comprehensive evaluation, which assesses cognitive functioning and personality factors, can cost several thousand dollars.
3. Personality assessments or vocational testing without IQ testing falls between the two.

The exact cost of psychological testing for you will vary depending on various factors, such as the type and complexity of the evaluation and the number and duration of measures we give. Virtual psychological testing often reduces the fee because you can do much of the work at home without us overseeing it.

Unlike some practices, we charge the cost of psychological testing by the hour. We do not have fixed rates that may overcharge you when not much testing is necessary. We also have lower rates for virtual testing, which comprises most of our practice.

Cost of Psychological Testing and Insurance

We do not charge insurance directly, so you must inquire with your insurance company. We will provide you with an itemized “superbill,” for which some insurance companies will reimburse you. It’s advisable to check with your insurance provider to see if psychological testing is covered under your plan.

Cost of Psychological Testing and Other Services

One note about the above is that we do need to charge hourly should other services become necessary. For example, your psychological testing cost may increase if your employer asks us to fill out a form or perform a specific test that we did not anticipate would get you work-based accommodations. In a legal proceeding, it is not uncommon for a judge to ask us for additional information, and again, we would need to charge hourly for that. While we can usually anticipate the cost of psychological testing fairly accurately, these unexpected requests could raise the fee.

Cost of Psychological Testing Process Example

Here is a fictional example that may help you see how we determine the cost of psychological testing. Alissa came to us looking for testing to help her learn about her cognitive strengths, weaknesses, and personality factors because she is considering changing careers. Specifically, she wants to understand whether she can manage law school, whether she might enjoy being a lawyer, and what she needs to do to take advantage of her existing strengths and overcome weaknesses that may affect her. Our steps to determining the cost of psychological testing for Alissa include:

1. We talked to Allisa to fully understand exactly the questions she wants answered. We then researched the established measures available to us to see which ones had been used for answering these types of questions, if possible, specifically related to the field of law.
2. We determined we needed to do cognitive testing with an established IQ measure and personality testing focusing on personality aspects relevant to becoming a lawyer.
3. We talked about her options, and she chose the WAIS IQ Test because it provides an excellent overview for a reasonable price, the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) because it gives information related to personality aspects needed to be a good lawyer, and the Working Style Assessment (WSA) because it would be helpful to her as she navigates law school and the jobs she might look for when she’s done.
4. We determined the approximate number of hours needed to perform the assessment, interpret the results, write the report, and discuss our findings with Allisa.
5. We gave Allisa a range of prices related to that assessment of hours we’d likely be spending, discounting it because she would be doing some of the testing virtually.

Psych Evaluation Cost Factors

Unlike the above, a psych evaluation may not involve any standardized tests, or it might involve just a small number. Thus, the psych evaluation cost will be lower than the cost of psychological testing. In general, the price will usually be between $400-800, depending on the reason. For example, in our practice, the psych evaluation cost often is:

1. Basic psych evaluation cost to identify and understand your diagnosis or planning treatment will cost around $500-$600
2. A specific evaluation, such as for military clearance or an emotional support animal (ESA), will be less than that.
3. The psych evaluation cost for more complex or sensitive areas, such as when it is court ordered or will otherwise be used in court or when your symptoms and challenges are severe and complex, will approach the top of the range.

Factors that can influence the cost of a psych evaluation include the complexity of the evaluation, such as those involving multiple assessments or specialized testing procedures; the time involved, which varies depending on how much information we need to gather from you and any outside sources; and the details you need in the report.

Psych Evaluation Cost and Insurance

Again, we do not directly bill insurance for your psych evaluation, so you need to see whether they will reimburse you for our services. Due to the added expenses involved, weighing the potential benefits of going with professionals like us vs. an in-network provider is often essential. We may even find you an in-network provider in some states.

Process Example

Here is a fictional example that may help you see how we determine a psych evaluation cost. Robert came to us looking for testing to help him get an emotional support animal. He is moving to a new city and is concerned that he will not find an apartment close to his new work to allow him to have his dog with him. Robery relies on his dog to help him manage his anxiety and occasional depression. Here are the steps to determining the psych evaluation cost for an ESA:

1. We talked to Robert for an initial evaluation to ensure a more thorough evaluation had a decent chance of approving him for an ESA. We also researched specific state guidelines for ESAs in the state where he is moving.
2. We determined that aside from a 45-minute interview, we needed an empirically-based questionnaire that would show that Robert met the criteria for having a mental health diagnosis.
3. We determined the approximate hours needed to perform the interview, interpret the testing, and write the ESA letter. Given that Robert would do the questionnaire virtually on his own time, the total hours needed were only 2.5; thus, the psych evaluation cost would be low.

Psychological Assessment Cost Factors

A psychological assessment is a hybrid between the two approaches above, with some testing and some interviews. Thus, the psychological assessment cost we charge usually falls in between. For example:

1. A basic psychological assessment cost where we are using testing and interviews to identify and understand your diagnosis, plan treatment, or get you accommodations at work or school will cost around $1500-$2000
2. A specific assessment, such as for a specific diagnosis or accommodations specific to a known diagnosis, will cost less than that.
3. The more complex psychological assessment, such as when it is court ordered or will otherwise be used in court or when your symptoms and challenges are severe and complex, will often cost over $2,000.

Factors that can influence the psychological assessment cost may include the complexity of the assessment. For example, assessments for clinical diagnoses, neuropsychological evaluations, personality assessments, or educational evaluations may vary in complexity and price. The number of sessions required may influence the psychological assessment cost. Some assessments may require multiple sessions or components, increasing the overall cost. Some can be done in one session, while others may involve several hours of testing across multiple sessions.

Psychological Assessment Cost and Insurance

As noted above, we do not bill insurance directly, so you need to see if your insurance plan will reimburse you and how much they will reimburse. With the psychological assessment cost, you may be reimbursed for the interview portion but not the actual testing, or vice versa. We’ll provide you with an itemized “superbill” that describes the service in its component parts to help you potentially get reimbursed.

Process Example

Here is a fictional example that may help you see how we determine a psychological assessment cost. Jessica came to us looking for testing to help her get accommodations at work due to her ADHD. She is looking to get extra time to complete projects and the ability to use organizational tools and visual aids not usually available in the workplace. Our steps to determining the psychological assessment cost for Jessica include the following:

1. We talked to Jessica to learn more about her work responsibilities, symptoms, and history, including what accommodations worked well for her in high school and college.
2. We determined we needed to do cognitive testing with an established IQ test to understand her innate cognitive abilities, an executive functioning test to see how they may be affected by ADHD, and a test to confirm the ADHD diagnosis.
3. We discussed her options, and she chose the WAIS IQ Test, the BRIEF executive functioning test, and an ADHD-specific test to explore her symptoms fully.
4. We determined the approximate hours needed to perform the testing, interpret the results, write the report, write a letter to her company, and review everything with Jessica.
5. We gave Jessica a range of costs, discounting them because she would be doing some of the testing virtually.

Summary and Our Work

Generally, the psychological assessment cost can range from a few hundred to several thousand dollars. We will review fees and payment options with you before conducting the assessment. As we proceed, we will let you know if we can lower the costs at all, and if we feel that additional testing would be helpful, we will review the benefits and costs before starting. Some health insurance plans may cover part or all of the cost of psychological assessments, so it’s advisable to check with your insurance provider regarding coverage. We cannot guarantee that any of the fees will be covered.

A thorough evaluation can provide valuable insights and recommendations that may contribute to improved mental health and well-being. It usually justifies the cost and more. Before we start, you’ll have time to decide whether this is true for you.

If you have any questions about the cost of psychological testing, please feel free to schedule a consultation or contact us anytime.

Dr. Alan Jacobson, Psy.D., MBA Founder

Dr. Jacobson is a licensed clinical psychologist who has been practicing for over 20 years. He provides psychological and neuropsychological testing for adolescents and adults.

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Psychology Therapy Psychological testing Neuropsychological testing