Quick answer: Psychologists are less stress-exposed than most Australian occupations — ranked #284 of 317 by workplace mental health hazard exposure, with a composite stress score of 39.8/100 against a national average of 47.4. The biggest drivers are emotional demands.
Psychologists stress profile vs the national average
Each occupation is scored across six categories of workplace mental health hazard, built from 22 stress factors identified in SafeWork Australia's occupational hazards data. Higher scores mean greater exposure.
- Emotional demands48.4 vs 37.9 avg
- Responsibility burden49.6 vs 60 avg
- Pace and demands46.1 vs 56 avg
- Lack of control15.9 vs 24.5 avg
- Precision and monotony50.9 vs 67.7 avg
- Physical environment28.1 vs 38.2 avg
Scores range 0–100; higher = more stress-inducing. Source: SafeWork Australia Beta Occupational Hazards Dataset.
What drives the score for psychologists
Compared with the average Australian occupation, psychologists score furthest above the norm on emotional demands (48.4 vs 37.9 average). The single biggest individual stress factor is frequency of decision making at 71.2/100 — against an all-occupation average of 70.7.
The occupation scores below the national average for precision and monotony (50.9 vs 67.7), responsibility burden (49.6 vs 60) and physical environment (28.1 vs 38.2), which moderates the overall ranking.
See how this compares across all 317 Australian occupations, ranked by stress score.
The biggest stress factors for psychologists
- 1Pace and demands
Frequency of Decision Making
71.2/100
All-occupation average: 70.7
- 2Responsibility burden
Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results
70.8/100
All-occupation average: 70.4
- 3Pace and demands
Time Pressure
67.8/100
All-occupation average: 71.6
- 4Precision and monotony
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
66/100
All-occupation average: 78.6
- 5Emotional demands
Frequency of Conflict Situations
63.8/100
All-occupation average: 49.3
All 22 stress factors for psychologists
The complete scorecard: every stress factor measured for this occupation, grouped into the six categories, with the all-occupation average alongside.
Emotional demands
48.4 vs 37.9 avg- Deal With Physically Aggressive People23.5 vs 14
- Deal With Unpleasant or Angry People58 vs 50.4
- Frequency of Conflict Situations63.8 vs 49.3
Responsibility burden
49.6 vs 60 avg- Responsibility for Outcomes and Results36 vs 58.5
- Responsible for Others' Health and Safety29.2 vs 57.3
- Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results70.8 vs 70.4
- Consequence of Error55 vs 49
- Coordinate or Lead Others57 vs 64.9
Pace and demands
46.1 vs 56 avg- Time Pressure67.8 vs 71.6
- Duration of Typical Work Week53.5 vs 62.1
- Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment0 vs 23.1
- Frequency of Decision Making71.2 vs 70.7
- Level of Competition38 vs 52.4
Lack of control
15.9 vs 24.5 avg- Lack of Autonomy to Make Decisions11 vs 23.6
- Amount of Highly Structured Work20.8 vs 25.3
Precision and monotony
50.9 vs 67.7 avg- Importance of Repeating Same Tasks35.8 vs 56.9
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate66 vs 78.6
Physical environment
28.1 vs 38.2 avg- Sounds and Noise Levels Are Distracting or Uncomfortable41 vs 52.3
- Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting7.8 vs 24.9
- Very Hot or Cold Temperatures2.8 vs 32.4
- Exposed to Disease or Infections36.2 vs 20.2
- Physical Proximity52.8 vs 61.1
Understand these hazards
The elevated stress categories for psychologists map to recognised psychosocial work factors under ISO 45003 and Australian WHS legislation. Learn what each one is and how it can be controlled:
- Exposure to Violence →Whether workers face the risk of physical or verbal aggression at work.
- Exposure to Trauma →Whether workers encounter traumatic events or material as part of their role.
- Work Interaction →The quality of relationships and interactions within the team and organisation.
Methodology
Clearhead scored 317 occupations in the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) using SafeWork Australia's Beta Occupational Hazards Dataset. We kept only the 22 hazard variables relating to mental health — such as conflict exposure, decision-making pressure, and time pressure — and deliberately excluded physical safety risks like working at height.
The 22 variables are grouped into six categories: emotional demands, responsibility burden, pace and demands, lack of control, precision and monotony, and physical environment. An occupation's composite score is the equally weighted average of its six category scores. All scores run 0–100, where higher means more stress-inducing.
Two control-related variables are reported by SafeWork with inverted polarity (“freedom to make decisions” and “structured versus unstructured work”). We reverse these and present them as lack of autonomy to make decisions and amount of highly structured work, so that a higher score consistently indicates greater stress exposure.
Hazard exposure describes the average conditions of an occupation, not any individual's experience — everyone has a different tolerance for these challenges, and conditions vary between workplaces.
Frequently asked questions
Psychologists: how stressful is the job?
Psychologists rank #284 out of 317 Australian occupations for workplace mental health hazards, with a composite stress score of 39.8/100 against a national average of 47.4. That makes the occupation more stress-exposed than 10.4% of Australian jobs.
What are the biggest mental health stress factors for psychologists?
The highest-scoring hazards are frequency of decision making (71.2/100), impact of decisions on co-workers or company results (70.8/100) and time pressure (67.8/100). Overall, the occupation scores above the national average in emotional demands.
Which stress factors are lower for psychologists?
Psychologists score below the national average for responsibility burden (49.6 vs 60 average) and pace and demands (46.1 vs 56 average) and lack of control (15.9 vs 24.5 average) and precision and monotony (50.9 vs 67.7 average) and physical environment (28.1 vs 38.2 average), which partially offsets the higher-scoring hazards.
Where does this data come from?
Scores are derived from SafeWork Australia's Beta Occupational Hazards Dataset. Clearhead filtered the dataset to the 22 mental-health-related hazard variables — excluding physical safety risks — and scored 317 ANZSCO occupations across six categories: emotional demands, responsibility burden, pace and demands, lack of control, precision and monotony, and physical environment.
Beyond the average
This is the average hazard exposure for psychologists. Your workforce isn't average.
Clearhead's Psychosocial Risk Pulse measures the actual psychosocial risk in your organisation, quarterly — across 18 ISO 45003-aligned work factors.