Neuropsychologists work in a wide range of settings, but the majority are based in institutions like hospitals and academic medical centers. A 2020 professional survey found that about 55% of neuropsychologists work exclusively in institutional settings, roughly 24% work exclusively in private practice, and another 21% split their time between both. Those numbers have been shifting toward institutions over the past decade, up from about 43% in 2010.
Hospitals and Medical Centers
The most common workplace for neuropsychologists is a hospital or medical center. Within these systems, they typically sit within neurology or psychiatry departments, where they assess patients dealing with memory problems, brain injuries, dementia, seizure disorders, and cognitive changes tied to other medical conditions. At large academic medical centers, neuropsychology often operates as its own specialized division. UTHealth Houston, for example, houses a full Neuropsychology Program within its Neurocognitive Disorders Center, offering not just testing but also cognitive rehabilitation and therapy through a dedicated outpatient clinic.
Day-to-day hospital work centers on evaluating how well a patient’s brain is functioning. A neurologist might refer a patient who’s having memory lapses after a stroke, or a neurosurgeon might request a cognitive baseline before operating. The neuropsychologist runs a structured battery of tests, interprets the results, and feeds recommendations back to the medical team. In larger hospitals, they also join specialized clinics for conditions like epilepsy, movement disorders, and ALS, where their input on cognition helps shape treatment decisions.
Rehabilitation Facilities
Inpatient rehabilitation is another major setting, particularly for neuropsychologists who work with brain injury patients. In these facilities, they’re part of an interdisciplinary team that includes physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech-language pathologists. The most common patients are people recovering from traumatic brain injury, stroke, or brain tumors.
A survey of neuropsychologists in pediatric inpatient rehab found they dedicated anywhere from 2 to 32 hours per week to on-site rehabilitation work, with an average of about 14 hours. Most of these rehab programs (about 64%) were embedded within larger medical centers rather than standing alone. The work goes beyond testing. Neuropsychologists in rehab educate families about what to expect during recovery, track cognitive progress over time, and help design strategies for managing daily life with a brain injury.
Private Practice
About a quarter of neuropsychologists run or work in private practices. These offices typically offer comprehensive neuropsychological testing to help diagnose conditions like ADHD, learning disabilities, early-stage dementia, and cognitive problems following concussions or other injuries. A private practice evaluation usually takes several hours and produces a detailed report outlining a person’s cognitive strengths and weaknesses, along with recommendations for treatment, accommodations, or further care.
Some private practices expand beyond testing to include therapy services, cognitive rehabilitation, and behavioral health treatment. The range of patients tends to be broad, from children struggling in school to older adults worried about memory loss. Private practice neuropsychologists also frequently write reports used for disability claims, school accommodations, or workplace modifications, making their assessments a bridge between clinical findings and practical life decisions.
Veterans Affairs and Government
The VA healthcare system is one of the largest employers of neuropsychologists in the country. Within VA hospitals, they run a neuropsychology consult service that handles referrals for traumatic brain injury, dementia, epilepsy, ADHD, stroke, and cognitive problems linked to psychiatric conditions. They also function as the cognitive specialist on teams in memory disorders clinics, geriatrics clinics, seizure clinics, and movement disorders programs.
VA neuropsychologists do more than evaluate. They lead psychoeducational and support groups for veterans dealing with conditions like mild cognitive impairment, Parkinson’s disease, and seizure disorders that have a psychological component. They also provide individual treatment for veterans with compromised cognitive function or neurological illness. Government positions overall tend to pay more than other settings. The median annual wage for psychologists in government roles was $126,990 in 2024, compared to about $96,000 in hospitals and ambulatory healthcare.
Universities and Research Institutions
Academic neuropsychologists split their time between clinical work, research, and teaching. On the clinical side, they often see patients through a university-affiliated hospital or clinic. On the academic side, they conduct research on brain-behavior relationships, publish findings, and supervise doctoral students and psychology interns. Staying current through conferences and continuing education is an expected part of the role.
These positions tend to appeal to neuropsychologists who want to advance the field rather than focus purely on patient care. Research topics range from developing better cognitive tests to studying how specific brain conditions change thinking and behavior over time. The tradeoff is that academic salaries, particularly at universities without medical school affiliations, often fall below what hospital-based or private practice neuropsychologists earn.
Forensic and Legal Settings
Some neuropsychologists work at the intersection of brain science and the legal system. Forensic neuropsychologists evaluate people involved in legal proceedings, assessing whether a brain condition affects someone’s ability to stand trial, supports an insanity defense, or explains behavioral changes relevant to a case. Their evaluations carry weight in court because they provide objective, measurable data about cognitive and emotional functioning tied to documented brain conditions.
This work doesn’t always mean sitting in a courtroom. Forensic neuropsychologists also consult with attorneys, review medical records, conduct evaluations in jails or prisons, and write reports used as evidence. Some do forensic work full-time, while many others take on forensic cases alongside a primary clinical or academic role.
Pediatric and School-Related Settings
Pediatric neuropsychologists often work in children’s hospitals, university-affiliated child study centers, or private practices specializing in developmental and learning issues. NYU Langone’s Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital, for instance, runs a neuropsychology and learning service that not only evaluates children but also participates in school meetings to help develop Individualized Education Plans and determine whether a child needs an alternative classroom or school placement.
The overlap with schools is significant. While pediatric neuropsychologists don’t typically work inside schools as employees, their evaluations directly shape what happens in the classroom. Parents often seek a neuropsychological evaluation when a child is struggling academically or behaviorally and standard school assessments haven’t provided clear answers. The resulting report can unlock services, accommodations, or specialized instruction that a school district is required to provide.