Psychological testing, 1st hour cost in San Diego, CA
In San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA, 9 hospitals list a cash price for psychological testing evaluation by a psychologist or physician, first hour: from $61.50 to $1,139.25, with a median of $673.40. The lowest listed price is at Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego — $611.90 less than the median here. Across California, the median is $828.80 at 51 hospitals.
Cash prices at 9 facilities across 5 cities for code 96130, as an outpatient — the setting a self-pay patient normally buys. Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Apr 1, 2026 and Apr 1, 2026.
Where each hospital's price falls
Each dot is one hospital's cash price on a scale from the lowest to the highest in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego lowest San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rch Psychologic Testing By Psych/Phys | $61.50 | $82.00 | — | 25% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rch Follow-Up Assmnt 1St Hr Lcsw | $142.50 | $190.00 | — | 25% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rch Init Psych Assmnt 1St Hr Lcsw | $142.50 | $190.00 | — | 25% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rch Init Psy Assmnt 1St Hr Lcsw | $142.50 | $190.00 | — | 25% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rch Feed Team-Dec Dx Interview 1St Hr | $224.25 | $299.00 | — | 25% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rch Psych Testing Eval Srvc 1St Hr | $225.00 | $300.00 | — | 25% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rch Init Psyc Assmmt 1St Hr Phd | $225.00 | $300.00 | — | 25% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rch Psych Testing/1St Hr Phd | $225.00 | $300.00 | — | 25% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rch Init Psyc Assmnt 1St Hr Phd | $225.00 | $300.00 | — | 25% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rch Follow-Up Assmnt 1St Hr Phd | $225.00 | $300.00 | — | 25% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rch Sdrc Toddler Eval Initial Hr | $262.50 | $350.00 | — | 25% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rch Adi Psych Eval - 1Hr | $301.50 | $402.00 | — | 25% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rch Sdrc Eval 1St Hr | $301.50 | $402.00 | — | 25% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rch Kidstart Dec Psych Eval 1Hr | $301.50 | $402.00 | — | 25% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rch Ks Dec Psych Eval Services Initial Hr | $346.50 | $462.00 | — | 25% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA · (858) 576-1700 Rch Psych Eval Services Initial Hr | $346.50 | $462.00 | — | 25% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| UC San Diego Medical Center San Diego, CA · (619) 543-6222 Psychological testing evaluation with clinician 1st hour | $495.00 | $900.00 | $99.60–$1,215.00 | 45% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Marcos San Marcos, CA · (760) 528-6295 PSYCHOLOGICAL TST EVAL SVC PHYS/QHP FIRST HOUR | $673.40 | $1,295.00 | — | 48% | — source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Diego - Clairemont Mesa San Diego, CA PSYCHOLOGICAL TST EVAL SVC PHYS/QHP FIRST HOUR | $673.40 | $1,295.00 | — | 48% | — source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Diego - Zion San Diego, CA · (619) 528-5000 PSYCHOLOGICAL TST EVAL SVC PHYS/QHP FIRST HOUR | $673.40 | $1,295.00 | — | 48% | — source file |
| Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center Chula Vista, CA · (619) 502-5800 HC PSYCH TST EVAL 1ST HR QHP | $1,139.25 | $1,519.00 | $1.00–$1,488.62 | 25% | — source file |
| Grossmont Hospital La Mesa, CA · (619) 465-0711 HC PSYCH TST EVAL 1ST HR QHP | $1,139.25 | $1,519.00 | $1.15–$1,215.20 | 25% | — source file |
| Sharp Memorial Hospital San Diego, CA · (858) 939-3400 HC PSYCH TST EVAL 1ST HR QHP | $1,139.25 | $1,519.00 | $1.00–$1,488.62 | 25% | — source file |
| Sharp Coronado Hospital and Healthcare Center Coronado, CA · (619) 435-6251 HC PSYCH TST EVAL 1ST HR QHP | $1,139.25 | $1,519.00 | $1.00–$1,367.10 | 25% | — source file |
Outpatient: lowest $61.50, median $673.40, highest $1,139.25 — a 18.5× difference within the same market.
As an inpatient, the same code is billed by 9 facilities here, median $673.40. Inpatient and outpatient prices are not comparable and are kept on separate pages: the inpatient charge covers admission, not the same purchase.
Cash or insurance?
At 5 of 5 hospitals that publish insurer rates for this code here, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated, and at none is it below every plan's rate. If you have insurance but have not met your deductible, you usually pay your plan's negotiated rate, which falls somewhere in the "Insurers pay" column. Paying cash can cost less, but a cash payment usually does not count toward your deductible. Ask the hospital for both numbers before you book.
What it is
This code covers the first hour of a psychologist's or physician's work on psychological testing: choosing tests, interpreting results, writing the report and reviewing the findings with the patient. It is often part of an ADHD, learning or mood evaluation.
What the price covers
The price covers the first hour of evaluation work. Each additional hour is billed with an add-on code (96131), and giving and scoring the tests is billed under separate codes.