Psychiatric technicians salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $35,090 | $16.87 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $45,130 | $21.70 |
| Mean (average) | $46,610 | $22.41 |
| 90th percentile | $60,750 | $29.21 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Psychiatric technicians pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 49 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $36,680 | $23,330 | $45,870 | 3,290 | 1.54 |
| Alaska | $51,650 | $40,270 | $77,830 | 340 | 1.03 |
| Arizona | $45,640 | $36,240 | $56,420 | 8,160 | 2.49 |
| Arkansas | $35,930 | $29,790 | $44,130 | 1,900 | 1.45 |
| California | $49,140 | $40,880 | $88,090 | 14,100 | 0.77 |
| Colorado | $47,430 | $40,940 | $59,810 | 1,740 | 0.6 |
| Connecticut | $55,500 | $41,250 | $77,540 | 1,040 | 0.61 |
| Delaware | $38,410 | $32,100 | $47,320 | 350 | 0.71 |
| District of Columbia | $67,430 | $42,440 | $78,460 | 380 | 0.53 |
| Florida | $43,570 | $35,280 | $57,290 | 12,710 | 1.27 |
| Georgia | $46,250 | $37,530 | $58,130 | 5,560 | 1.13 |
| Hawaii | $55,150 | $45,830 | $63,720 | 2,060 | 3.25 |
| Idaho | $41,490 | $37,980 | $48,180 | 780 | 0.9 |
| Illinois | $46,200 | $36,820 | $53,620 | 9,410 | 1.53 |
| Indiana | $40,910 | $36,010 | $50,190 | 6,790 | 2.1 |
| Iowa | $42,910 | $36,370 | $46,310 | 690 | 0.44 |
| Kansas | $43,780 | $36,710 | $49,300 | 1,670 | 1.15 |
| Kentucky | $40,370 | $31,300 | $54,750 | 910 | 0.45 |
| Louisiana | $31,440 | $28,400 | $36,830 | 2,420 | 1.24 |
| Maine | $45,320 | $39,320 | $51,740 | 620 | 0.95 |
| Maryland | $45,520 | $34,500 | $61,190 | 680 | 0.24 |
| Massachusetts | $52,000 | $40,140 | $66,330 | 5,340 | 1.45 |
| Michigan | $43,140 | $36,630 | $72,550 | 4,850 | 1.09 |
| Minnesota | $40,300 | $36,830 | $58,490 | 3,550 | 1.19 |
| Mississippi | $35,320 | $27,540 | $49,770 | 930 | 0.79 |
| Missouri | $45,840 | $34,870 | $55,530 | 4,450 | 1.5 |
| Montana | $39,190 | $35,030 | $54,350 | 310 | 0.6 |
| Nebraska | $57,370 | $39,490 | $62,000 | 1,390 | 1.35 |
| Nevada | $46,450 | $38,480 | $56,250 | 2,060 | 1.31 |
| New Hampshire | $44,660 | $44,180 | $60,530 | 260 | 0.38 |
| New Jersey | $54,040 | $45,770 | $64,620 | 2,520 | 0.58 |
| New Mexico | $39,020 | $31,390 | $49,760 | 660 | 0.76 |
| New York | $58,080 | $41,650 | $85,920 | 2,040 | 0.21 |
| North Carolina | $40,630 | $33,900 | $50,530 | 5,950 | 1.19 |
| North Dakota | $39,960 | $38,350 | $55,760 | 270 | 0.62 |
| Ohio | $39,140 | $31,550 | $48,840 | 3,950 | 0.7 |
| Oklahoma | $39,060 | $34,080 | $62,400 | 820 | 0.48 |
| Oregon | $59,820 | $44,570 | $73,530 | 1,250 | 0.63 |
| Pennsylvania | $43,930 | $36,920 | $54,000 | 10,340 | 1.69 |
| Rhode Island | $48,520 | $43,450 | $62,490 | 990 | 1.95 |
| South Carolina | $40,970 | $35,390 | $53,170 | 560 | 0.24 |
| Tennessee | $39,800 | $31,370 | $53,940 | 3,810 | 1.15 |
| Texas | $39,970 | $33,240 | $49,250 | 11,350 | 0.8 |
| Utah | $40,770 | $34,760 | $47,870 | 1,940 | 1.11 |
| Vermont | $47,560 | $40,630 | $58,360 | 600 | 1.96 |
| Virginia | $48,320 | $38,580 | $58,530 | 3,950 | 0.95 |
| Washington | $52,470 | $44,030 | $76,730 | 1,920 | 0.54 |
| West Virginia | $34,100 | $30,130 | $44,270 | 770 | 1.08 |
| Wisconsin | $40,290 | $32,560 | $84,760 | 4,430 | 1.49 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for psychiatric technicians
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 17,000. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for psychiatric technicians
- Typical entry education
- Postsecondary nondegree award
- Related work experience
- Less than 5 years
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Psychiatric/Mental Health Services Technician CIP 51.1502
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Provide nursing, psychiatric, or personal care to patients with cognitive, intellectual, or developmental disabilities.
- Encourage patients to develop work skills and to participate in social, recreational, or other therapeutic activities that enhance interpersonal skills or develop social relationships.
- Restrain violent, potentially violent, or suicidal patients by verbal or physical means as required.
- Lead prescribed individual or group therapy sessions as part of specific therapeutic procedures.
- Monitor patients' physical and emotional well-being and report unusual behavior or physical ailments to medical staff.
- Take and record measures of patients' physical condition, using devices such as thermometers or blood pressure gauges.
- Observe and influence patients' behavior, communicating and interacting with them and teaching, counseling, or befriending them.
- Aid patients in performing tasks, such as bathing or keeping beds, clothing, or living areas clean.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- ADL Data Systems OptimumClinicals Electronic Health Record
- Allscripts Sunrise
- Cerner ProFile
- Epic EpicCare Inpatient Clinical System
- GE Healthcare Centricity EMR
- ICANotes
- InfoLogix HealthTrax Engine
- MEDITECH Behavioral Health Clinicals
- Netsmart Technologies Avatar Clinical Workstation CWS
Transferable skills for career changers: Social Perceptiveness, Coordination, Service Orientation, Instructing, Persuasion, Negotiation.
Common job titles: BHT (Behavioral Health Technician), Health Care Technician (Health Care Tech), LPT (Licensed Psychiatric Technician), Mental Health Associate, Mental Health Specialist, Mental Health Technician (MHT), MHA (Mental Health Assistant), MHW (Mental Health Worker), Psychiatric Technician (PT), Residential Aide (RA).
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do psychiatric technicians make?
The national median annual wage for psychiatric technicians was $45,130 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $35,090 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $60,750. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do psychiatric technicians need?
BLS lists postsecondary nondegree award as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with less than 5 years of related work experience and short-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is psychiatric technicians a growing career?
BLS projects employment of psychiatric technicians to change +22.3% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 17,000 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay psychiatric technicians the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were District of Columbia ($67,430), Oregon ($59,820), New York ($58,080). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.