SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Care for individuals with mental or emotional conditions or disabilities, following the instructions of physicians or other health practitioners. Monitor patients’ physical and emotional well-being and report to medical staff. May participate in rehabilitation and treatment programs, help with personal hygiene, and administer oral or injectable medications.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 29-2053.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $35,090 | $2,924 | $675 | $16.87 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $38,430 | $3,202 | $739 | $18.48 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $45,130 | $3,761 | $868 | $21.70 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $50,160 | $4,180 | $965 | $24.12 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $60,750 | $5,062 | $1,168 | $29.21 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Psychiatric Technicians is $45,130, which is 11% lower. Among the 71 occupations of the field Healthcare Practitioners and Technical, it ranks number 69 by median pay. With 156,960 jobs, it makes up about 10 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Psychiatric Technicians pay by state
The highest median pay was in District of Columbia ($67,430), Oregon ($59,820) and New York ($58,080). The lowest was in Louisiana ($31,440), West Virginia ($34,100) and Mississippi ($35,320). The most jobs were in California (14,100), Florida (12,710) and Texas (11,350). The occupation is most concentrated in Hawaii, where its share of all jobs is 3.2 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 380 | $67,430 | $63,160 | $32.42 |
| Oregon | 1,250 | $59,820 | $58,140 | $28.76 |
| New York | 2,040 | $58,080 | $60,080 | $27.92 |
| Nebraska | 1,390 | $57,370 | $53,800 | $27.58 |
| Connecticut | 1,040 | $55,500 | $57,720 | $26.68 |
| Hawaii | 2,060 | $55,150 | $54,750 | $26.51 |
| New Jersey | 2,520 | $54,040 | $56,400 | $25.98 |
| Washington | 1,920 | $52,470 | $55,160 | $25.23 |
| Massachusetts | 5,340 | $52,000 | $53,840 | $25.00 |
| Alaska | 340 | $51,650 | $57,280 | $24.83 |
| California | 14,100 | $49,140 | $58,780 | $23.62 |
| Rhode Island | 990 | $48,520 | $50,310 | $23.33 |
| Virginia | 3,950 | $48,320 | $48,110 | $23.23 |
| Vermont | 600 | $47,560 | $48,650 | $22.87 |
| Colorado | 1,740 | $47,430 | $48,960 | $22.81 |
| Nevada | 2,060 | $46,450 | $47,110 | $22.33 |
| Georgia | 5,560 | $46,250 | $47,350 | $22.24 |
| Illinois | 9,410 | $46,200 | $46,090 | $22.21 |
| Missouri | 4,450 | $45,840 | $44,340 | $22.04 |
| Arizona | 8,160 | $45,640 | $45,280 | $21.94 |
| Maryland | 680 | $45,520 | $45,700 | $21.89 |
| Maine | 620 | $45,320 | $46,180 | $21.79 |
| New Hampshire | 260 | $44,660 | $50,860 | $21.47 |
| Pennsylvania | 10,340 | $43,930 | $44,750 | $21.12 |
| Kansas | 1,670 | $43,780 | $42,370 | $21.05 |
| Florida | 12,710 | $43,570 | $44,900 | $20.95 |
| Michigan | 4,850 | $43,140 | $46,530 | $20.74 |
| Iowa | 690 | $42,910 | $41,580 | $20.63 |
| Idaho | 780 | $41,490 | $42,800 | $19.95 |
| South Carolina | 560 | $40,970 | $43,880 | $19.70 |
| Indiana | 6,790 | $40,910 | $42,750 | $19.67 |
| Utah | 1,940 | $40,770 | $41,980 | $19.60 |
| North Carolina | 5,950 | $40,630 | $42,270 | $19.54 |
| Kentucky | 910 | $40,370 | $42,240 | $19.41 |
| Minnesota | 3,550 | $40,300 | $45,160 | $19.37 |
| Wisconsin | 4,430 | $40,290 | $48,190 | $19.37 |
| Texas | 11,350 | $39,970 | $41,750 | $19.22 |
| North Dakota | 270 | $39,960 | $43,620 | $19.21 |
| Tennessee | 3,810 | $39,800 | $42,190 | $19.13 |
| Montana | 310 | $39,190 | $41,710 | $18.84 |
| Ohio | 3,950 | $39,140 | $40,880 | $18.82 |
| Oklahoma | 820 | $39,060 | $42,250 | $18.78 |
| New Mexico | 660 | $39,020 | $41,720 | $18.76 |
| Delaware | 350 | $38,410 | $39,790 | $18.47 |
| Alabama | 3,290 | $36,680 | $35,600 | $17.63 |
| Arkansas | 1,900 | $35,930 | $35,980 | $17.27 |
| Mississippi | 930 | $35,320 | $36,120 | $16.98 |
| West Virginia | 770 | $34,100 | $34,840 | $16.39 |
| Louisiana | 2,420 | $31,440 | $32,310 | $15.12 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Opticians, Dispensing$47,260 a year
- Pharmacy Technicians$45,750 a year
- Ophthalmic Medical Technicians$45,570 a year
- Emergency Medical Technicians$44,470 a year
- Dietetic Technicians$37,640 a year
Common questions
How much do Psychiatric Technicians earn in the United States?
The median pay was $45,130 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $35,090 and the highest-paid 10% more than $60,750.
How many people work as Psychiatric Technicians?
About 156,960 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.
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