31 Series · SOC 31-1133
Psychiatric Aides Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $44,910
- Median / year
- +8%
- 2024→2025
- $60,440
- Top 10% earn
- -0.4%
- Growth '24–'34
- 35,520
- Estimated US jobs
Psychiatric Aides earn a median of $44,910 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $44,910, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $32,090 (10th percentile) to $60,440 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 35,520 estimated jobs in covered establishments. The highest published state median in this ranking is Minnesota ($55,040).
The pay verdict
Psychiatric Aides earn a median of $44,910, putting them among the lower-paid US occupations and higher than 20% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Healthcare Support, it ranks #9 of 17 by median pay. Employment is projected to fall 0.4% by 2034.
- $44,910
- Median annual wage
- Top 80%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #9 of 17
- in Healthcare Support
- 1.9×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Minnesota at $55,040. Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
Observed pay change
What changed, BLS OEWS 2019–2025
- The published national median for Psychiatric Aides moved from $31,110 in May 2019 to $44,910 in May 2025 (+44.4%).
- Across the 749 occupations priced in both releases under SOC-2018, the median occupation changed +24.5%.
- Psychiatric Aides sits +19.9 pp ahead of that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.
Psychiatric Aides (SOC 31-1133) has a national median of $44,910 per year in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release. The published 10th-to-90th-percentile boundaries run from $32,090 to $60,440, and the published mean is $45,690. Those summary statistics describe the estimated distribution; their difference alone does not identify its cause. OEWS estimates 35,520 jobs in covered establishments nationally. WageDex has published rows for 39 state or territory areas and 88 metropolitan or nonmetropolitan wage areas. The published national median moved from $41,590 in the May 2024 OEWS release to $44,910 in May 2025, a rise of $3,320 (+8%). This is a change between two BLS survey estimates, not an inflation-adjusted same-worker pay raise.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a -0.4% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which we classify as declining relative to the all-occupations baseline of 3.1%. About 5,300 openings are projected per year from growth, occupational transfers, and labor-force exits. BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as typical education needed for entry, and BLS classifies its typical on-the-job preparation as short-term on-the-job training. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for this role in the current release. The safety panel below shows its broad Healthcare Support Occupations SOC-group context and is not an occupation-level measurement or ranking.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Minnesota pays the highest state median at $55,040, which is +23% above the national figure. The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY at $75,670. The observed difference does not identify its cause. Pair the national median with the state and metropolitan-area rows below while keeping the geography and statistic consistent. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses, but not employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, or nonproduction bonuses. See our methodology for the sourcing and calculation details.
Median Salary
$44,910
per year
Median Hourly
$21.59/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$45,690
average
Employment
35,520
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Psychiatric Aides pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$44,910 Bottom 20% higher than 20% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
| Band | Count | Share |
|---|---|---|
| $0–$20,000 | 0 US occupations | 0% |
| $20,000–$40,000 | 98 US occupations | 12% |
| $40,000–$60,000 (this entry) | 298 US occupations | 36% |
| $60,000–$80,000 | 209 US occupations | 25% |
| $80,000–$100,000 | 82 US occupations | 10% |
| $100,000–$120,000 | 58 US occupations | 7% |
| $120,000–$140,000 | 32 US occupations | 4% |
| $140,000–$160,000 | 14 US occupations | 2% |
| $160,000–$180,000 | 9 US occupations | 1% |
| $180,000 and above | 25 US occupations | 3% |
$44,910 · 20th percentile of 825 US occupations
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 31-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Psychiatric Aides; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Read the chart as text
- Home Health and Pers…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 17%, Median annual wage $35800
- Nursing Assistants: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.3%, Median annual wage $42260
- Medical Assistants: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 12.5%, Median annual wage $45690
- Dental Assistants: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6.4%, Median annual wage $48070
- Phlebotomists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.6%, Median annual wage $45230
- Veterinary Assistant…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 8.7%, Median annual wage $38150
- Physical Therapist A…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 22%, Median annual wage $68380
- Healthcare Support W…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.5%, Median annual wage $48430
- Massage Therapists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 15.4%, Median annual wage $58450
- Medical Equipment Pr…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 10%, Median annual wage $47700
- Orderlies: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.3%, Median annual wage $38290
- Occupational Therapy…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 19.2%, Median annual wage $72300
- Physical Therapist A…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.8%, Median annual wage $35240
- Medical Transcriptio…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -4.9%, Median annual wage $40410
- Pharmacy Aides: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -0.1%, Median annual wage $37680
- Psychiatric Aides: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -0.4%, Median annual wage $44910
- Occupational Therapy…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.5%, Median annual wage $39160
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
-0.4%
Declining
Annual Openings
5,300
per year (projected)
Employment Change
-100
38,500 (2024) → 38,300 (2034)
Typical Education
High school diploma or equivalent
On-the-Job Training
Short-term on-the-job training
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Healthcare Support Occupations context
Broad SOC context, not an occupation grade
Fatality Rate
0.6/100K
Injury Rate
5.5/100
Danger Index
22.3/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Psychiatric Aides roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Listen and provide emotional support and encouragement to psychiatric patients.
- ▸ Provide patients with cognitive, intellectual, or developmental disabilities with routine physical, emotional, psychological, or rehabilitation care under the direction of nursing or medical staff.
- ▸ Complete physical checks and monitor patients to detect unusual or harmful behavior and report observations to professional staff.
- ▸ Restrain or aid patients as necessary to prevent injury.
- ▸ Work as part of a team that may include psychiatrists, psychologists, psychiatric nurses, or social workers.
- ▸ Record and maintain patient information, such as vital signs, eating habits, behavior, progress notes, treatments, or discharge plans.
- ▸ Maintain patients' restrictions to assigned areas.
- ▸ Organize, supervise, or encourage patient participation in social, educational, or recreational activities.
- ▸ Provide patients with assistance in bathing, dressing, or grooming, demonstrating these skills as necessary.
- ▸ Aid patients in becoming accustomed to hospital routines.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
Psychiatric Aides pay history, 2019–2025
Published national median across 7 BLS OEWS releases. Nominal dollars, not inflation-adjusted.
Read the chart as text
| Period | National median |
|---|---|
| 2019 | $31,110 |
| 2020 | $31,570 |
| 2021 | $30,260 |
| 2022 | $37,160 |
| 2023 | $39,160 |
| 2024 | $41,590 |
| 2025 | $44,910 |
2019 median
$31,110
2025 median
$44,910
2019–2025 change
+$13,800 (+44.4%)
Avg/year
+6.3%
| Release | Median | Change | Estimated jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2019 | $31,110 | First banked release | 55,020 |
| May 2020 | $31,570 | +1.5% | 51,550 |
| May 2021 | $30,260 | -4.1% | 39,140 |
| May 2022 | $37,160 | +22.8% | 30,590 |
| May 2023 | $39,160 | +5.4% | 32,310 |
| May 2024 | $41,590 | +6.2% | 34,900 |
| May 2025 | $44,910 | +8.0% | 35,520 |
Across the 7 releases WageDex holds for this occupation, the published national median went from $31,110 in May 2019 to $44,910 in May 2025. Within the SOC-2018 classification (2019–2025), the like-for-like change averages +6.3% per year in nominal terms. Within the same SOC classification, estimated employment went from 55,020 in May 2019 to 35,520 in May 2025.
Each figure is a separate BLS survey estimate, so a change between releases reflects the estimated occupation-wide median in each year. It is not the raise any individual worker received, and it is not adjusted for inflation. Years where BLS did not publish an annual median for this occupation are omitted rather than filled in.
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 39 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minnesota | $55,040 | +23% above national |
| 2 | Washington | $52,570 | +17% above national |
| 3 | Hawaii | $52,310 | +16% above national |
| 4 | Maryland | $51,440 | +15% above national |
| 5 | Nevada | $51,400 | +14% above national |
| 6 | Rhode Island | $51,100 | +14% above national |
| 7 | New York | $50,220 | +12% above national |
| 8 | Alaska | $49,300 | +10% above national |
| 9 | Illinois | $48,670 | +8% above national |
| 10 | Oregon | $48,300 | +8% above national |
| 11 | Vermont | $47,860 | +7% above national |
| 12 | California | $47,500 | +6% above national |
| 13 | Maine | $46,720 | +4% above national |
| 14 | Montana | $46,340 | +3% above national |
| 15 | Colorado | $46,130 | +3% above national |
| 16 | Michigan | $45,800 | +2% above national |
| 17 | New Jersey | $45,780 | +2% above national |
| 18 | Massachusetts | $45,300 | +1% above national |
| 19 | Oklahoma | $44,960 | same as national |
| 20 | Indiana | $44,860 | same as national |
| 21 | Pennsylvania | $44,790 | same as national |
| 22 | Connecticut | $44,660 | 1% below national |
| 23 | Texas | $42,560 | 5% below national |
| 24 | Utah | $40,810 | 9% below national |
| 25 | Missouri | $39,840 | 11% below national |
| 26 | Iowa | $39,260 | 13% below national |
| 27 | Kentucky | $38,610 | 14% below national |
| 28 | Ohio | $38,480 | 14% below national |
| 29 | North Carolina | $38,400 | 14% below national |
| 30 | Kansas | $38,390 | 15% below national |
| 31 | Florida | $37,930 | 16% below national |
| 32 | West Virginia | $37,910 | 16% below national |
| 33 | Virginia | $37,280 | 17% below national |
| 34 | Georgia | $36,790 | 18% below national |
| 35 | South Carolina | $36,320 | 19% below national |
| 36 | Arkansas | $36,270 | 19% below national |
| 37 | Mississippi | $30,510 | 32% below national |
| 38 | Louisiana | $30,030 | 33% below national |
| 39 | Alabama | $27,150 | 40% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 70 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $75,670 | +68% above national |
| 2 | Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $60,110 | +34% above national |
| 3 | Utica-Rome, NY | $58,600 | +30% above national |
| 4 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $58,550 | +30% above national |
| 5 | Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $57,360 | +28% above national |
| 6 | Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | $55,100 | +23% above national |
| 7 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $53,520 | +19% above national |
| 8 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $52,570 | +17% above national |
| 9 | Colorado Springs, CO | $51,670 | +15% above national |
| 10 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $51,610 | +15% above national |
| 11 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $51,440 | +15% above national |
| 12 | Salem, OR | $50,580 | +13% above national |
| 13 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $50,140 | +12% above national |
| 14 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $49,840 | +11% above national |
| 15 | Syracuse, NY | $49,820 | +11% above national |
| 16 | Merced, CA | $49,590 | +10% above national |
| 17 | Eugene-Springfield, OR | $49,560 | +10% above national |
| 18 | Binghamton, NY | $49,340 | +10% above national |
| 19 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $48,780 | +9% above national |
| 20 | Anchorage, AK | $48,730 | +9% above national |
| 21 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $48,670 | +8% above national |
| 22 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $48,560 | +8% above national |
| 23 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $48,100 | +7% above national |
| 24 | Helena, MT | $47,930 | +7% above national |
| 25 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $47,780 | +6% above national |
| 26 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $47,730 | +6% above national |
| 27 | Fresno, CA | $47,480 | +6% above national |
| 28 | Columbus, OH | $47,160 | +5% above national |
| 29 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $47,080 | +5% above national |
| 30 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $47,050 | +5% above national |
| 31 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $46,280 | +3% above national |
| 32 | Evansville, IN | $46,080 | +3% above national |
| 33 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $46,010 | +2% above national |
| 34 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $45,660 | +2% above national |
| 35 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $45,410 | +1% above national |
| 36 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $45,080 | same as national |
| 37 | Pittsburgh, PA | $44,920 | same as national |
| 38 | Reading, PA | $44,720 | same as national |
| 39 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $44,700 | same as national |
| 40 | Redding, CA | $44,700 | same as national |
| 41 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $44,590 | 1% below national |
| 42 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $43,770 | 3% below national |
| 43 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $43,180 | 4% below national |
| 44 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $41,780 | 7% below national |
| 45 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $40,810 | 9% below national |
| 46 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $39,950 | 11% below national |
| 47 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $39,290 | 13% below national |
| 48 | Winston-Salem, NC | $39,280 | 13% below national |
| 49 | Bloomington, IN | $39,100 | 13% below national |
| 50 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $39,080 | 13% below national |
| 51 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $38,800 | 14% below national |
| 52 | Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $38,710 | 14% below national |
| 53 | Topeka, KS | $38,390 | 15% below national |
| 54 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $38,080 | 15% below national |
| 55 | Jacksonville, FL | $37,750 | 16% below national |
| 56 | Toledo, OH | $37,710 | 16% below national |
| 57 | Oklahoma City, OK | $37,320 | 17% below national |
| 58 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $37,280 | 17% below national |
| 59 | Baton Rouge, LA | $37,130 | 17% below national |
| 60 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $36,910 | 18% below national |
| 61 | Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $36,740 | 18% below national |
| 62 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $36,490 | 19% below national |
| 63 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $36,460 | 19% below national |
| 64 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $36,360 | 19% below national |
| 65 | Flint, MI | $35,580 | 21% below national |
| 66 | Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | $31,640 | 30% below national |
| 67 | Jackson, MS | $31,560 | 30% below national |
| 68 | Hattiesburg, MS | $31,380 | 30% below national |
| 69 | Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL | $30,020 | 33% below national |
| 70 | Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $28,250 | 37% below national |
Same SOC major group
Other detailed occupations in SOC major group 31 (Healthcare Support Occupations) - category peers, not a pay match.
Dental Assistants
SOC 31-9091
Healthcare Support Workers, All Other
SOC 31-9099
Home Health and Personal Care Aides
SOC 31-1120
Massage Therapists
SOC 31-9011
Medical Assistants
SOC 31-9092
Showing 5 of 16 detailed occupations BLS assigns to this SOC major group.
Nationwide occupations with similar pay or employment scale
Two OEWS peer sets outside this SOC major group (Healthcare Support Occupations). Same-category cards above stay inside the group; these neighborhoods are cross-group nearest neighbors on national median pay ($44,910 here) and reported employment (35,520 jobs here).
Similar median pay
Nearest other detailed occupations by BLS OEWS national median annual wage.
Similar employment scale
Nearest headcount peers (floor 1,000 national jobs), distinct from the pay column.
Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS national median annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude occupations already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Psychiatric Aides make? ▼
Where does Psychiatric Aides pay rank nationally? ▼
What state pays Psychiatric Aides the most? ▼
What education do Psychiatric Aides need? ▼
Does BLS publish a safety rate for Psychiatric Aides? ▼
Is Psychiatric Aides a good career? ▼
How does Psychiatric Aides pay vary by state? ▼
Which metro areas pay the most for Psychiatric Aides? ▼
What to do with this data
How to use Psychiatric Aides pay figures in a real decision
- The 75th-percentile wage is about $49,950/year. Treat it as the upper-quartile market boundary, not an automatic target for experience alone; role scope, location, industry, credentials, performance, and employer context still need separate evidence. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: Minnesota leads at $55,040/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Occupation wages use BLS OEWS May 2025; outlook uses BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; safety, skills, knowledge, and task panels identify their BLS or O*NET sources in context. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.