29 Series · SOC 29-2053

Psychiatric Technicians Salary

National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).

$45,130
Median / year
+6%
2024→2025
$60,750
Top 10% earn
+20%
Growth '24–'34
156,960
Estimated US jobs

Psychiatric Technicians earn a median of $45,130 per year.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $45,130, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $35,090 (10th percentile) to $60,750 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 156,960 estimated jobs in covered establishments. The highest published state median in this ranking is District of Columbia ($67,430).

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The pay verdict

Psychiatric Technicians earn a median of $45,130, putting them among the lower-paid US occupations and higher than 20% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Healthcare Practitioners and Technical, it ranks #69 of 71 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 20% by 2034.

$45,130
Median annual wage
Top 80%
of 825 US occupations with published wages
#69 of 71
in Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
1.7×
90th-to-10th pay spread

Highest-paying state: District of Columbia at $67,430. Typical entry-level education: Postsecondary nondegree award.

Observed pay change

What changed, BLS OEWS 2019–2025

May 2019 → May 2025
  • The published national median for Psychiatric Technicians moved from $33,780 in May 2019 to $45,130 in May 2025 (+33.6%).
  • Across the 749 occupations priced in both releases under SOC-2018, the median occupation changed +24.5%.
  • Psychiatric Technicians sits +9.1 pp ahead of that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.

Psychiatric Technicians (SOC 29-2053) has a national median of $45,130 per year in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release. The published 10th-to-90th-percentile boundaries run from $35,090 to $60,750, and the published mean is $46,610. Those summary statistics describe the estimated distribution; their difference alone does not identify its cause. OEWS estimates 156,960 jobs in covered establishments nationally. WageDex has published rows for 49 state or territory areas and 297 metropolitan or nonmetropolitan wage areas. The published national median moved from $42,590 in the May 2024 OEWS release to $45,130 in May 2025, a rise of $2,540 (+6%). This is a change between two BLS survey estimates, not an inflation-adjusted same-worker pay raise.

BLS Employment Projections forecast a +20% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which we classify as much faster than average relative to the all-occupations baseline of 3.1%. About 15,900 openings are projected per year from growth, occupational transfers, and labor-force exits. BLS assigns Postsecondary nondegree award as typical education needed for entry and less than 5 years as the typical related-work-experience category, 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 Practitioners and Technical Occupations SOC-group context and is not an occupation-level measurement or ranking.

Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. District of Columbia pays the highest state median at $67,430, which is +49% above the national figure. The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is Stockton-Lodi, CA at $95,580. 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.

BLS OEWS May 2025 156,960 jobs Median $45,130/yr

Median Salary

$45,130

per year

Median Hourly

$21.70/hr

per hour

Mean Salary

$46,610

average

Employment

156,960

jobs nationwide

How does this pay compare nationally?

Where Psychiatric Technicians pay sits nationally

Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median

$45,130 Bottom 20% higher than 20% of 825 US occupations

$0–$20,000: 0 US occupations (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 98 US occupations (12%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 298 US occupations (36%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 209 US occupations (25%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 82 US occupations (10%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 58 US occupations (7%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 32 US occupations (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 14 US occupations (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 9 US occupations (1%). Above this entry. $180,000 and above: 25 US occupations (3%). Above this entry. This job $0 $180,000+ every BLS occupation, bucketed by value

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%

$45,130 · 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 29-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Psychiatric Technicians; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).

Among 24 29-series occupations with growth data, Psychiatric Technicians sits on the faster-growing side at +20% growth and $45,130 median pay. Scatter plot of 24 data points. $0$50000$100000$150000$200000$250000$300000 0%10%20%30%40%50% Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) Median annual wage Registered Nurses - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.9% · Median annual wage: $97550Licensed Practical a… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 2.6% · Median annual wage: $64400Pharmacy Technicians - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 6.4% · Median annual wage: $45750Physicians, All Other - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 2.5% · Median annual wage: $265930Clinical Laboratory … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 1.7% · Median annual wage: $62930Nurse Practitioners - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 40.1% · Median annual wage: $132300Pharmacists - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.6% · Median annual wage: $140910Physical Therapists - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 10.9% · Median annual wage: $102760Radiologic Technolog… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.3% · Median annual wage: $80110Dental Hygienists - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 7% · Median annual wage: $98100Medical Records Spec… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 7.1% · Median annual wage: $51140Speech-Language Path… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 15% · Median annual wage: $97870Health Technologists… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 5.2% · Median annual wage: $50290Emergency Medical Te… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 5.1% · Median annual wage: $44470Occupational Therapi… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 13.8% · Median annual wage: $100330Physician Assistants - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 20.4% · Median annual wage: $135880Psychiatric Technici… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 20% · Median annual wage: $45130Respiratory Therapists - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 12.1% · Median annual wage: $82280Veterinary Technolog… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 9.1% · Median annual wage: $47380Dentists, General - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.1% · Median annual wage: $170950Surgical Technologists - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.5% · Median annual wage: $64650Family Medicine Phys… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 2.7% · Median annual wage: $244180Paramedics - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 5% · Median annual wage: $60600Diagnostic Medical S… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 13% · Median annual wage: $96590
Among 24 29-series occupations with growth data, Psychiatric Technicians sits on the faster-growing side at +20% growth and $45,130 median pay.
Read the chart as text
  • Registered Nurses: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.9%, Median annual wage $97550
  • Licensed Practical a…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.6%, Median annual wage $64400
  • Pharmacy Technicians: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6.4%, Median annual wage $45750
  • Physicians, All Other: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.5%, Median annual wage $265930
  • Clinical Laboratory …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.7%, Median annual wage $62930
  • Nurse Practitioners: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 40.1%, Median annual wage $132300
  • Pharmacists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.6%, Median annual wage $140910
  • Physical Therapists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 10.9%, Median annual wage $102760
  • Radiologic Technolog…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.3%, Median annual wage $80110
  • Dental Hygienists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 7%, Median annual wage $98100
  • Medical Records Spec…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 7.1%, Median annual wage $51140
  • Speech-Language Path…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 15%, Median annual wage $97870
  • Health Technologists…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.2%, Median annual wage $50290
  • Emergency Medical Te…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.1%, Median annual wage $44470
  • Occupational Therapi…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 13.8%, Median annual wage $100330
  • Physician Assistants: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 20.4%, Median annual wage $135880
  • Psychiatric Technici…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 20%, Median annual wage $45130
  • Respiratory Therapists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 12.1%, Median annual wage $82280
  • Veterinary Technolog…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 9.1%, Median annual wage $47380
  • Dentists, General: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.1%, Median annual wage $170950
  • Surgical Technologists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.5%, Median annual wage $64650
  • Family Medicine Phys…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.7%, Median annual wage $244180
  • Paramedics: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5%, Median annual wage $60600
  • Diagnostic Medical S…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 13%, Median annual wage $96590

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).

Job Outlook (2024–2034)

Projected Growth

+20%

Much faster than average

Annual Openings

15,900

per year (projected)

Employment Change

+28,900

144,500 (2024) → 173,300 (2034)

Typical Education

Postsecondary nondegree award

Work Experience

Less than 5 years

On-the-Job Training

Short-term on-the-job training

Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034

Workplace Safety

All safety ratings →
Group

Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations context

Broad SOC context, not an occupation grade

Fatality Rate

0.7/100K

Injury Rate

1.5/100

Danger Index

6.4/100

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 Technicians roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.

Top Skills

Social Perceptiveness 4.1
Active Listening 4.0
Monitoring 4.0
Speaking 3.9
Coordination 3.9
Reading Comprehension 3.8
Critical Thinking 3.6
Service Orientation 3.6
Writing 3.3
Instructing 3.3

Knowledge Areas

Psychology 4.2
Therapy and Counseling 4.1
English Language 4.1
Customer and Personal Service 4.0
Medicine and Dentistry 3.7
Education and Training 3.5
Public Safety and Security 3.5
Law and Government 3.2
Computers and Electronics 3.2
Sociology and Anthropology 3.1

Key Tasks

  • Provide nursing, psychiatric, or personal care to patients with cognitive, intellectual, or developmental disabilities.
  • Administer oral medications or hypodermic injections, following physician's prescriptions and hospital procedures.
  • 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.
  • Issue medications from dispensary and maintain records in accordance with specified 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.

Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.

Salary Range

Annual Salary Distribution

10th$35,090
25th$38,430
Median$45,130
75th$50,160
90th$60,750

Hourly Rate Distribution

10th$16.87
25th$18.48
Median$21.70
75th$24.12
90th$29.21

Psychiatric Technicians pay history, 2015–2025

Published national median across 11 BLS OEWS releases. Nominal dollars, not inflation-adjusted.

$30,000$35,000$40,000$45,000$50,000 20152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 National median - 2015: $31,140National median - 2016: $30,970National median - 2017: $31,670National median - 2018: $32,870National median - 2019: $33,780National median - 2020: $35,030National median - 2021: $36,570National median - 2022: $37,380National median - 2023: $39,700National median - 2024: $42,590National median - 2025: $45,130$45,130
National median annual wage for Psychiatric Technicians, May 2015 to May 2025 OEWS releases
Read the chart as text
Period National median
2015 $31,140
2016 $30,970
2017 $31,670
2018 $32,870
2019 $33,780
2020 $35,030
2021 $36,570
2022 $37,380
2023 $39,700
2024 $42,590
2025 $45,130

2015 median

$31,140

2025 median

$45,130

2019–2025 change (same SOC)

+$11,350 (+33.6%)

Avg/year (same SOC)

+4.9%

Published national median annual wage and estimated employment for Psychiatric Technicians by OEWS release year
Release Median Change Estimated jobs
May 2015 $31,140 First banked release 58,450
May 2016 $30,970 -0.5% 61,720
May 2017 $31,670 +2.3% 66,930
May 2018 $32,870 +3.8% 71,360
May 2019 $33,780 Classification break 78,470
May 2020 $35,030 +3.7% 85,330
May 2021 $36,570 +4.4% 93,410
May 2022 $37,380 +2.2% 100,950
May 2023 $39,700 +6.2% 115,940
May 2024 $42,590 +7.3% 136,300
May 2025 $45,130 +6.0% 156,960

Across the 11 releases WageDex holds for this occupation, the published national median went from $31,140 in May 2015 to $45,130 in May 2025. Within the SOC-2018 classification (2019–2025), the like-for-like change averages +4.9% per year in nominal terms. Within the same SOC classification, estimated employment went from 78,470 in May 2019 to 156,960 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. This span also crosses a classification change: releases before May 2019 use the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification and later releases use the 2018 SOC, so figures either side of that boundary are not strictly like-for-like. Headline change rates on this page use only the same-classification subset.

Salary by State

View all 49 states →
# State Median Salary vs National
1 District of Columbia $67,430 +49% above national
2 Oregon $59,820 +33% above national
3 New York $58,080 +29% above national
4 Nebraska $57,370 +27% above national
5 Connecticut $55,500 +23% above national
6 Hawaii $55,150 +22% above national
7 New Jersey $54,040 +20% above national
8 Washington $52,470 +16% above national
9 Massachusetts $52,000 +15% above national
10 Alaska $51,650 +14% above national
11 California $49,140 +9% above national
12 Rhode Island $48,520 +8% above national
13 Virginia $48,320 +7% above national
14 Vermont $47,560 +5% above national
15 Colorado $47,430 +5% above national
16 Nevada $46,450 +3% above national
17 Georgia $46,250 +2% above national
18 Illinois $46,200 +2% above national
19 Missouri $45,840 +2% above national
20 Arizona $45,640 +1% above national
21 Maryland $45,520 +1% above national
22 Maine $45,320 same as national
23 New Hampshire $44,660 1% below national
24 Pennsylvania $43,930 3% below national
25 Kansas $43,780 3% below national
26 Florida $43,570 3% below national
27 Michigan $43,140 4% below national
28 Iowa $42,910 5% below national
29 Idaho $41,490 8% below national
30 South Carolina $40,970 9% below national
31 Indiana $40,910 9% below national
32 Utah $40,770 10% below national
33 North Carolina $40,630 10% below national
34 Kentucky $40,370 11% below national
35 Minnesota $40,300 11% below national
36 Wisconsin $40,290 11% below national
37 Texas $39,970 11% below national
38 North Dakota $39,960 11% below national
39 Tennessee $39,800 12% below national
40 Montana $39,190 13% below national
41 Ohio $39,140 13% below national
42 Oklahoma $39,060 13% below national
43 New Mexico $39,020 14% below national
44 Delaware $38,410 15% below national
45 Alabama $36,680 19% below national
46 Arkansas $35,930 20% below national
47 Mississippi $35,320 22% below national
48 West Virginia $34,100 24% below national
49 Louisiana $31,440 30% below national

Salary by Metro Area

View all 227 metro areas →
# Metro Area Median Salary vs National
1 Stockton-Lodi, CA $95,580 +112% above national
2 Napa, CA $83,960 +86% above national
3 Visalia, CA $76,700 +70% above national
4 Vallejo, CA $76,120 +69% above national
5 Ann Arbor, MI $72,550 +61% above national
6 Salem, OR $66,840 +48% above national
7 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY $65,500 +45% above national
8 Madison, WI $64,380 +43% above national
9 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA $63,510 +41% above national
10 Kahului-Wailuku, HI $62,590 +39% above national
11 Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA $62,400 +38% above national
12 New Haven, CT $59,930 +33% above national
13 Lincoln, NE $59,570 +32% above national
14 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $58,610 +30% above national
15 Eugene-Springfield, OR $58,500 +30% above national
16 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $57,610 +28% above national
17 Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT $57,570 +28% above national
18 Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT $57,360 +27% above national
19 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $55,550 +23% above national
20 Urban Honolulu, HI $55,150 +22% above national
21 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $54,640 +21% above national
22 Fresno, CA $53,680 +19% above national
23 Syracuse, NY $52,840 +17% above national
24 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $52,490 +16% above national
25 Waterbury-Shelton, CT $51,950 +15% above national
26 Anchorage, AK $51,670 +14% above national
27 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA $51,370 +14% above national
28 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $50,840 +13% above national
29 Duluth, MN-WI $50,490 +12% above national
30 Lansing-East Lansing, MI $50,140 +11% above national
31 Amherst Town-Northampton, MA $50,110 +11% above national
32 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $50,100 +11% above national
33 Worcester, MA $49,890 +11% above national
34 Pueblo, CO $49,740 +10% above national
35 Burlington-South Burlington, VT $49,670 +10% above national
36 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $48,470 +7% above national
37 Modesto, CA $48,390 +7% above national
38 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT $48,370 +7% above national
39 Richmond, VA $48,320 +7% above national
40 Omaha, NE-IA $48,310 +7% above national
41 Fargo, ND-MN $48,230 +7% above national
42 St. Cloud, MN $48,190 +7% above national
43 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $48,120 +7% above national
44 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $48,040 +6% above national
45 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $47,980 +6% above national
46 St. Louis, MO-IL $47,970 +6% above national
47 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $47,860 +6% above national
48 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $47,810 +6% above national
49 Bay City, MI $47,780 +6% above national
50 Portland-South Portland, ME $47,780 +6% above national
51 Pittsfield, MA $47,730 +6% above national
52 Gainesville, GA $47,690 +6% above national
53 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $47,650 +6% above national
54 Flint, MI $47,590 +5% above national
55 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC $47,420 +5% above national
56 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC $47,340 +5% above national
57 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $46,920 +4% above national
58 Elkhart-Goshen, IN $46,560 +3% above national
59 Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV $46,550 +3% above national
60 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $46,550 +3% above national
61 Springfield, MA $46,540 +3% above national
62 Reno, NV $46,390 +3% above national
63 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $46,290 +3% above national
64 Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL $46,200 +2% above national
65 Flagstaff, AZ $46,180 +2% above national
66 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $46,060 +2% above national
67 Springfield, MO $45,840 +2% above national
68 Trenton-Princeton, NJ $45,770 +1% above national
69 Charleston-North Charleston, SC $45,670 +1% above national
70 Savannah, GA $45,530 +1% above national
71 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL $45,440 +1% above national
72 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA $45,360 +1% above national
73 Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ $45,310 same as national
74 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI $45,220 same as national
75 Iowa City, IA $45,210 same as national
76 Roanoke, VA $45,020 same as national
77 Punta Gorda, FL $44,770 1% below national
78 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN $44,710 1% below national
79 Cleveland, OH $44,690 1% below national
80 Manchester-Nashua, NH $44,660 1% below national
81 Greensboro-High Point, NC $44,610 1% below national
82 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL $44,500 1% below national
83 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN $44,450 2% below national
84 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $44,110 2% below national
85 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC $44,100 2% below national
86 Bangor, ME $44,060 2% below national
87 Raleigh-Cary, NC $44,000 3% below national
88 Altoona, PA $43,920 3% below national
89 Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV $43,790 3% below national
90 Kansas City, MO-KS $43,780 3% below national
91 Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ $43,710 3% below national
92 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA $43,710 3% below national
93 Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC $43,590 3% below national
94 Champaign-Urbana, IL $43,590 3% below national
95 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $43,320 4% below national
96 Knoxville, TN $43,190 4% below national
97 Columbia, MO $43,170 4% below national
98 York-Hanover, PA $43,120 4% below national
99 Ogden, UT $43,050 5% below national
100 Kennewick-Richland, WA $42,760 5% below national
101 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA $42,590 6% below national
102 Yuma, AZ $42,560 6% below national
103 Akron, OH $42,510 6% below national
104 Colorado Springs, CO $42,280 6% below national
105 Naples-Marco Island, FL $42,020 7% below national
106 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ $41,970 7% below national
107 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $41,940 7% below national
108 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI $41,890 7% below national
109 Rochester, NY $41,770 7% below national
110 Columbus, GA-AL $41,730 8% below national
111 Lexington Park, MD $41,650 8% below national
112 Salt Lake City-Murray, UT $41,570 8% below national
113 Pittsburgh, PA $41,460 8% below national
114 Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL $41,330 8% below national
115 Toledo, OH $41,240 9% below national
116 Topeka, KS $41,220 9% below national
117 Tucson, AZ $41,140 9% below national
118 Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL $41,120 9% below national
119 Boise City, ID $41,090 9% below national
120 Rocky Mount, NC $41,060 9% below national
121 Columbus, IN $40,990 9% below national
122 Macon-Bibb County, GA $40,940 9% below national
123 South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI $40,910 9% below national
124 Peoria, IL $40,740 10% below national
125 Springfield, IL $40,720 10% below national
126 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX $40,610 10% below national
127 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $40,550 10% below national
128 Jacksonville, FL $40,540 10% below national
129 Bloomington, IL $40,480 10% below national
130 Clarksville, TN-KY $40,390 11% below national
131 Wildwood-The Villages, FL $40,380 11% below national
132 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL $40,340 11% below national
133 Bloomington, IN $40,320 11% below national
134 Winston-Salem, NC $40,290 11% below national
135 Tulsa, OK $40,130 11% below national
136 Chambersburg, PA $39,980 11% below national
137 Columbia, SC $39,980 11% below national
138 Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL $39,940 12% below national
139 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA $39,750 12% below national
140 Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ $39,750 12% below national
141 Chattanooga, TN-GA $39,730 12% below national
142 Williamsport, PA $39,650 12% below national
143 Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN $39,620 12% below national
144 Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL $39,590 12% below national
145 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $39,530 12% below national
146 Lexington-Fayette, KY $39,220 13% below national
147 Memphis, TN-MS-AR $39,210 13% below national
148 Oklahoma City, OK $39,060 13% below national
149 Albuquerque, NM $39,020 14% below national
150 Fort Wayne, IN $39,010 14% below national
151 Bismarck, ND $38,990 14% below national
152 Jackson, TN $38,930 14% below national
153 Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH $38,900 14% below national
154 Gainesville, FL $38,780 14% below national
155 Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL $38,640 14% below national
156 Columbus, OH $38,620 14% below national
157 St. George, UT $38,620 14% below national
158 Tallahassee, FL $38,570 15% below national
159 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI $38,560 15% below national
160 Ocala, FL $38,540 15% below national
161 Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT $38,540 15% below national
162 Youngstown-Warren, OH $38,520 15% below national
163 Grand Forks, ND-MN $38,480 15% below national
164 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX $38,360 15% below national
165 Evansville, IN $38,170 15% below national
166 Rochester, MN $38,150 15% below national
167 Fayetteville, NC $38,020 16% below national
168 North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL $38,010 16% below national
169 Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX $37,990 16% below national
170 Huntsville, AL $37,990 16% below national
171 Erie, PA $37,860 16% below national
172 Wichita, KS $37,850 16% below national
173 El Centro, CA $37,820 16% below national
174 La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN $37,770 16% below national
175 Appleton, WI $37,670 17% below national
176 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR $37,630 17% below national
177 Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA $37,610 17% below national
178 Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL $37,580 17% below national
179 Corpus Christi, TX $37,520 17% below national
180 Tuscaloosa, AL $37,410 17% below national
181 Jonesboro, AR $37,330 17% below national
182 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI $37,280 17% below national
183 Mobile, AL $37,270 17% below national
184 Port St. Lucie, FL $37,260 17% below national
185 Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR $37,200 18% below national
186 Killeen-Temple, TX $37,110 18% below national
187 Terre Haute, IN $37,090 18% below national
188 Reading, PA $36,990 18% below national
189 Johnstown, PA $36,870 18% below national
190 Las Cruces, NM $36,870 18% below national
191 Birmingham, AL $36,820 18% below national
192 Jackson, MS $36,740 19% below national
193 Springfield, OH $36,700 19% below national
194 San Angelo, TX $36,680 19% below national
195 Waco, TX $36,660 19% below national
196 Green Bay, WI $36,620 19% below national
197 Decatur, AL $36,560 19% below national
198 Cape Girardeau, MO-IL $36,350 19% below national
199 New Orleans-Metairie, LA $36,120 20% below national
200 Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC $35,930 20% below national
201 Decatur, IL $35,830 21% below national
202 El Paso, TX $35,540 21% below national
203 Charleston, WV $35,150 22% below national
204 Joplin, MO-KS $35,120 22% below national
205 Amarillo, TX $35,090 22% below national
206 Billings, MT $35,030 22% below national
207 Dothan, AL $34,930 23% below national
208 Sheboygan, WI $34,710 23% below national
209 Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH $34,570 23% below national
210 Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ $34,560 23% below national
211 Lake Charles, LA $34,550 23% below national
212 Tyler, TX $34,400 24% below national
213 Shreveport-Bossier City, LA $34,320 24% below national
214 Wilmington, NC $34,200 24% below national
215 Janesville-Beloit, WI $34,070 25% below national
216 Eau Claire, WI $33,280 26% below national
217 Goldsboro, NC $32,440 28% below national
218 Montgomery, AL $32,250 29% below national
219 Baton Rouge, LA $32,010 29% below national
220 Brownsville-Harlingen, TX $31,770 30% below national
221 Gulfport-Biloxi, MS $31,480 30% below national
222 Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA $31,270 31% below national
223 Fort Smith, AR-OK $30,960 31% below national
224 Lafayette, LA $30,210 33% below national
225 Monroe, LA $29,880 34% below national
226 Wheeling, WV-OH $29,430 35% below national
227 Alexandria, LA $29,190 35% below national

Same SOC major group

Other detailed occupations in SOC major group 29 (Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations) - category peers, not a pay match.

Showing 5 of 70 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 Practitioners and Technical Occupations). Same-category cards above stay inside the group; these neighborhoods are cross-group nearest neighbors on national median pay ($45,130 here) and reported employment (156,960 jobs here).

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 Technicians make?
The median annual salary for Psychiatric Technicians is $45,130 ($21.70/hour). The salary range spans from $35,090 at the 10th percentile to $60,750 at the 90th percentile.
Where does Psychiatric Technicians pay rank nationally?
At a published national median of $45,130, Psychiatric Technicians pay is higher than 20% of the 825 detailed occupations with a published BLS annual median in the May 2025 OEWS release. This compares occupation-level medians, not individual workers, job offers, or this occupation's own worker pay-percentile range.
What state pays Psychiatric Technicians the most?
District of Columbia pays the highest median salary for Psychiatric Technicians at $67,430/year, which is +49% above the national median.
What education do Psychiatric Technicians need?
BLS assigns Psychiatric Technicians to Postsecondary nondegree award for typical education needed for entry. Its typical related-work-experience assignment is Less than 5 years. Typical on-the-job training assignment: Short-term on-the-job training.
Does BLS publish a safety rate for Psychiatric Technicians?
BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for Psychiatric Technicians in this release. WageDex shows the Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations SOC-group rate only as broad context and does not rank it as this occupation's measured rate.
Is Psychiatric Technicians a good career?
Employment for Psychiatric Technicians is projected to grow 20% from 2024 to 2034, which is much faster than average. About 15,900 openings are projected each year.
How does Psychiatric Technicians pay vary by state?
Psychiatric Technicians salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is District of Columbia at $67,430/year, while Louisiana pays the least at $31,440/year. BLS data covers 49 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Psychiatric Technicians?
The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is Stockton-Lodi, CA at $95,580/year. BLS reports a median for 227 metropolitan areas for this occupation. The ranking does not establish why values differ.

What to do with this data

How to use Psychiatric Technicians pay figures in a real decision

  • The 75th-percentile wage is about $50,160/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: District of Columbia leads at $67,430/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.

Data as of May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 annual release. Employment projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024–2034. Data reflects cross-industry estimates for all ownership types.

These are survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. See how to use them.

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.