State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
Psychiatric Technician Salary (2026): Data, Outlook & How to Become One
Psychiatric Technicians earn a median of $45,130 per year ($21.70/hr) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Employment is projected to grow 20.0% through 2034, with about 15,900 openings a year (BLS EP, 2024–2034). Typical entry-level education: Postsecondary nondegree award.
SOC 29-2053Healthcare Practitioners and TechnicalLast updated August 23, 2026
- Median pay
- $45,130
- Projected growth
- +20.0%
- Openings a year
- 15,900
- Typical education
- Certificate
BLS OEWS, May 2025
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
Also advertised as: BHT (Behavioral Health Technician), Health Care Technician (Health Care Tech), LPT (Licensed Psychiatric Technician), Mental Health Associate, Mental Health Specialist, Mental Health Technician (MHT).
How much do Psychiatric Technicians make?
10th percentile$35,090
Entry / lowest-paid tenth
25th percentile$38,430
Lower quartile
Median (50th)$45,130
Half earn more, half earn less
75th percentile$50,160
Upper quartile
90th percentile$60,750
Top-paid tenth
| Median annual wage | $45,130 |
|---|---|
| Median hourly wage | $21.70/hr |
| Mean annual wage | $46,610 |
| People employed | 156,960 |
Versus all US occupations
At $45,130, Psychiatric Technicians earn 11% below the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $5,850 a year.
Versus healthcare practitioners and technical occupations
Inside the Healthcare Practitioners and Technical group, where the middle occupation pays $97,870, this is 54% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $60,750 or more while the bottom 10% earn $35,090, a gap of 1.7×. That is a narrow spread, so experience and employer move pay less than in most occupations.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 17% of the 923 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
District of Columbia posts the highest raw median ($67,430), but once local prices are taken into account Nebraska leads at $63,672 in national-average dollars.
Which states pay Psychiatric Technicians the most?
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $67,430 | $61,355 | 380 |
| Oregon | $59,820 | $57,875 | 1,250 |
| New York | $58,080 | $53,817 | 2,040 |
| Nebraska | $57,370 | $63,672 | 1,390 |
| Connecticut | $55,500 | $53,566 | 1,040 |
| Hawaii | $55,150 | $50,159 | 2,060 |
| New Jersey | $54,040 | $49,667 | 2,520 |
| Washington | $52,470 | $49,031 | 1,920 |
| Massachusetts | $52,000 | $49,169 | 5,340 |
| Alaska | $51,650 | $50,460 | 340 |
Is Psychiatric Technician a growing career?
Psychiatric Technicians20.0%
All US occupations3.1%
+20.0% projected growth vs 3.1% for all occupations.
Much faster than average
BLS projects employment of Psychiatric Technicians to change 20.0% over 2024–2034, roughly 6.5× the 3.1% projected for all occupations. That is 28,900 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 15,900 openings are projected each year, 11.0% of the 144,500 jobs that existed in 2024. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Overall employment of psychiatric technicians and aides is projected to grow 16 percent from 2024 to 2034, much faster than the average for all occupations.
Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Projected employment of psychiatric technicians and aides varies by occupation (see table).
Because psychiatric technicians are directly involved with day-to-day patient care, they will increasingly be needed to treat the growing number of people who have mental illness or substance use disorders.
How to become a Psychiatric Technician
Only four states license this role individually, and only one of them calls it a psychiatric technician. California licenses Psychiatric Technicians through the Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians, Colorado licenses Psychiatric Technicians through its State Board of Nursing, Arkansas licenses a Licensed Psychiatric Technician Nurse through its State Board of Nursing, and Kansas licenses a Licensed Mental Health Technician. Everywhere else there is no licence: entry is a postsecondary certificate or an associate degree, plus employer training, and any certification is voluntary.
The credential path, step by step
- Find out whether your state licenses the role
This changes the path completely. In California, Colorado, Arkansas and Kansas there is a licence with an approved programme and an examination behind it. In the other states BLS describes the typical entry as a postsecondary certificate for psychiatric technicians, behavioral health technicians or similar titles, available at community colleges and technical schools, followed by a short period of on-the-job training working with patients under the supervision of an experienced technician.
- Complete an approved programme if you are in a licensing state1,530 hours in California
California's regulations are the most detailed: an approved psychiatric technician programme must consist of not less than 1,530 hours, made up of 576 hours of theory and 954 hours of supervised clinical experience, with category minimums of 54 theory hours in pharmacology, 126 theory and 270 clinical in nursing science, 108 and 270 in mental disorders, and 108 and 270 in developmental disabilities. Kansas requires a high school diploma or equivalent plus an approved course and a written examination prescribed by the board.
- Know the alternative routes where they exist
California recognises four: completion of an approved programme; equivalent education; equivalent education plus experience, where 9 months of paid work may substitute for the 270 clinical hours in a category but never for theory hours; or a United States military corpsman route. All applicants must be at least 18, have completed the 12th grade or its equivalent, and clear Department of Justice and FBI fingerprint checks.
- Pass the state examination
There is no national licensure examination for psychiatric technicians. California develops and administers its own year-round computer-delivered examination to around 1,000 applicants a year at 24 test centres, with content validated by the Department of Consumer Affairs Office of Professional Examination Services, most recently through an occupational analysis in July 2025.
- Treat national certification as optional and check what it is worth
The American Association of Psychiatric Technicians offers a voluntary National Certified Psychiatric Technician credential at four levels. Level 1 requires a high school diploma or GED. Level 2 requires at least 480 hours of college coursework of any type, that is 30 semester or 40 quarter hours, plus one year in the field of mental health or developmental disabilities. Level 3 requires 960 hours, or 60 semester or 80 quarter hours, plus two years. Level 4 requires a bachelor's degree in a mental health or developmental disabilities field plus three years. AAPT states there are no longer any exceptions allowing additional experience in place of the required education, and does not recommend its certificate for Californians.
Exams you have to pass
California Psychiatric Technician Licensure Examination
A California-only examination built and administered by the Board itself, delivered year round by computer at 24 test centres to roughly 1,000 applicants a year. There is no national psychiatric technician licensure examination, and the Board offers no endorsement route for psychiatric technicians licensed elsewhere.
Administered by California Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians.
National Certified Psychiatric Technician examination (NCPT)
Voluntary certification at four levels. Every candidate, whatever their level, sits the same Level 1 examination: open book, 201 multiple-choice questions, taken at home. Candidates for Levels 2 to 4 additionally submit transcripts and an essay test on on-the-job situations. Fees are $139 basic or $159 combined.
Administered by American Association of Psychiatric Technicians.
- How long the training takes
In California an approved programme is not less than 1,530 hours, split as 576 hours of theory and 954 hours of supervised clinical experience. In states with no licence, BLS records the typical preparation as a postsecondary certificate or an associate degree from a community college or technical school, with some employers preferring a bachelor's degree.
- Continuing education
Set by each state
Set by the licensing state, and there is nothing to renew in the states that do not license. California renews every 2 years with 30 hours of continuing education, exempts the first renewal, requires courses to fall within the two years before renewal, and requires certificates to be kept for 4 years for audit; a California licence left unrenewed for 4 years expires permanently and requires a new application and re-examination. Arkansas requires 15 practice-focused contact hours every 24 months. AAPT's voluntary certification renews on a 1, 2 or 3 year term and asks for at least 12 hours of study in the field plus reading one book in the mental health field, on an honour system with no renewal notices sent.
Licensing and state variation
Not a state license
Four states license the role, under four different titles, which is why searching for a national credential comes up empty. California issues a Psychiatric Technician licence under Business and Professions Code section 4502, and a psychiatric technician there practises under the direction of a physician, psychologist, rehabilitation therapist, social worker, registered nurse or other professional personnel, which is a wider list than the physician or registered nurse direction that applies to a licensed vocational nurse from the same board. Arkansas licenses a Licensed Psychiatric Technician Nurse under its Nurse Practice Act, with biennial renewal and 15 practice-focused contact hours every 24 months. Colorado licenses psychiatric technicians under the Psychiatric Technicians Practice Act, now at Title 12 Article 295 after a 2019 renumbering from Article 42. Kansas licenses a Licensed Mental Health Technician, abbreviated L.M.H.T., under the mental health technician's licensure act. In every other state the credential is whatever the employer asks for.
Who governs the credential
- California Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians (BVNPT) — Licenses California psychiatric technicians, approves their training programmes, and writes and administers the state licensure examination.
- Colorado State Board of Nursing — Licenses psychiatric technicians in Colorado under the Psychiatric Technicians Practice Act.
- Arkansas State Board of Nursing — Licenses psychiatric technician nurses in Arkansas under the Nurse Practice Act.
- Kansas State Board of Nursing — Licenses mental health technicians in Kansas, granting the title and the abbreviation L.M.H.T.
- American Association of Psychiatric Technicians (AAPT) — Awards the voluntary National Certified Psychiatric Technician credential at four levels, based on education and years in the field.
Credential detail for psychiatric technicians is researched by hand from the bodies that issue it, not derived from BLS or O*NET. Sources last checked August 23, 2026. Requirements change: confirm with your own state board before enrolling in anything.
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Psychiatric Technicians and Aides · checked August 23, 2026
- California BVNPT: Psychiatric technician licensees · checked August 23, 2026
- California BVNPT: Psychiatric technician applicant requirements · checked August 23, 2026
- California BVNPT: Vocational nurse applicant requirements (for comparison) · checked August 23, 2026
- California BVNPT: Psychiatric technician occupational analysis, July 2025 · checked August 23, 2026
- Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies, State Board of Nursing: Applications · checked August 23, 2026
- Colorado State Board of Nursing: Laws (Psychiatric Technicians Practice Act, Title 12 Article 295) · checked August 23, 2026
- Arkansas State Board of Nursing: Licensing · checked August 23, 2026
- Kansas State Board of Nursing: Licensed Mental Health Technician · checked August 23, 2026
- Kansas Statutes chapter 65 article 42, mental health technician's licensure act · checked August 23, 2026
- AAPT: The certification process · checked August 23, 2026
- AAPT: Renew or update certification · checked August 23, 2026
What the federal data says
To enter the occupation, psychiatric technicians typically need a postsecondary certificate, and aides need at least a high school diploma or equivalent. Some states require technicians to be licensed. Both technicians and aides get on-the-job training.
| Typical entry-level education | Postsecondary nondegree award |
|---|---|
| Preparation needed (O*NET job zone) | Some preparation |
| Work experience in a related occupation | Less than 5 years |
| Typical on-the-job training | Short-term on-the-job training |
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as psychiatric technicians.
- Some College Courses40.1%
- Bachelor's Degree29.8%
- High School Diploma19.8%
- Post-Secondary Certificate5.0%
- Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)3.2%
What does a Psychiatric Technician do?
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.
Psychiatric technicians and aides care for people who have mental or emotional conditions or developmental disabilities. Technicians typically monitor patients’ conditions and provide therapeutic care, such as overseeing their medications. Aides help patients in their daily activities and ensure a safe and clean environment.
Day-to-day tasks
- Encourage patients to develop work skills and to participate in social, recreational, or other therapeutic activities that enhance interpersonal skills or develop social relationships.
- Monitor patients' physical and emotional well-being and report unusual behavior or physical ailments to medical staff.
- Observe and influence patients' behavior, communicating and interacting with them and teaching, counseling, or befriending them.
- Develop or teach strategies to promote client wellness and independence.
- Train or instruct new employees on procedures to follow with psychiatric patients.
- Collaborate with or assist doctors, psychologists, or rehabilitation therapists in working with patients with cognitive, intellectual, or developmental disabilities to treat, rehabilitate, and return patients to the community.
- Aid patients in performing tasks, such as bathing or keeping beds, clothing, or living areas clean.
- Restrain violent, potentially violent, or suicidal patients by verbal or physical means as required.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Working with people
- Constant contact with other people
- Face-to-face discussions every day
- Little or no dealing with customers or the public
Pressure and stakes
- Handling conflict situations at least monthly
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey, showing only the signals people in the job report decisively one way or the other.
Where psychiatric technicians work
| Psychiatric and substance abuse hospitals; state | 24% |
|---|---|
| Psychiatric and substance abuse hospitals; private | 18% |
| State government, excluding education and hospitals | 18% |
| Residential mental health and substance abuse facilities | 7% |
| Outpatient mental health and substance abuse centers | 2% |
BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2024–2034 edition.
Core skills
- Active Listening4.0/5
- Monitoring4.0/5
- Speaking3.9/5
- Reading Comprehension3.8/5
- Critical Thinking3.6/5
- Writing3.3/5
- Active Learning3.1/5
- Learning Strategies3.0/5
Transferable skills
- Social Perceptiveness4.1/5
- Coordination3.9/5
- Service Orientation3.6/5
- Instructing3.3/5
- Persuasion3.1/5
- Negotiation3.0/5
- Complex Problem Solving3.0/5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.0/5
Tools and software
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Inventory management software
- Medical software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
What personality type suits a Psychiatric Technician?
Interest profile: O*NET Occupational Interests, scored 1–7
Realistic3.3
Investigativeprimary4.6
Artistic2.1
Socialprimary6.9
Enterprising1.5
Conventionalprimary3.5
Day to day this is work built around teaching, helping and working directly with other people, combined with investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data.
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Psychiatric Technician: frequently asked questions
How much do Psychiatric Technicians make?
Psychiatric Technicians earn a median of $45,130 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 11% below the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $21.70/hr. The middle half earn between $38,430 and $50,160. The top 10% earn $60,750 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Psychiatric Technician?
Not a degree, but you do need credentialed training: BLS lists a postsecondary non-degree award (a certificate or license program) as the typical entry route for Psychiatric Technicians. BLS also lists short-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. Employers typically expect less than 5 years of related work experience first. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 40.1% hold some college courses.
Is Psychiatric Technician a growing career?
Yes, strongly. Employment is projected to grow 20.0% over 2024–2034, more than double the 3.1% projected for all occupations (BLS EP, 2024–2034). BLS still projects about 15,900 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Psychiatric Technician do?
Psychiatric technicians and aides care for people who have mental or emotional conditions or developmental disabilities. A core O*NET task: encourage patients to develop work skills and to participate in social, recreational, or other therapeutic activities that enhance interpersonal skills or develop social relationships. Employers most often ask for Electronic mail software, Office suite software, Spreadsheet software.
Which states pay Psychiatric Technicians the most?
The highest state medians for Psychiatric Technicians are District of Columbia ($67,430), Oregon ($59,820), New York ($58,080) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, Nebraska moves to the top at $63,672.
What personality type suits a Psychiatric Technician?
O*NET scores Psychiatric Technicians highest on the Social, Investigative and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes teaching, helping and working directly with other people with investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ISFJ, ISFP, ESFJ. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 923 occupations in the bank.
How long does it take to become a Psychiatric Technician?
In California an approved programme is not less than 1,530 hours, split as 576 hours of theory and 954 hours of supervised clinical experience. In states with no licence, BLS records the typical preparation as a postsecondary certificate or an associate degree from a community college or technical school, with some employers preferring a bachelor's degree.
Do you need a license to work as a Psychiatric Technician?
Not a state license. Four states license the role, under four different titles, which is why searching for a national credential comes up empty. California issues a Psychiatric Technician licence under Business and Professions Code section 4502, and a psychiatric technician there practises under the direction of a physician, psychologist, rehabilitation therapist, social worker, registered nurse or other professional personnel, which is a wider list than the physician or registered nurse direction that applies to a licensed vocational nurse from the same board. Arkansas licenses a Licensed Psychiatric Technician Nurse under its Nurse Practice Act, with biennial renewal and 15 practice-focused contact hours every 24 months. Colorado licenses psychiatric technicians under the Psychiatric Technicians Practice Act, now at Title 12 Article 295 after a 2019 renumbering from Article 42. Kansas licenses a Licensed Mental Health Technician, abbreviated L.M.H.T., under the mental health technician's licensure act. In every other state the credential is whatever the employer asks for.
What exams and certifications apply to a Psychiatric Technician?
The California Psychiatric Technician Licensure Examination and the NCPT (National Certified Psychiatric Technician examination). A California-only examination built and administered by the Board itself, delivered year round by computer at 24 test centres to roughly 1,000 applicants a year. There is no national psychiatric technician licensure examination, and the Board offers no endorsement route for psychiatric technicians licensed elsewhere.