How much does a Psychiatric Technician make?
A Psychiatric Technician earns a median annual salary of $45,130 in the United States, which works out to roughly $21.70 per hour for full-time work. Most Psychiatric Technicians earn between $35,090 at the entry level and $60,750 at the senior end, with the middle 50% taking home between $38,430 and $50,160 a year.
That is $16,260 less than the median across all occupations in BLS data ($61,390).
Psychiatric Technician salary range by percentile
Half of all Psychiatric Technicians earn between $38,430 and $50,160 a year.
| Pay level | Annual salary | Hourly rate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $35,090 | $16.87 | |
| 25th percentile (early career) | $38,430 | $18.48 | |
| 50th percentile (median) | $45,130 | $21.70 | |
| 75th percentile (experienced) | $50,160 | $24.12 | |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $60,750 | $29.21 |
Highest-paying states for Psychiatric Technician
Where you work matters more than almost anything else. District of Columbia leads the country for Psychiatric Technician pay at $67,430 a year, followed by Oregon ($59,820) and New York ($58,080). At the other end, Louisiana posts the lowest median at $31,440 — a gap of $35,990 for the same job, driven by local demand, industry mix, and cost of living.
| # | State | Median salary | Hourly | vs national |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $67,430 | $32.42 | +49% |
| 2 | Oregon | $59,820 | $28.76 | +33% |
| 3 | New York | $58,080 | $27.92 | +29% |
| 4 | Nebraska | $57,370 | $27.58 | +27% |
| 5 | Connecticut | $55,500 | $26.68 | +23% |
Psychiatric Technician salary in every state
Official BLS state-level figures across 49 states and territories. Click a state for the full local breakdown.
Workforce and education
About 157,000 people work as Psychiatric Technicians in the United States. The mean (average) wage is $46,610 — above the median, which means high earners pull the average up. On qualifications: a bachelor's degree (about 4 years of college) is the standard entry requirement, per O*NET occupation data.
Frequently asked questions
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