Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$35,090
- 25th Percentile — Junior$38,430
- 50th Percentile — Median$45,130
- 75th Percentile — Senior$50,160
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$60,750
The top 10% of Psychiatric Technicians earn $60,750 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $35,090, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $63,160 | +35.5% |
| New York | $60,080 | +28.9% |
| California | $58,780 | +26.1% |
| Oregon | $58,140 | +24.7% |
| Connecticut | $57,720 | +23.8% |
| Alaska | $57,280 | +22.9% |
| New Jersey | $56,400 | +21.0% |
| Washington | $55,160 | +18.3% |
| Hawaii | $54,750 | +17.5% |
| Massachusetts | $53,840 | +15.5% |
| Nebraska | $53,800 | +15.4% |
| New Hampshire | $50,860 | +9.1% |
| Rhode Island | $50,310 | +7.9% |
| Colorado | $48,960 | +5.0% |
| Vermont | $48,650 | +4.4% |
| Wisconsin | $48,190 | +3.4% |
| Virginia | $48,110 | +3.2% |
| Georgia | $47,350 | +1.6% |
| Nevada | $47,110 | +1.1% |
| Michigan | $46,530 | -0.2% |
| Maine | $46,180 | -0.9% |
| Illinois | $46,090 | -1.1% |
| Maryland | $45,700 | -2.0% |
| Arizona | $45,280 | -2.9% |
| Minnesota | $45,160 | -3.1% |
| Florida | $44,900 | -3.7% |
| Pennsylvania | $44,750 | -4.0% |
| Missouri | $44,340 | -4.9% |
| South Carolina | $43,880 | -5.9% |
| North Dakota | $43,620 | -6.4% |
| Wyoming (est.) | $43,347 | -7.0% |
| Idaho | $42,800 | -8.2% |
| Indiana | $42,750 | -8.3% |
| Kansas | $42,370 | -9.1% |
| North Carolina | $42,270 | -9.3% |
| Oklahoma | $42,250 | -9.4% |
| Kentucky | $42,240 | -9.4% |
| Tennessee | $42,190 | -9.5% |
| Utah | $41,980 | -9.9% |
| Texas | $41,750 | -10.4% |
| New Mexico | $41,720 | -10.5% |
| Montana | $41,710 | -10.5% |
| Iowa | $41,580 | -10.8% |
| Ohio | $40,880 | -12.3% |
| South Dakota (est.) | $40,551 | -13.0% |
| Delaware | $39,790 | -14.6% |
| Mississippi | $36,120 | -22.5% |
| Arkansas | $35,980 | -22.8% |
| Alabama | $35,600 | -23.6% |
| West Virginia | $34,840 | -25.3% |
| Louisiana | $32,310 | -30.7% |
What Factors Affect Psychiatric Technicians Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Psychiatric Technicians is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: District of Columbia pays an average of $63,160, while Louisiana pays $32,310 — a gap of $30,850 per year.
The middle half of Psychiatric Technicians earn between $38,430 and $50,160 per year. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $35,090, while the top 10% earn more than $60,750.
These figures are the wages employers report to BLS: base pay plus commissions, production bonuses and tips. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, year-end bonuses, benefits and self-employed workers, so total compensation can be higher than the numbers shown.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
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Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Psychiatric Technicians?
The average salary for Psychiatric Technicians in the United States is $46,610 per year, with a median of $45,130.
What is the starting salary for Psychiatric Technicians?
Entry-level Psychiatric Technicians typically earn between $35,090 and $38,430 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Psychiatric Technicians the most?
District of Columbia pays Psychiatric Technicians the most at $63,160 per year on average, followed by New York ($60,080) and California ($58,780).
How much do Psychiatric Technicians make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $46,610, Psychiatric Technicians earn approximately $22.41 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Psychiatric Technicians a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 156,960 Psychiatric Technicians jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $46,610 and a median of $45,130 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
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