Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
Postsecondary nondegree award
Less than 5 years
Short-term on-the-job training
These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
Based on skills, knowledge, and work activities, these occupations are the closest match to your current career.
Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
Discover metro markets where compensation, hiring demand, and long-term momentum align.
Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Psychiatric technicians work in a field with established national employment and a clear path to enter the profession. With about 144,000 people employed across the country and a national median salary of $42,590, this role offers a defined position within the broader healthcare landscape. Projected employment growth of 20.0% and about 16,000 annual openings indicate consistent hiring needs over time. The role typically requires a postsecondary nondegree award, which can make the career more accessible for those who do not plan to complete a full college degree. Strong interpersonal abilities, speaking and listening, and customer service skills are important, along with adaptability, physical strength and stamina, and critical and analytical thinking. The career can appeal to people who want to combine hands-on work with human interaction and structured training. For those exploring related paths, similar occupations include psychiatric aides, occupational therapy aides, teachers and instructors (all other), preschool teachers (except special education), and personal care and service workers (all other).
Psychiatric technicians earn a national median annual salary of $42,590, providing a clear benchmark for typical pay in this field. Earnings vary by location, with several states and metro areas offering higher median salaries. Among the top states by CareerGPS opportunity score, New York reports a median salary of $58,080, Massachusetts $52,000, Washington $52,470, California $49,140, and Colorado $47,430. At the metro level, the New York–Newark–Jersey City area has a median salary of $58,610, Boston–Cambridge–Newton $57,610, San Jose–Sunnyvale–Santa Clara $55,550, San Francisco–Oakland–Fremont $54,640, and Washington–Arlington–Alexandria $50,840. These figures show that pay can differ substantially by region, so geographic choices can have a meaningful effect on earnings. Job seekers can weigh the national median against these state and metro medians when comparing offers or considering relocation.
Psychiatric technicians have a defined and growing place in the labor market. National employment stands at 144,000, and projected employment growth is 20.0%. This projected growth, combined with about 16,000 annual openings, suggests a steady flow of opportunities for new entrants and experienced workers. The presence of strong opportunity scores in multiple states and metro areas indicates that demand is not limited to a single region. In the top states, growth is consistently projected at 20.0%, matching the national rate. The same 20.0% projected growth also appears in leading metro areas such as San Jose–Sunnyvale–Santa Clara; New York–Newark–Jersey City; San Francisco–Oakland–Fremont; Washington–Arlington–Alexandria; and Boston–Cambridge–Newton. For students and career changers, this combination of existing employment, consistent projected growth, and regular annual openings can make psychiatric technician a career worth serious consideration.
Location can significantly shape career prospects for psychiatric technicians, with several states and metro areas standing out by CareerGPS opportunity score. Among states, California leads with an opportunity score of 67.38, a median salary of $49,140, and employment of 14,100. Massachusetts follows closely with a score of 65.87, a median salary of $52,000, and employment of 5,340. New York has a comparatively higher median salary of $58,080 but lower employment of 2,040 and an opportunity score of 65.78. Colorado and Washington also rank among the top states, with opportunity scores of 56.97 and 56.29 and median salaries of $47,430 and $52,470, respectively. At the metro level, San Jose–Sunnyvale–Santa Clara and New York–Newark–Jersey City have particularly high opportunity scores of 77.42 and 77.27. Other strong metros include San Francisco–Oakland–Fremont, Washington–Arlington–Alexandria, and Boston–Cambridge–Newton, which all combine relatively high salaries with solid opportunity scores.
The typical education requirement for psychiatric technicians is a postsecondary nondegree award, offering a defined training pathway that does not require a full college degree. This can be appealing for individuals seeking a structured, shorter-term educational route into a healthcare-related role. Success in this career draws on a mix of interpersonal and cognitive skills. Top skills include interpersonal abilities, speaking and listening, and customer service, all of which support effective interaction with others. Adaptability, creativity and innovation, and leadership contribute to working in varied and potentially changing situations. Science, writing and reading, and critical and analytical thinking reflect the importance of understanding information and making reasoned judgments. Physical strength and stamina are also highlighted among top skills, indicating a physical component to the work. People considering this field can use these skill areas to guide their choice of training programs and personal development priorities.
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