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.
High school diploma or equivalent
None
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.
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Psychiatric aides support mental health care settings and work directly with patients, making this a people-focused role that relies heavily on strong interpersonal and communication skills. National employment is 38,000, with 5,000 annual openings, indicating regular hiring activity despite a small overall workforce. The national median annual salary is $41,590, and several states and metro areas offer higher median pay. Opportunity varies by location, with top states including California, Massachusetts, New York, Colorado, and Washington, and leading metro areas such as San Jose, New York City, Washington, DC, Boston, and Los Angeles. The role typically requires a high school diploma or equivalent, which can make it accessible for those entering the field or changing careers. Success in this occupation draws on physical strength and stamina, adaptability, customer service, speaking and listening, and attention to detail. Psychiatric aides may also see related options in similar occupations such as nursing assistants, psychiatric technicians, and home health and personal care aides.
The national median annual salary for psychiatric aides is $41,590, but earning potential varies across states and metro areas. Several top states by opportunity score offer higher median salaries, including New York at $50,220, Washington at $52,570, California at $47,500, Massachusetts at $45,300, and Colorado at $46,130. Among metro areas, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA, stands out with a median salary of $58,550, the highest listed. The New York-Newark-Jersey City metro follows at $49,840, with Boston at $48,100 and Los Angeles at $47,050. These figures show that some locations offer pay that is notably above the national median. Job seekers comparing offers may want to weigh salary differences between regions against other personal and professional factors. For individuals entering the field with a typical education level of a high school diploma or equivalent, this pay structure may be an important part of evaluating long-term financial expectations.
Psychiatric aides have national employment of 38,000, with projected employment growth of -0.4%. While this projection indicates a slight overall decline, the occupation still has 5,000 annual openings. This combination suggests ongoing turnover and replacement needs, providing opportunities for new entrants and career changers. The same projected growth rate of -0.4% appears across the top states and metro areas listed, indicating relatively consistent expectations in those locations. For someone planning a career path, the modest negative growth means it can be useful to pay close attention to regional opportunity scores, since they reflect a mix of salary, employment levels, and other factors. Even with limited overall growth, the steady number of annual openings may create pathways into the field for individuals who build strong interpersonal, adaptability, and detail-oriented skills aligned with this occupation’s profile.
Location plays a significant role in opportunity for psychiatric aides. Among states, California, Massachusetts, New York, Colorado, and Washington rank highest by opportunity score. New York and Washington offer some of the strongest median salaries at $50,220 and $52,570, respectively, while California combines a relatively high median salary of $47,500 with the largest listed state employment level of 3,760. Massachusetts and Colorado also provide median salaries above $45,000. At the metro level, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA, stands out with both the highest opportunity score (77.42) and the highest median salary ($58,550), though with relatively small employment of 100. The New York-Newark-Jersey City metro combines a high opportunity score (77.27) with large employment of 4,310, offering many potential positions. Washington, DC; Boston; and Los Angeles metros provide mid-to-upper $40,000s median salaries with varying employment levels, giving candidates multiple geographic options to consider.
Psychiatric aides typically need a high school diploma or equivalent, which makes this occupation accessible to individuals who have not completed postsecondary education. While formal education requirements are modest, success in the role depends heavily on a broad set of skills. Interpersonal ability, speaking and listening, and customer service skills support direct work with patients and colleagues. Physical strength and stamina are important for handling the physical demands of the environment. Adaptability and being detail oriented help psychiatric aides manage changing situations and follow procedures accurately. Leadership and project management skills can be valuable for coordinating tasks and contributing to organized care settings. Creativity and innovation may support problem-solving within established guidelines. Together, this combination of education level and skill profile can appeal to people looking to enter the mental health support field relatively quickly while continuing to grow their capabilities over time. Related options include occupations such as psychiatric technicians and nursing assistants.
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