Careers / Psychiatric Technicians
Psychiatric Technicians — Career Decision Dashboard
United States
Opens your browser print dialog — choose “Save as PDF”.
Report generated from official BLS OEWS and O*NET data — United States.
Median annual wage
$45,130
United States, 2025
Employment
156,960
United States, 2025
Typical education
Some College Courses
Job Zone 3
Skills identified
35
10 related careers
Career overview
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.
- O*NET code
- 29-2053.00
- Job zone
- 3
- Experience required
- None
Typical tasks
- Provide nursing, psychiatric, or personal care to patients with cognitive, intellectual, or developmental disabilities.
- Encourage patients to develop work skills and to participate in social, recreational, or other therapeutic activities that enhance interpersonal skills or develop social relationships.
- Restrain violent, potentially violent, or suicidal patients by verbal or physical means as required.
- Lead prescribed individual or group therapy sessions as part of specific therapeutic procedures.
- Monitor patients' physical and emotional well-being and report unusual behavior or physical ailments to medical staff.
- Take and record measures of patients' physical condition, using devices such as thermometers or blood pressure gauges.
- Observe and influence patients' behavior, communicating and interacting with them and teaching, counseling, or befriending them.
- Aid patients in performing tasks, such as bathing or keeping beds, clothing, or living areas clean.
Choose a location
Salary analysis — United States
10th percentile
$35,090
25th percentile
$38,430
75th percentile
$50,160
90th percentile
$60,750
Most important skills
- Social Perceptiveness4.1
- Monitoring4.0
- Active Listening4.0
- Coordination3.9
- Speaking3.9
- Reading Comprehension3.8
- Critical Thinking3.6
- Service Orientation3.6
- Writing3.3
- Instructing3.3
- Active Learning3.1
- Persuasion3.1
What skills do you need?
Select the skills you already have
Skills listed are those O*NET rates at importance 3.0 or above for this occupation. Set your own level on the same 0–7 O*NET scale.
Skill coverage
0%
0 of 17 identified skills
Matched
0
Missing
17
Your selected skills cover approximately 0% of the skills identified for this occupation in O*NET. This is a coverage measure of listed skills only — it is not a qualification, hiring or interview outcome.
Skills to develop
| Skill | Importance | Required level | Your level | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Social Perceptiveness | 4.1 | 4.3 | Not selected | 4.3 |
| Monitoring | 4.0 | 4.0 | Not selected | 4.0 |
| Active Listening | 4.0 | 4.0 | Not selected | 4.0 |
| Speaking | 3.9 | 3.9 | Not selected | 3.9 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.8 | 3.9 | Not selected | 3.9 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.6 | 3.8 | Not selected | 3.8 |
| Service Orientation | 3.6 | 3.5 | Not selected | 3.5 |
| Coordination | 3.9 | 3.3 | Not selected | 3.3 |
| Instructing | 3.3 | 3.4 | Not selected | 3.4 |
| Writing | 3.3 | 3.1 | Not selected | 3.1 |
| Learning Strategies | 3.0 | 3.3 | Not selected | 3.3 |
| Persuasion | 3.1 | 3.1 | Not selected | 3.1 |
| Active Learning | 3.1 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Negotiation | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Time Management | 3.0 | 2.9 | Not selected | 2.9 |
Ordered by required level gap multiplied by O*NET importance. No prediction or recommendation is implied.
Related careers
Supplemental
National median $100,580
Compare with Psychiatric TechniciansSupplemental
National median $265,930
Compare with Psychiatric TechniciansSupplemental
National median not published
Compare with Psychiatric TechniciansSupplemental
National median $60,280
Compare with Psychiatric TechniciansSupplemental
National median $97,550
Compare with Psychiatric TechniciansHow salary varies by location
| Location | Median | Employment | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stockton, CA | $95,580 | 330 | 2025 |
| Napa, CA | $83,960 | 320 | 2025 |
| Visalia, CA | $76,700 | 200 | 2025 |
| Vallejo, CA | $76,120 | 260 | 2025 |
| Ann Arbor, MI | $72,550 | 580 | 2025 |
| DC | $67,430 | 380 | 2025 |
| Salem, OR | $66,840 | — | 2025 |
| Buffalo, NY | $65,500 | 50 | 2025 |
| Madison, WI | $64,380 | 1,030 | 2025 |
| Santa Maria, CA | $63,510 | 70 | 2025 |
| Kahului, HI | $62,590 | 130 | 2025 |
| Spokane, WA | $62,400 | 200 | 2025 |
| New Haven, CT | $59,930 | 80 | 2025 |
| OR | $59,820 | 1,250 | 2025 |
| Lincoln, NE | $59,570 | 340 | 2025 |
| New York, NY | $58,610 | 2,980 | 2025 |
| Eugene, OR | $58,500 | 250 | 2025 |
| NY | $58,080 | 2,040 | 2025 |
| Boston, MA | $57,610 | 3,460 | 2025 |
| Bridgeport, CT | $57,570 | 230 | 2025 |
Career transition paths
Compare the skills of a career you hold today with Psychiatric Technicians to see shared skills, target-only skills and skill overlap.
Build a transition comparisonCareer and skills data: O*NET 31.0.
Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, 2025 (May 2025 release).
Figures are periodic published survey snapshots, not real-time market rates.