Psychiatric Aides Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for psychiatric aidess across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
National mean salary $45,690 ≈ $22/hr
National median salary $44,910
Total employment 35,520 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth -0.4%
Decline
Annual openings 5,300 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 38,500 → 38,300 (-100)
Typical entry education High school diploma or equivalent
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- Washington$56,060
- New York$54,450
- California$53,670
- Minnesota$52,710
- Nevada$51,030
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Alabama$30,340
- Mississippi$31,310
- Louisiana$32,940
- Arkansas$34,490
- Georgia$35,510
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $56,060 | $52,570 | $27 | +22.7% | 330 |
| 2 | New York | $54,450 | $50,220 | $26 | +19.2% | 5,120 |
| 3 | California | $53,670 | $47,500 | $26 | +17.5% | 3,760 |
| 4 | Minnesota | $52,710 | $55,040 | $25 | +15.4% | 620 |
| 5 | Nevada | $51,030 | $51,400 | $25 | +11.7% | 220 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $50,830 | $45,300 | $24 | +11.2% | 950 |
| 7 | Alaska | $50,630 | $49,300 | $24 | +10.8% | 190 |
| 8 | Rhode Island | $50,520 | $51,100 | $24 | +10.6% | 130 |
| 9 | Maryland | $49,940 | $51,440 | $24 | +9.3% | 250 |
| 10 | Oregon | $49,920 | $48,300 | $24 | +9.3% | 1,550 |
| 11 | Vermont | $48,260 | $47,860 | $23 | +5.6% | 330 |
| 12 | Hawaii | $47,860 | $52,310 | $23 | +4.7% | 30 |
| 13 | New Jersey | $47,630 | $45,780 | $23 | +4.2% | 2,060 |
| 14 | Colorado | $47,510 | $46,130 | $23 | +4% | 300 |
| 15 | Montana | $47,460 | $46,340 | $23 | +3.9% | 330 |
| 16 | Pennsylvania | $47,260 | $44,790 | $23 | +3.4% | 1,620 |
| 17 | Connecticut | $47,230 | $44,660 | $23 | +3.4% | 520 |
| 18 | Illinois | $47,130 | $48,670 | $23 | +3.2% | 120 |
| 19 | Indiana | $47,100 | $44,860 | $23 | +3.1% | 1,930 |
| 20 | Maine | $45,560 | $46,720 | $22 | -0.3% | 110 |
| 21 | Michigan | $45,410 | $45,800 | $22 | -0.6% | 1,410 |
| 22 | Iowa | $44,320 | $39,260 | $21 | -3% | 400 |
| 23 | Utah | $43,740 | $40,810 | $21 | -4.3% | 130 |
| 24 | Texas | $42,890 | $42,560 | $21 | -6.1% | 1,760 |
| 25 | Missouri | $42,500 | $39,840 | $20 | -7% | 110 |
| 26 | Ohio | $42,160 | $38,480 | $20 | -7.7% | 980 |
| 27 | Oklahoma | $41,650 | $44,960 | $20 | -8.8% | — |
| 28 | Kentucky | $40,040 | $38,610 | $19 | -12.4% | 250 |
| 29 | North Carolina | $39,770 | $38,400 | $19 | -13% | — |
| 30 | Florida | $38,680 | $37,930 | $19 | -15.3% | 2,210 |
| 31 | Virginia | $38,540 | $37,280 | $19 | -15.6% | — |
| 32 | Kansas | $37,940 | $38,390 | $18 | -17% | 580 |
| 33 | West Virginia | $37,510 | $37,910 | $18 | -17.9% | 220 |
| 34 | South Carolina | $35,600 | $36,320 | $17 | -22.1% | 200 |
| 35 | Georgia | $35,510 | $36,790 | $17 | -22.3% | 1,090 |
| 36 | Arkansas | $34,490 | $36,270 | $17 | -24.5% | 490 |
| 37 | Louisiana | $32,940 | $30,030 | $16 | -27.9% | 280 |
| 38 | Mississippi | $31,310 | $30,510 | $15 | -31.5% | 2,490 |
| 39 | Alabama | $30,340 | $27,150 | $15 | -33.6% | 790 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 90 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $75,670 | $70,000 | 210 |
| 2 | Capital/Northern New York nonmetropolitan area | $64,940 | $62,790 | 390 |
| 3 | Central East New York nonmetropolitan area | $61,580 | $61,610 | 160 |
| 4 | Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $60,110 | $57,750 | 370 |
| 5 | Utica-Rome, NY | $58,600 | $61,510 | 220 |
| 6 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $58,550 | $64,600 | 100 |
| 7 | Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $57,360 | $57,770 | 40 |
| 8 | Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | $55,100 | $52,900 | 180 |
| 9 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $53,520 | $51,940 | 210 |
| 10 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $52,570 | $56,120 | 320 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing psychiatric aidess (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Educational Services, Privately Owned | $75,520 | $63,800 | — |
| 2 | Educational Support Services | $75,520 | $66,600 | — |
| 3 | Educational Support Services, Privately Owned | $75,520 | $65,650 | — |
| 4 | Educational Support Services, Local Government Owned | $75,470 | $73,830 | 40 |
| 5 | Educational Services, Local Government Owned | $75,010 | $62,790 | 70 |
| 6 | Educational Services | $74,430 | $62,760 | 440 |
| 7 | Sector 61 - Educational Services | $74,430 | $62,760 | 440 |
| 8 | Individual and Family Services | $53,450 | $56,050 | 820 |
| 9 | Insurance Carriers and Related Activities | $53,040 | $55,210 | 40 |
| 10 | Insurance Carriers | $53,040 | $55,210 | 40 |
| 11 | Direct Health and Medical Insurance Carriers | $53,040 | $55,210 | 40 |
| 12 | Sector 52 - Finance and Insurance | $53,040 | $55,210 | 40 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do psychiatric aides make in the U.S.?
The median psychiatric aides salary in the United States is $44,910 per year (mean $45,690), and about 80% earn between $32,090 and $60,440.
How much do psychiatric aides make per hour?
Roughly $22 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $45,690 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays psychiatric aides the most?
Washington has the highest average pay for psychiatric aides at $56,060 per year (median $52,570).
What is the job outlook for psychiatric aides?
Employment is projected to change -0.4% from 2024 to 2034 (Decline), with about 5,300 openings per year.