Psychiatric Aides
Psychiatric Aides (SOC 31-1133) earn a median $44,910 a year ($21.59 an hour) in the United States, with 35,520 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Minnesota.
What psychiatric aides do
Psychiatric aides assist mentally impaired or emotionally disturbed patients, working under the direction of nursing and medical staff, and the SOC includes psychiatric orderlies. They listen to patients and give emotional support and encouragement, and provide patients with cognitive, intellectual or developmental disabilities with routine physical, emotional, psychological or rehabilitation care. They may help with daily living activities, accompany patients to and from examinations and treatments, and organize, supervise or encourage participation in social, educational or recreational activities. They complete physical checks and monitor patients to detect unusual or harmful behavior and report their observations to professional staff, and they maintain patients' restrictions to assigned areas. They restrain or aid patients as necessary to prevent injury. They work as part of a team that may include psychiatrists, psychologists, psychiatric nurses or social workers, and record information such as vital signs, eating habits, behavior, progress notes and treatments. About 46 percent of respondents report some college courses. Job names found in O*NET include behavior aide, behavior support assistant, behavioral health assistant and charge aide.
Typical entry: O*NET respondents most often report some college coursework as the typical level of education for this occupation (46 percent).
Also called: Behavior Aide, Behavior Assistant, Behavior Intervention Assistant, Behavior Support Assistant, Behavioral Aide.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $15.43 | $18.15 | $21.59 | $24.01 | $29.06 | $21.97 | 35,520 |
| Annual | $32,090 | $37,750 | $44,910 | $49,950 | $60,440 | $45,690 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where psychiatric aides earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Minnesota | Hourly | $18.19 | $21.03 | $26.46 | $29.17 | $32.96 | $25.34 | 620 | 0.21 | 0.92 |
| Annual | $37,830 | $43,740 | $55,040 | $60,680 | $68,560 | $52,710 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $25.27 | $25.27 | $25.27 | $28.54 | $29.96 | $26.95 | 330 | 0.09 | 0.40 |
| Annual | $52,570 | $52,570 | $52,570 | $59,370 | $62,310 | $56,060 | ||||
| Hawaii | Hourly | $14.67 | $17.52 | $25.15 | $25.91 | $25.91 | $23.01 | 30 | 0.05 | 0.22 |
| Annual | $30,500 | $36,440 | $52,310 | $53,890 | $53,890 | $47,860 | ||||
| Maryland | Hourly | $18.04 | $19.96 | $24.73 | $27.72 | $30.40 | $24.01 | 250 | 0.09 | 0.40 |
| Annual | $37,530 | $41,510 | $51,440 | $57,650 | $63,220 | $49,940 | ||||
| Nevada | Hourly | $16.92 | $19.43 | $24.71 | $28.41 | $33.17 | $24.54 | 220 | 0.14 | 0.62 |
| Annual | $35,200 | $40,410 | $51,400 | $59,090 | $68,990 | $51,030 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York | Hourly | $22.84 | $23.37 | $24.14 | $28.59 | $32.03 | $26.18 | 5,120 | 0.53 | 2.31 |
| Annual | $47,500 | $48,610 | $50,220 | $59,460 | $66,620 | $54,450 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $18.76 | $21.82 | $22.84 | $27.48 | $37.13 | $25.80 | 3,760 | 0.21 | 0.90 |
| Annual | $39,030 | $45,390 | $47,500 | $57,160 | $77,220 | $53,670 | ||||
| Mississippi | Hourly | $11.74 | $14.11 | $14.67 | $16.88 | $18.33 | $15.05 | 2,490 | 2.14 | 9.37 |
| Annual | $24,420 | $29,350 | $30,510 | $35,110 | $38,130 | $31,310 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $17.15 | $18.00 | $18.24 | $18.74 | $21.33 | $18.59 | 2,210 | 0.22 | 0.98 |
| Annual | $35,670 | $37,440 | $37,930 | $38,970 | $44,370 | $38,680 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $18.84 | $19.56 | $22.01 | $23.68 | $28.90 | $22.90 | 2,060 | 0.48 | 2.11 |
| Annual | $39,180 | $40,690 | $45,780 | $49,260 | $60,110 | $47,630 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | Hourly | $30.03 | $30.03 | $36.38 | $36.38 | $36.38 | $33.66 | 210 | 0.79 | 3.44 |
| Annual | $62,460 | $62,460 | $75,670 | $75,670 | $75,670 | $70,000 | ||||
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | Hourly | $21.82 | $22.65 | $28.90 | $28.90 | $35.78 | $27.76 | 370 | 1.52 | 6.66 |
| Annual | $45,390 | $47,110 | $60,110 | $60,110 | $74,420 | $57,750 | ||||
| Utica-Rome, NY | Hourly | $22.72 | $22.72 | $28.17 | $35.98 | $35.98 | $29.57 | 220 | 1.88 | 8.25 |
| Annual | $47,260 | $47,260 | $58,600 | $74,830 | $74,830 | $61,510 | ||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $22.39 | $25.47 | $28.15 | $36.29 | $43.11 | $31.06 | 100 | 0.09 | 0.38 |
| Annual | $46,570 | $52,980 | $58,550 | $75,490 | $89,680 | $64,600 | ||||
| Waterbury-Shelton, CT | Hourly | $20.36 | $21.15 | $27.58 | $34.74 | $35.67 | $27.77 | 40 | 0.24 | 1.06 |
| Annual | $42,340 | $43,990 | $57,360 | $72,260 | $74,200 | $57,770 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $19.75 | $23.22 | $23.96 | $25.23 | $28.96 | $24.61 | 4,310 | 0.45 | 1.99 |
| Annual | $41,070 | $48,300 | $49,840 | $52,470 | $60,230 | $51,190 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $18.69 | $19.69 | $22.62 | $23.31 | $32.98 | $23.57 | 1,450 | 0.23 | 1.01 |
| Annual | $38,880 | $40,960 | $47,050 | $48,470 | $68,590 | $49,030 | ||||
| Jackson, MS | Hourly | $12.85 | $14.11 | $15.17 | $16.53 | $18.97 | $15.35 | 1,040 | 3.84 | 16.81 |
| Annual | $26,730 | $29,350 | $31,560 | $34,380 | $39,450 | $31,920 | ||||
| Salem, OR | Hourly | $19.43 | $22.77 | $24.32 | $28.82 | $29.28 | $25.16 | 910 | 4.80 | 21.02 |
| Annual | $40,420 | $47,370 | $50,580 | $59,950 | $60,900 | $52,330 | ||||
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Hourly | $19.01 | $20.89 | $23.35 | $23.50 | $29.45 | $23.51 | 870 | 0.30 | 1.32 |
| Annual | $39,540 | $43,460 | $48,560 | $48,890 | $61,260 | $48,900 | ||||
Top industries employing psychiatric aides
Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals employ 39.9% of psychiatric aides nationally (14,190 jobs) at a median $46,340 a year ($22.28 an hour), followed by State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) (17.6%) and General Medical and Surgical Hospitals (11.4%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals NAICS 622200 | 14,190 | 39.9% | $46,340 | $22.28 |
| State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999200 | 6,260 | 17.6% | $42,560 | $20.46 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals NAICS 622100 | 4,050 | 11.4% | $45,180 | $21.72 |
| Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Facilities NAICS 623200 | 3,780 | 10.6% | $40,250 | $19.35 |
| Offices of Other Health Practitioners NAICS 621300 | 1,320 | 3.7% | $40,690 | $19.56 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (35,520). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $30,260 for psychiatric aides in May 2021 and $44,910 in May 2025, with employment of 39,140 and 35,520.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $30,260 | $14.55 | 39,140 |
| May 2022 | $37,160 | $17.86 | 30,590 |
| May 2023 | $39,160 | $18.83 | 32,310 |
| May 2024 | $41,590 | $20.00 | 34,900 |
| May 2025 | $44,910 | $21.59 | 35,520 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
39 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minnesota profile | $26.46 | $55,040 | $37,830 | $68,560 | 620 | 0.21 | 0.92 |
| 2 | Washington profile | $25.27 | $52,570 | $52,570 | $62,310 | 330 | 0.09 | 0.40 |
| 3 | Hawaii profile | $25.15 | $52,310 | $30,500 | $53,890 | 30 | 0.05 | 0.22 |
| 4 | Maryland profile | $24.73 | $51,440 | $37,530 | $63,220 | 250 | 0.09 | 0.40 |
| 5 | Nevada profile | $24.71 | $51,400 | $35,200 | $68,990 | 220 | 0.14 | 0.62 |
| 6 | Rhode Island profile | $24.57 | $51,100 | $43,040 | $62,530 | 130 | 0.27 | 1.16 |
| 7 | New York profile | $24.14 | $50,220 | $47,500 | $66,620 | 5,120 | 0.53 | 2.31 |
| 8 | Alaska profile | $23.70 | $49,300 | $42,550 | $61,470 | 190 | 0.57 | 2.50 |
| 9 | Illinois profile | $23.40 | $48,670 | $40,960 | $48,700 | 120 | 0.02 | 0.09 |
| 10 | Oregon profile | $23.22 | $48,300 | $40,420 | $60,900 | 1,550 | 0.79 | 3.45 |
| 11 | Vermont profile | $23.01 | $47,860 | $46,300 | $56,150 | 330 | 1.08 | 4.71 |
| 12 | California profile | $22.84 | $47,500 | $39,030 | $77,220 | 3,760 | 0.21 | 0.90 |
| 13 | Maine profile | $22.46 | $46,720 | $40,650 | $47,050 | 110 | 0.17 | 0.74 |
| 14 | Montana profile | $22.28 | $46,340 | $39,680 | $58,280 | 330 | 0.64 | 2.80 |
| 15 | Colorado profile | $22.18 | $46,130 | $41,310 | $56,140 | 300 | 0.10 | 0.46 |
| 16 | Michigan profile | $22.02 | $45,800 | $34,860 | $57,410 | 1,410 | 0.32 | 1.41 |
| 17 | New Jersey profile | $22.01 | $45,780 | $39,180 | $60,110 | 2,060 | 0.48 | 2.11 |
| 18 | Massachusetts profile | $21.78 | $45,300 | $37,020 | $80,130 | 950 | 0.26 | 1.15 |
| 19 | Oklahoma profile | $21.62 | $44,960 | $31,520 | $48,610 | ** | ** | ** |
| 20 | Indiana profile | $21.57 | $44,860 | $37,050 | $72,800 | 1,930 | 0.60 | 2.64 |
| 21 | Pennsylvania profile | $21.53 | $44,790 | $37,930 | $61,260 | 1,620 | 0.27 | 1.17 |
| 22 | Connecticut profile | $21.47 | $44,660 | $38,290 | $68,540 | 520 | 0.31 | 1.34 |
| 23 | Texas profile | $20.46 | $42,560 | $30,430 | $55,120 | 1,760 | 0.13 | 0.55 |
| 24 | Utah profile | $19.62 | $40,810 | $36,740 | $55,220 | 130 | 0.08 | 0.34 |
| 25 | Missouri profile | $19.16 | $39,840 | $33,290 | $51,030 | 110 | 0.04 | 0.16 |
| 26 | Iowa profile | $18.88 | $39,260 | $35,060 | $65,190 | 400 | 0.26 | 1.13 |
| 27 | Kentucky profile | $18.56 | $38,610 | $35,870 | $48,310 | 250 | 0.13 | 0.55 |
| 28 | Ohio profile | $18.50 | $38,480 | $33,740 | $53,960 | 980 | 0.18 | 0.77 |
| 29 | North Carolina profile | $18.46 | $38,400 | $35,340 | $44,010 | ** | ** | ** |
| 30 | Kansas profile | $18.46 | $38,390 | $34,110 | $45,620 | 580 | 0.40 | 1.77 |
| 31 | Florida profile | $18.24 | $37,930 | $35,670 | $44,370 | 2,210 | 0.22 | 0.98 |
| 32 | West Virginia profile | $18.22 | $37,910 | $25,020 | $46,710 | 220 | 0.31 | 1.34 |
| 33 | Virginia profile | $17.92 | $37,280 | $33,380 | $45,850 | ** | ** | ** |
| 34 | Georgia profile | $17.69 | $36,790 | $27,840 | $41,790 | 1,090 | 0.22 | 0.98 |
| 35 | South Carolina profile | $17.46 | $36,320 | $32,320 | $39,660 | 200 | 0.09 | 0.38 |
| 36 | Arkansas profile | $17.44 | $36,270 | $27,030 | $39,950 | 490 | 0.38 | 1.64 |
| 37 | Mississippi profile | $14.67 | $30,510 | $24,420 | $38,130 | 2,490 | 2.14 | 9.37 |
| 38 | Louisiana profile | $14.44 | $30,030 | $26,640 | $44,560 | 280 | 0.15 | 0.64 |
| 39 | Alabama profile | $13.05 | $27,150 | $25,180 | $40,260 | 790 | 0.37 | 1.63 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (31-1130), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Healthcare Support Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 31-1133 Psychiatric Aides.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 31-1133, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 31-1133.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.