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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Real salary distribution from 288 tracked cities across 46 states. Compare entry-level, median, and senior compensation — then adjust for cost of living.
Psychiatric Technician salaries in 2026 span a wider range than most people realize. The weighted national median is $44,228, but geography reshapes that number dramatically. In Sunnyvale, the median is $80,560. We analyzed BLS-sourced salary distributions across 288 U.S. cities and 46 states to map the complete compensation landscape.
Positioned in Healthcare Support within the broader Healthcare Support industry, Psychiatric Technicians typically hold Postsecondary certificate. The employment landscape is shaped by growing, and the day-to-day is clinical. Those factors — education investment, demand trajectory, and work structure — all feed into the salary numbers below.
$49,020 separates the highest and lowest-paying cities. A Psychiatric Technician in Sunnyvale, California earns a median of $80,560 — $49,020 more than their counterpart in Toledo, Ohio ($31,540). That gap alone is more than many cities' annual rent. That salary-to-cost ratio is genuinely competitive.
Breaking down the numbers: entry-level Psychiatric Technicians average $31,844, the median sits at $44,228, and senior earners pull in $62,804. That $30,960 gap represents the full earning trajectory of this career. The median is $36,139 below the national median household income of $80,367 — which tells you location and cost of living are critical factors in making this salary work.
The pay gap between the top and bottom markets is dramatic: $75,240 (average of the top 3 cities) versus $31,793 (average of the bottom 3). That $43,447 delta is real money — $3,621/month before taxes. But the highest-paying cities tend to be the most expensive. The cost-adjusted comparison below tells the more important story.
A Psychiatric Technician in Sunnyvale, California earns a median of $80,560 — $49,020 more than their counterpart in Toledo, Ohio ($31,540). That gap alone is more than many cities' annual rent.
| Country | Coverage | Entry (P10) | Median | Senior (P90) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 288 | $31,844 | $44,228 | $62,804 |
| United Kingdom | 27 | £17,185 | £23,868 | £33,892 |
| Canada | 21 | CA$26,207 | CA$36,398 | CA$51,685 |
| Australia | 13 | A$29,624 | A$41,144 | A$58,425 |
| Sweden | 24 | 180,710 kr | 250,986 kr | 356,400 kr |
| State | Cities | Entry (P10) | Median | Senior (P90) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 61 | $38,434 | $53,381 | $75,801 |
| Massachusetts | 4 | $37,141 | $51,585 | $73,251 |
| Hawaii | 1 | $36,936 | $51,300 | $72,846 |
| District of Columbia | 1 | $34,200 | $47,500 | $67,450 |
| New Jersey | 4 | $33,790 | $46,930 | $66,641 |
| Washington | 8 | $33,140 | $46,028 | $65,359 |
| New York | 5 | $31,191 | $43,320 | $61,515 |
| Rhode Island | 1 | $31,190 | $43,320 | $61,514 |
| Florida | 22 | $30,954 | $42,992 | $61,048 |
| Colorado | 11 | $30,419 | $42,249 | $59,994 |
| New Hampshire | 1 | $30,370 | $42,180 | $59,896 |
| Nevada | 5 | $30,315 | $42,104 | $59,788 |
| Arizona | 12 | $30,164 | $41,895 | $59,491 |
| Oregon | 5 | $30,096 | $41,800 | $59,356 |
| Idaho | 3 | $30,005 | $41,673 | $59,176 |
| Connecticut | 5 | $29,768 | $41,344 | $58,708 |
| Utah | 4 | $29,686 | $41,230 | $58,547 |
| Virginia | 7 | $29,197 | $40,551 | $57,583 |
| South Carolina | 3 | $28,819 | $40,027 | $56,838 |
| Alaska | 1 | $28,728 | $39,900 | $56,658 |
| Illinois | 5 | $28,400 | $39,444 | $56,011 |
| North Carolina | 9 | $27,694 | $38,464 | $54,619 |
| New Mexico | 3 | $27,360 | $38,000 | $53,960 |
| Montana | 1 | $27,360 | $38,000 | $53,960 |
| Tennessee | 6 | $27,269 | $37,873 | $53,780 |
| Texas | 40 | $27,134 | $37,687 | $53,515 |
| Minnesota | 2 | $27,087 | $37,620 | $53,421 |
| Wisconsin | 2 | $26,950 | $37,430 | $53,151 |
| Georgia | 6 | $26,858 | $37,303 | $52,971 |
| Pennsylvania | 3 | $26,813 | $37,240 | $52,881 |
| Kansas | 4 | $26,676 | $37,050 | $52,611 |
| Michigan | 6 | $26,585 | $36,923 | $52,431 |
| Kentucky | 2 | $26,266 | $36,480 | $51,802 |
| Maryland | 1 | $26,266 | $36,480 | $51,802 |
| Nebraska | 2 | $25,992 | $36,100 | $51,262 |
| South Dakota | 1 | $25,992 | $36,100 | $51,262 |
| Oklahoma | 4 | $25,308 | $35,150 | $49,913 |
| North Dakota | 1 | $25,171 | $34,960 | $49,643 |
| Louisiana | 4 | $24,829 | $34,485 | $48,969 |
| Missouri | 4 | $24,829 | $34,485 | $48,969 |
| Alabama | 5 | $24,733 | $34,352 | $48,780 |
| Indiana | 3 | $24,350 | $33,820 | $48,024 |
| Arkansas | 1 | $24,350 | $33,820 | $48,024 |
| Iowa | 2 | $24,077 | $33,440 | $47,485 |
| Ohio | 6 | $24,031 | $33,377 | $47,395 |
| Mississippi | 1 | $22,982 | $31,920 | $45,326 |
Geography shapes Psychiatric Technician pay in predictable and not-so-predictable ways. California tops the state leaderboard at $53,381 median, with 61 cities providing data. Massachusetts and Hawaii follow. On the flip side, Mississippi and Ohio anchor the bottom — reflecting lower local cost structures and smaller metro premiums.
When you adjust the top-paying cities for cost of living, the ranking reshuffles. Sunnyvale ($80,560 nominal, 212 cost index) delivers $38,000 in purchasing power — maintaining its lead even after cost adjustment. This is the metric that matters for anyone considering a geo-based career move.
Raw salary divided by the local cost index — this shows where your paycheck buys the most.
| # | City | Nominal Salary | Cost Index | Adjusted Salary | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sunnyvale California | $80,560 | 212 | $38,000 | $50,906 |
| 2 | Santa Clara California | $75,240 | 198 | $38,000 | $47,871 |
| 3 | Irvine California | $69,920 | 184 | $38,000 | $44,836 |
| 4 | San Francisco California | $68,780 | 181 | $38,000 | $44,186 |
| 5 | Carlsbad California | $67,640 | 178 | $38,000 | $43,536 |
| 6 | San Jose California | $67,260 | 177 | $38,000 | $43,319 |
| 7 | Fremont California | $67,260 | 177 | $38,000 | $43,319 |
| 8 | Berkeley California | $65,740 | 173 | $38,000 | $42,452 |
| 9 | Costa Mesa California | $65,740 | 173 | $38,000 | $42,452 |
| 10 | Huntington Beach California | $64,220 | 169 | $38,000 | $41,585 |
The $30,960 gap between P10 and P90 represents the earning trajectory of a Psychiatric Technician career. Senior-level earners make 2.0× what entry-level professionals do — a solid progression that justifies the upfront investment. In the Healthcare Support sector, growing, which shapes both starting salaries and long-term ceiling.
The weighted national median salary for Psychiatric Technicians is $44,228 in 2026, based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics across 288 U.S. metro areas. Entry-level (10th percentile) averages $31,844, while experienced professionals at the 90th percentile average $62,804.
The highest-paying city for Psychiatric Technicians is Sunnyvale, California with a median salary of $80,560. The top 3 cities are Sunnyvale ($80,560), Santa Clara ($75,240), Irvine ($69,920). Note: high-paying cities often have higher costs of living — check the cost-adjusted rankings above for purchasing power.
The lowest median Psychiatric Technician salary in our data is in Toledo, Ohio at $31,540. However, lower-paying cities often have significantly lower costs of living, which can offset the pay gap. Always compare salary data alongside local cost of living.
Entry-level Psychiatric Technicians (10th percentile) average $31,844 nationally. This varies by city — in the highest-paying markets, entry-level pay can be close to $58,003. Experience, certifications, and employer type all influence starting salary.
At the 90th percentile (senior level), Psychiatric Technicians average $62,804 nationally — $30,960 more than entry-level. In top-paying cities, senior Psychiatric Technicians can earn up to $114,395.
The top-paying states for Psychiatric Technicians are California ($53,381 median), Massachusetts ($51,585 median), Hawaii ($51,300 median). State averages are computed across all tracked cities in each state, weighted equally.
The typical education path for a Psychiatric Technician involves Postsecondary certificate. The field is in the Healthcare Support sector (Healthcare Support), and the career outlook is growing. Work style is typically clinical.
With a national median of $44,228 and representation across 288 metro areas, Psychiatric Technician offers a foundation that can be strengthened by strategic location choices. The $30,960 gap between entry and senior pay shows room for salary growth. Industry outlook: growing.
All salary data on this page is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, which surveys employers across U.S. metropolitan areas. We present 10th percentile (entry), 50th percentile (median), and 90th percentile (senior) pay benchmarks. Cost-of-living adjustments use our core database of 288 cities.
Salary data is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, which surveys employers across U.S. metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas. We present the 10th percentile (entry-level), 50th percentile (median), and 90th percentile (senior) pay benchmarks.
Cost-of-living adjustments use Livably's core index derived from Zillow rent data, Census income surveys, and regional BLS price data. Take-home pay estimates apply simplified federal brackets, 7.65% FICA, and state income tax rates from the Tax Foundation.
State and national averages are computed as simple means across all tracked cities with data for this occupation. Rankings are updated monthly as new BLS releases become available.