Psychiatric Aides Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for psychiatric aides in the U.S. is $44,910 ($21.59 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $44,910
- Mean annual wage
- $45,690
- Median hourly wage
- $21.59
- Employment
- 35,520
35,520 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $32,090 | $15.43 |
| 25th percentile | $37,750 | $18.15 |
| Median (50th) | $44,910 | $21.59 |
| 75th percentile | $49,950 | $24.01 |
| 90th percentile | $60,440 | $29.06 |
Highest-paying states for psychiatric aides
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | $55,040 | 620 |
| Washington | $52,570 | 330 |
| Hawaii | $52,310 | 30 |
| Maryland | $51,440 | 250 |
| Nevada | $51,400 | 220 |
| Rhode Island | $51,100 | 130 |
| New York | $50,220 | 5,120 |
| Alaska | $49,300 | 190 |
| Illinois | $48,670 | 120 |
| Oregon | $48,300 | 1,550 |
Lowest-paying states
- Alabama: $27,150 median annual wage
- Louisiana: $30,030 median annual wage
- Mississippi: $30,510 median annual wage
- Arkansas: $36,270 median annual wage
- South Carolina: $36,320 median annual wage
About this occupation
Assist mentally impaired or emotionally disturbed patients, working under direction of nursing and medical staff. May assist with daily living activities, lead patients in educational and recreational activities, or accompany patients to and from examinations and treatments. May restrain violent patients. Includes psychiatric orderlies.
Typical tasks
- Record and maintain patient information, such as vital signs, eating habits, behavior, progress notes, treatments, or discharge plans.
- Maintain patients' restrictions to assigned areas.
- Organize, supervise, or encourage patient participation in social, educational, or recreational activities.
- Aid patients in becoming accustomed to hospital routines.
- Serve meals or feed patients needing assistance or persuasion.
- Accompany patients to and from wards for medical or dental treatments, shopping trips, or religious or recreational events.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: High school diploma or equivalent
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 6.5% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 36.9% |
| Some college, no degree | 26.8% |
| Associate's degree | 11.1% |
| Bachelor's degree | 14.2% |
| Master's degree | 3.6% |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 0.8% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Related occupations
- Home Health and Personal Care Aides$35,800
- Nursing Assistants$42,260
- Medical Assistants$45,690
- Dental Assistants$48,070
- Phlebotomists$45,230
- Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers$38,150
- Physical Therapist Assistants$68,380
- Healthcare Support Workers, All Other$48,430
About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- CareerOneStop Occupation Profiles — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 14, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.