How much does a Psychiatric Aides make?

The median annual wage for Psychiatric Aides is $44,910 ($22 per hour). Pay ranges from about $32,090 at the 10th percentile to $60,440 at the 90th percentile.

What is the average salary for a Psychiatric Aides?

The average (mean) annual salary is $45,690, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.

Which state pays Psychiatric Aidess the most?

Minnesota has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $55,040.

Is Psychiatric Aides a growing occupation?

BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 36K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.

What does a Psychiatric Aides do?

Participate in recreational activities with patients, including card games, sports, or television viewing.; Listen and provide emotional support and encouragement to psychiatric patients.; Provide patients with cognitive, intellectual, or developmental disabilities with routine physical, emotional, psychological, or rehabilitation care under the direction of nursing or medical staff..

Psychiatric Aides Salary

Healthcare Support Occupations · 36K employed in the U.S.

Median annual

$44,910

Median hourly

$22

Average annual

$45,690

Typical range

$32,090–$60,440

Pay distribution

10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.

10th$32,090

25th$37,750

Median$44,910

75th$49,950

90th$60,440

What this role pays

The median annual salary for Psychiatric Aides is $44,910 as of May 2025, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. That works out to about $22 an hour at a full-time schedule.

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.

Most earn between $32,090 and $60,440 a year. There are roughly 36K people employed as psychiatric aides in the United States. Use the state and metro pages below to see how pay changes by location, and the calculator to convert any hourly or annual figure.

Salary calculator

Convert your pay and see where it lands for Psychiatric Aides.

Pay amountPay period

Hours / weekWeeks / year

Hourly: $21.59
Daily: $173
Weekly: $864
Bi-weekly: $1,727
Monthly: $3,743
Annual: $44,910

$44,910 a year is around the 50th percentile for Psychiatric Aidess. The median is $44,910.

Psychiatric Aides — U.S., May 2025
Percentile	Hourly	Annual
10th percentile	$15.40	$32,090
25th percentile	$18.10	$37,750
Median	$21.60	$44,910
75th percentile	$24.00	$49,950
90th percentile	$29.10	$60,440
Average (mean)	$22.00	$45,690
Employment	35,520 people

Key skills

Speaking
Social Perceptiveness
Service Orientation
Active Listening
Monitoring
Critical Thinking
Active Learning
Coordination
Reading Comprehension
Writing

Highest-paying states

Median annual wage by state.

1Minnesota$55,040
2Washington$52,570
3Hawaii$52,310
4Maryland$51,440
5Nevada$51,400
6Rhode Island$51,100
7New York$50,220
8Alaska$49,300
9Illinois$48,670
10Oregon$48,300
11Vermont$47,860
12California$47,500

Top-paying metro areas

Median annual wage by metro area.

1Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY$75,670
2Trenton-Princeton, NJ$60,110
3Utica-Rome, NY$58,600
4San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$58,550
5Waterbury-Shelton, CT$57,360
6Kalamazoo-Portage, MI$55,100
7Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV$53,520
8Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$52,570
9Colorado Springs, CO$51,670
10Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI$51,610
11Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD$51,440
12Salem, OR$50,580

Related job titles

Employers advertise Psychiatric Aides roles under these titles.

Related occupations

What a Psychiatric Aides does

Participate in recreational activities with patients, including card games, sports, or television viewing.
Listen and provide emotional support and encouragement to psychiatric patients.
Provide patients with cognitive, intellectual, or developmental disabilities with routine physical, emotional, psychological, or rehabilitation care under the direction of nursing or medical staff.
Complete physical checks and monitor patients to detect unusual or harmful behavior and report observations to professional staff.
Organize, supervise, or encourage patient participation in social, educational, or recreational activities.
Provide patients with assistance in bathing, dressing, or grooming, demonstrating these skills as necessary.
Serve meals or feed patients needing assistance or persuasion.
Clean and disinfect rooms and furnishings to maintain a safe and orderly environment.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a Psychiatric Aides make?: The median annual wage for Psychiatric Aides is $44,910 ($22 per hour). Pay ranges from about $32,090 at the 10th percentile to $60,440 at the 90th percentile.
What is the average salary for a Psychiatric Aides?: The average (mean) annual salary is $45,690, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
Which state pays Psychiatric Aidess the most?: Minnesota has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $55,040.
Is Psychiatric Aides a growing occupation?: BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 36K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
What does a Psychiatric Aides do?: Participate in recreational activities with patients, including card games, sports, or television viewing.; Listen and provide emotional support and encouragement to psychiatric patients.; Provide patients with cognitive, intellectual, or developmental disabilities with routine physical, emotional, psychological, or rehabilitation care under the direction of nursing or medical staff..