by our College Data Analytics TeamA major in Psychiatric/Mental Health Services Technician explores Psychiatric/mental Health Services Technician. A Program That Prepares Individuals, Under The Supervision Of Psychiatrists, Psychologists, Nurses, And Other Mental Health Care Professionals, To Provide Direct Patient Care Services, Assist In Developing And Implementing Treatment Plans, Administer Medications, And Perform Related Administrative Functions. Includes Instruction In Mental Health Theory, Applied Psychopathology, Patient Communication And Management, Crisis Intervention, Psychotropic Medication, Mental Health Treatment Procedures, Substance Abuse, Record-Keeping, Clinical Administrative Skills, And Applicable Standards And Regulations. Continue reading for the key facts every psychiatric/mental health services technician student should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering psychiatric/mental health services technician programs.
In the U.S., psychiatric/mental health services technician draws strong interest, with 2,601 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Psychiatric/Mental Health Services Technician Schools ranking analyzes these 72 schools to determine the best overall colleges for psychiatric/mental health services technician students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of psychiatric/mental health services technician programs later in this article.
Programs in Psychiatric/Mental Health Services Technician emphasize a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations psychiatric/mental health services technician graduates commonly enter.
Skills built by a psychiatric/mental health services technician program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Per O*NET surveys, a psychiatric/mental health services technician major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several psychiatric/mental health services technician degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 502 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 1,013 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 764 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 322 |
People currently working in careers related to psychiatric/mental health services technician tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Some college courses | 43.7% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 22.6% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 13.2% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 12.4% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 7.3% |
| Master’s degree | 0.8% |
See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in psychiatric/mental health services technician careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Studying psychiatric/mental health services technician can lead to many career paths. These are some of the most common occupations related to psychiatric/mental health services technician.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to psychiatric/mental health services technician.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Psychiatric Aides | 845,589 | 3.6% |
| Psychiatric Technicians | 507,255 | 12.5% |
The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of psychiatric/mental health services technician graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $46,066 |
| 4 years | $46,824 |
| 5 years | $52,641 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for psychiatric/mental health services technician graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers psychiatric/mental health services technician grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Psychiatric Technicians | $52,472 |
| Psychiatric Aides | $51,090 |
With 72 different psychiatric/mental health services technician programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased psychiatric/mental health services technician school rankings to help you.
If you are interested in psychiatric/mental health services technician, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
