by our College Data Analytics TeamA major in Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse/Nursing involves the study of Psychiatric/mental Health Nurse/nursing. A Program That Prepares Registered Nurses To Promote Mental Health And Provide Nursing Care To Patients With Mental, Emotional Or Behavioral Disorders, In Mental Institutions Or Other Settings. Includes Instruction In Psychopathology, Behavioral Health, Counseling And Intervention Strategies, Psychoeducation, Mental Health Assessment And Dual Diagnosis, Stabilization And Management Of Psychotic Illness, Psychiatric Care And Rehabilitation, Substance Abuse, And Crisis Intervention. Examples: [Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner]. Continue reading for the essential details every psychiatric/mental health nurse/nursing major should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering psychiatric/mental health nurse/nursing programs.
Nationwide, psychiatric/mental health nurse/nursing is a popular field of study, with 4,379 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse/Nursing Schools ranking analyzes these 163 schools to determine the best overall colleges for psychiatric/mental health nurse/nursing students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of psychiatric/mental health nurse/nursing programs later in this article.
Programs in Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse/Nursing develop a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations psychiatric/mental health nurse/nursing graduates commonly enter.
The skill set built by a psychiatric/mental health nurse/nursing program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Based on O*NET data, a psychiatric/mental health nurse/nursing major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several psychiatric/mental health nurse/nursing 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 4,166 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 213 |
People currently working in careers related to psychiatric/mental health nurse/nursing tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Master’s degree | 44.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 24.3% |
| Doctoral degree | 10.0% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 8.9% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 7.8% |
| First professional degree | 1.4% |
| Post-doctoral training | 1.4% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 1.3% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 0.3% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 0.2% |
View the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in psychiatric/mental health nurse/nursing careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Majoring in psychiatric/mental health nurse/nursing can lead to a variety of career paths. Below are some of the most common occupations related to psychiatric/mental health nurse/nursing.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to psychiatric/mental health nurse/nursing.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | 3,793,806 | 10.2% |
| Nurse Practitioners | 2,031,912 | 3.3% |
| Clinical Nurse Specialists | 1,937,405 | 12.3% |
| Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses | 1,349,827 | 0.0% |
| Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary | 790,445 | 5.7% |
| Critical Care Nurses | 590,563 | 14.4% |
| Acute Care Nurses | 191,452 | 4.1% |
The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of psychiatric/mental health nurse/nursing graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $83,453 |
| 4 years | $80,149 |
| 5 years | $90,156 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for psychiatric/mental health nurse/nursing graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers psychiatric/mental health nurse/nursing grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Nurse Practitioners | $147,651 |
| Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses | $143,854 |
| Registered Nurses | $105,741 |
| Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary | $69,718 |
| Critical Care Nurses | $65,103 |
| Acute Care Nurses | $56,247 |
| Clinical Nurse Specialists | $52,889 |
With 163 different psychiatric/mental health nurse/nursing programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased psychiatric/mental health nurse/nursing school rankings to help you.
Those considering psychiatric/mental health nurse/nursing, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse | 256,965 |
| Family Practice Nurse/Nursing | 14,847 |
| Nursing Practice | 9,206 |
| Nursing Administration | 7,911 |
| Nursing Science | 4,245 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing, Other | 4,125 |
| Adult Health Nurse/Nursing | 2,457 |
| Nurse Anesthetist | 1,960 |
| Public Health/Community Nurse/Nursing | 1,505 |
| Geriatric Nurse/Nursing | 641 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
