Careers · Explore one path
Psychiatric Technicians
Care for individuals with mental or emotional conditions or disabilities, following the instructions of physicians or other health practitioners. Monitor patients' physical and emotional well-being and report to medical staff. May participate in rehabilitation and treatment programs, help with personal hygiene, and administer oral or injectable medications.
Other titles employers use
BHT (Behavioral Health Technician) · Health Care Technician (Health Care Tech) · LPT (Licensed Psychiatric Technician) · Mental Health Associate · Mental Health Specialist · Mental Health Technician (MHT) · MHA (Mental Health Assistant) · MHW (Mental Health Worker)
Inside the work
What you would actually do.
6 responsibilities that define the role, before job titles and workplaces change the details.
- Provide nursing, psychiatric, or personal care to patients with cognitive, intellectual, or developmental disabilities.
- Encourage patients to develop work skills and to participate in social, recreational, or other therapeutic activities that enhance interpersonal skills or develop social relationships.
- Restrain violent, potentially violent, or suicidal patients by verbal or physical means as required.
- Lead prescribed individual or group therapy sessions as part of specific therapeutic procedures.
- Monitor patients' physical and emotional well-being and report unusual behavior or physical ailments to medical staff.
- Take and record measures of patients' physical condition, using devices such as thermometers or blood pressure gauges.
Who it suits
Would this work hold your attention?
This career often appeals to people drawn to helping, analytical and organizing work.
- Analytical
- Investigating questions, testing ideas, and solving problems
- Organizing
- Creating order, checking details, and keeping work accurate
Skills and strengths
What you would get good at.
Compare the skills the work relies on, the subjects behind it, and the abilities that make it easier to learn.
Core skills
- Social Perceptiveness
- Active Listening
- Monitoring
- Speaking
- Coordination
- Reading Comprehension
Subjects to know
- Psychology
- Therapy and Counseling
- English Language
- Customer and Personal Service
- Medicine and Dentistry
Useful strengths
- Oral Comprehension
- Oral Expression
- Problem Sensitivity
- Deductive Reasoning
- Written Comprehension
Working day
Picture yourself doing it.
These measures show how much of the day involves people, movement, conversation, and hands-on work.
| Measure | Out of 5 | What that means here |
|---|---|---|
| Close to other people | 4.6 | Arm’s length or closer, most of the day |
| On your feet | 3.6 | Up and down through the day |
| Talking face to face | 4.9 | Continuous — the job is conversations |
| Working with your hands | 2.6 | Little of the day |
Preparation
How people prepare for this work.
Employers usually ask for a postsecondary certificate. Other routes may also lead into the field.
- A certificate or some college 45%
- A four-year degree 30%
- High school or less 20%
- A two-year degree 3%
- A master's degree 2%
Tools of the work
Technology you may use.
- Spreadsheet software
- Office suite software
- Electronic mail software
- Word processing software
- Medical software
- Inventory management software
Opportunity near you
See where this work is growing.
Choose a state to compare the size of the field, annual openings, and expected hiring change.
- People doing this work
- 13,040
- Job openings each year
- 1,190
- Expected hiring change, 2022–2032
- 20.1%
Compare every available state
| State | People doing it | Job openings each year | Expected change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | 13,040 | 1,190 | 20.1% |
| California | 10,400 | 890 | 8.3% |
| Arizona | 9,690 | 920 | 31.1% |
| Texas | 8,050 | 720 | 17.3% |
| Illinois | 7,660 | 650 | 7.3% |
| North Carolina | 5,210 | 470 | 18.7% |
| Indiana | 4,760 | 420 | 15.3% |
| Wisconsin | 4,300 | 380 | 12.6% |
| Missouri | 4,110 | 360 | 10.8% |
| Michigan | 3,460 | 290 | 5.2% |
| Tennessee | 3,380 | 310 | 18.6% |
| Virginia | 3,110 | 260 | 5.1% |
| New York | 2,980 | 70 | 27.9% |
| Utah | 2,340 | 230 | 36.0% |
| Pennsylvania | 2,310 | 190 | 3.1% |
| Alabama | 2,110 | 180 | 9.3% |
| Nevada | 2,000 | 190 | 23.5% |
| Ohio | 1,870 | 160 | 7.5% |
| Minnesota | 1,720 | 150 | 6.2% |
| Louisiana | 1,420 | 130 | 11.8% |
| Oklahoma | 1,420 | 120 | 8.4% |
| Colorado | 1,360 | 120 | 18.3% |
| Kansas | 1,270 | 110 | 8.5% |
| Washington | 1,230 | 120 | 9.8% |
| Arkansas | 1,130 | 100 | 9.7% |
| West Virginia | 1,110 | 100 | 22.0% |
| Oregon | 1,020 | 90 | 14.6% |
| Nebraska | 1,010 | 90 | 8.6% |
| Connecticut | 920 | 70 | −1.1% |
| Georgia | 910 | 80 | 18.2% |
| Mississippi | 810 | 70 | 8.0% |
| Maryland | 680 | 60 | 9.7% |
| Massachusetts | 670 | 60 | 11.7% |
| Rhode Island | 670 | 60 | 6.3% |
| New Mexico | 650 | 60 | 18.2% |
| South Carolina | 520 | 50 | 10.6% |
| District of Columbia | 490 | 40 | 8.9% |
| Idaho | 450 | 40 | 18.4% |
| Kentucky | 440 | 40 | 10.0% |
| Montana | 440 | 40 | 18.9% |
| New Jersey | 430 | 40 | 10.3% |
| Vermont | 410 | 40 | 10.8% |
| Iowa | 380 | 40 | 18.8% |
| Maine | 370 | 30 | 2.8% |
| Alaska | 280 | 20 | 12.0% |
| North Dakota | 210 | 20 | 16.7% |
| New Hampshire | 180 | 20 | 20.0% |
| Delaware | 170 | 20 | 21.4% |
| South Dakota | 140 | 10 | 7.7% |
| Guam | 60 | 10 | −14.3% |
| Virgin Islands | 40 | 0 | −20.0% |
Career to college
Build a path toward this work.
Start with a related major, then compare colleges where students complete that field.
Where to study
Colleges with strong activity in these fields.
Start with program size, admission, and likely cost. Open a college for the full picture.
James Madison University
- Degrees each year
- 415
- Admit rate
- 76%
- Annual cost after aid
- $16,000
Old Dominion University
- Degrees each year
- 156
- Admit rate
- 91%
- Annual cost after aid
- $13,000
University of Arizona
- Degrees each year
- 114
- Admit rate
- 86%
- Annual cost after aid
- $16,000
Worcester State University
- Degrees each year
- 65
- Admit rate
- 90%
- Annual cost after aid
- $10,000
University of Pennsylvania
- Degrees each year
- 63
- Admit rate
- 6%
- Annual cost after aid
- $10,000
Minnesota State University-Mankato
- Degrees each year
- 57
- Admit rate
- 91%
- Annual cost after aid
- $15,000
Texas A & M University-College Station
- Degrees each year
- 56
- Admit rate
- 63%
- Annual cost after aid
- $17,000
University of Central Arkansas
- Degrees each year
- 55
- Admit rate
- 90%
- Annual cost after aid
- $16,000
Compare every college offering mental and social health services and allied professions