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Psychiatric Technicians Salary in California

SOC 29-2053 · California · BLS OEWS May 2025

Median Annual Salary
$49,130
$23.62/hr
8.8% higher than the US national median ($45,136)
Verified BLS OEWS data · Updated May 18, 2026

Is this a competitive Psychiatric Technicians salary in California in 2026?

Based on BLS OEWS wage percentiles, JOLTS June 2026 demand signals, and ECI Q2 2026 wage growth.

$Competitive · ~P50
P10$41K
P25$47K
P50$49K
P75$74K
P90$88K
Drag the dot or type an amount above.
🔥
Demand: HOT. Demand is hot -- health care job openings are running at 5.3% (JOLTS, June 2026), a tight market. Candidates have leverage, so a competitive offer sits at or above the median; below-median offers often will not close.
📈
Merit budget: Wages in health care are rising about 3.6% a year (BLS ECI, Q2 2026). Budget a 3.2-3.7% merit increase to hold this role at market.
Our read
For a competitive 2026 offer, target $49,130 to $74,402 (market median to the 75th percentile). Lean toward the top of the range for senior or hard-to-fill roles.
Figures are market benchmarks from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; apply professional judgment before making pay decisions.

How Psychiatric Technicians pay is moving in 2026

Trend, demand, and spread context from BLS OEWS, JOLTS, and ECI

Pay trend

Median pay for this role rose 6.0% between the May 2024 and May 2025 BLS surveys, outpacing the 3.6% wage growth of Health Care & Social Assistance (BLS ECI).

Hiring demand · HOT

Health Care & Social Assistance is running a 5.3% job-openings rate with quits at 1.9% (BLS JOLTS). Demand has cooled for 2 straight months (6.1% down to 5.3%).

Pay spread

Top earners (P90) make about 1.7 times what entry-level (P10) workers make in this role. That spread is narrower than typical, so pay is fairly standardized; small differences move a candidate across the market.

What changed recently
  • Aug 4, 2026JOLTS June 2026: sector openings fell from 5.9% to 5.3% (down 147K), the sharpest monthly cooling this year, though still the second-tightest market.
  • Jul 31, 2026ECI Q2 2026: sector wages growing 3.6% per year, the fastest of any major sector. Health benefit costs rose 6.0% nationally.

Commentary is generated from published BLS figures (OEWS May 2025 vs May 2024, JOLTS June 2026, ECI Q2 2026) and refreshed each release. It is interpretation, not a BLS product.

Source: BLS OEWS · Published May 15, 2026
Next refresh: May 2027
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The median salary for Psychiatric Technicians in California is $49,130 per year ($23.62/hr). This is 8.8% higher than the national median of $45,136.

About This Role

BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018

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.

Wage Percentiles: California

Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours) · National adjusted
PercentileHourly RateAnnual Salaryvs National
P10Entry level$19.65$40,872+16.5%
P25$22.41$46,613+21.3%
P50MEDIAN$23.62$49,130+8.8%
P75$35.77$74,402+48.3%
P90Top earners$42.35$88,088+45.0%
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P10–P90 breakdown, career outlook, industry wages, and JOLTS market signal for Psychiatric Technicians
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Career Outlook

BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
+20.0%
Much faster than average
Annual openings
16K
per year, on avg
Workforce today
145K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
18% from new growth82% from people leaving the role
Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.
Typical entry requirements
Education
Postsecondary nondegree award
Experience
Less than 5 years
On-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training

Industry Wage Breakdown

Top 2 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
IndustryWorkforce Median Pay
Offices of Other Health Practitioners
NAICS 621300
36K$45,570
Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals
NAICS 622200
33K$44,850
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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the median psychiatric technicians salary in California?

The median (P50) annual salary for Psychiatric Technicians in California is approximately $49,130, based on BLS OEWS May 2025 data. This is 8.8% higher than the national median of $45,136. For the full P10–P90 breakdown and market context, open CompSignal.

Related Roles in California

Same sector, top 5 by employment
Registered Nurses29-1141View salary →Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses29-2061View salary →Pharmacy Technicians29-2052View salary →Physicians, All Other29-1229View salary →Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians29-2010View salary →Browse all 770+ occupations →
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About This Data

Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release. OEWS surveys roughly 1.1 million establishments annually. It is the most comprehensive employer-reported wage dataset in the United States.

P10 through P90 percentiles represent the wage distribution across all surveyed employers (not self-reported by workers). Geographic adjustments use BLS-derived cost multipliers calibrated from regional wage variation.

Wages are estimates. Individual compensation depends on experience, education, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use this as benchmark context, not absolute ground truth.

Next OEWS release: May 2027Verify on BLS.gov →

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