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Psychiatric Aides: Career Overview
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. May restrain violent patients. Includes psychiatric orderlies.
What Do Psychiatric Aides Do?
The day-to-day responsibilities of psychiatric aides span:
- 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.
- Restrain or aid patients as necessary to prevent injury.
- Work as part of a team that may include psychiatrists, psychologists, psychiatric nurses, or social workers.
- Record and maintain patient information, such as vital signs, eating habits, behavior, progress notes, treatments, or discharge plans.
- Maintain patients' restrictions to assigned areas.
- Organize, supervise, or encourage patient participation in social, educational, or recreational activities.
Skills and Knowledge
Successful psychiatric aides draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
The abilities most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Other Psychiatric Aides Job Titles
This career also goes by job titles like:
- BHA (Behavioral Health Aide)
- BHA (Behavioral Health Associate)
- Behavior Aide
- Behavior Assistant
- Behavior Intervention Assistant
- Behavior Support Assistant
- Behavioral Aide
- Behavioral Assistant
Job Outlook
There are about 816,098 psychiatric aides working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +3.6% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Psychiatric Aides Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $51,090 |
| Hourly median | $24.56 |
| 10th percentile | $34,274 |
| 25th percentile | $42,682 |
| 75th percentile | $59,498 |
| 90th percentile | $67,906 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
How Much Do Psychiatric Aides Make in Different U.S. States?
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| New Hampshire | $55,690 |
| New York | $53,270 |
| Massachusetts | $51,250 |
| Washington | $51,080 |
| Colorado | $50,690 |
| Nevada | $50,250 |
| Minnesota | $49,720 |
| Rhode Island | $48,270 |
| Illinois | $47,650 |
| Alaska | $46,950 |
| Oregon | $46,650 |
| Vermont | $46,490 |
| New Jersey | $46,390 |
| Connecticut | $46,260 |
| Texas | $45,780 |
| Ohio | $44,530 |
| Pennsylvania | $43,620 |
| Indiana | $43,220 |
| Maryland | $43,050 |
| California | $42,970 |
| Maine | $41,590 |
| Missouri | $38,680 |
| Kentucky | $37,700 |
| Florida | $37,150 |
| Kansas | $37,050 |
| Michigan | $36,890 |
| Montana | $36,390 |
| North Carolina | $36,190 |
| Virginia | $36,170 |
| Oklahoma | $36,100 |
| Georgia | $36,060 |
| Iowa | $35,720 |
| Utah | $35,390 |
| Arkansas | $34,890 |
| South Carolina | $32,860 |
| West Virginia | $32,650 |
| Mississippi | $30,660 |
| Louisiana | $29,340 |
| Alabama | $29,320 |
Where Psychiatric Aides Earn the Most
Pay for psychiatric aides shift depending on where you work. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middle Atlantic | $49,411 | 28.2% | 2.16 |
| New England | $48,133 | 5.1% | 1.68 |
| Far Western US | $44,877 | 14.1% | 1.38 |
| Southwest | $44,616 | 5.3% | 0.52 |
| Great Lakes | $41,642 | 10.8% | 1.37 |
| Rocky Mountains | $36,101 | 1.3% | 2.05 |
| Southeast | $33,908 | 31.2% | 3.35 |
| Plains States | $30,185 | 4.0% | 1.48 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fresno, CA | CA | $70,710 | |
| Utica-Rome, NY | NY | $68,180 | 240 |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | NY | $67,720 | 220 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | NJ | $59,730 | 460 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | MN | $59,240 | |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | MA | $57,790 | 470 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | NY | $54,280 | 260 |
| Binghamton, NY | NY | $52,250 | 80 |
Which Industries Hire Psychiatric Aides
The bulk of psychiatric aides work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 26,780 | $41,910 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 230 | $37,250 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Tools and Technology
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Microsoft Windows (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
The work environment for psychiatric aides reflects the following characteristics:
- Contact With Others
- Physical Proximity
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Exposed to Disease or Infections
Getting Started in This Career
Entry-level psychiatric aides positions require a postsecondary nondegree award as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Mental Health Counselors (Supplemental)
- Healthcare Social Workers (Supplemental)
- Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers (Supplemental)
- Recreational Therapists (Supplemental)
- Registered Nurses (Primary-Long)
- Acute Care Nurses (Supplemental)
- Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses (Supplemental)
- Clinical Nurse Specialists (Supplemental)
Top Programs to Study For This Career
Future psychiatric aides commonly pursue programs in:
Health Professions and Related Programs
2 programs across 2 majors
About the Data
This profile draws on the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 31-1133.00 (Psychiatric Aides).
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