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Psychiatric Aides in Arkansas

Want to work as a Psychiatric Aides in Arkansas? Here’s what the data says. 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 Make in Arkansas?

For a psychiatric aides working in Arkansas, wages run about $34,890 per year (or about $16.77/hour).Earnings range from $26,230 at the 10th percentile to $38,620 at the 90th percentile.

Wage Statistic	Annual	Hourly
10th percentile	$26,230	$12.61
25th percentile	$30,010	$14.43
Median (50th)	$34,890	$16.77
75th percentile	$35,090	$16.87
90th percentile	$38,620	$18.57

Location quotient — how concentrated this career is in Arkansas relative to the national average — is 2.20, suggesting that psychiatric aides are more concentrated here than the national average.

National Wage Comparison

Nationally, psychiatric aides earn a median of $51,090 per year ($24.56/hour), below the Arkansas median.

Employment Outlook

There are roughly 816,098 psychiatric aides nationwide. In Arkansas alone, about 640 people work in this role. That puts the state above the typical state, which employs around 460 psychiatric aides.

Top Arkansas Metros for Psychiatric Aides

These are the Arkansas metros with the most psychiatric aides in Arkansas.

Metro Area	Number Employed	Annual Median Salary
Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR	300	$35,090

Top States for Psychiatric Aides Employment

View the states that employ the most psychiatric aides work.

State	Number Employed
New York	5,330
California	2,850
Mississippi	2,480
Florida	2,410
New Jersey	2,280
Pennsylvania	1,680
Texas	1,610
Indiana	1,480
Georgia	1,310
Michigan	1,300
Oregon	1,290
Alabama	950
Virginia	880
Massachusetts	750
West Virginia	670
Arkansas	640
Ohio	520
South Carolina	480
Kansas	480
Kentucky	460

Highest-Paying States for Psychiatric Aides

Where psychiatric aides earn the most: psychiatric aides.

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

Skills

The most important psychiatric aides skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Knowledge Areas

Key knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Abilities

The abilities that matter most for psychiatric aides, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Daily Tasks

Day-to-day, psychiatric aides typically:

• 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.
• Provide patients with assistance in bathing, dressing, or grooming, demonstrating these skills as necessary.
• Aid patients in becoming accustomed to hospital routines.
• Serve meals or feed patients needing assistance or persuasion.
• Clean and disinfect rooms and furnishings to maintain a safe and orderly environment.

Work Activities

• Getting Information
• Assisting and Caring for Others
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
• Documenting/Recording Information
• Training and Teaching Others
• Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
• Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
• Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
• Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards

Tools & Technology

Common tools and software used in this occupation include: Hot technologies: Microsoft Excel

What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?

Several college majors map to this occupation:

• Mental & Social Health Services
• Health Aids & Attendants

Related Careers

Other careers like psychiatric aides include:

• Mental Health Counselors
• Healthcare Social Workers
• Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers
• Recreational Therapists
• Registered Nurses
• Acute Care Nurses

Also Known As

BHA (Behavioral Health Aide), BHA (Behavioral Health Associate), Behavior Aide, Behavior Assistant, Behavior Intervention Assistant, Behavior Support Assistant, Behavioral Aide, Behavioral Assistant, Behavioral Health Assistant, Charge Aide, Charge Attendant, Clinical Assistant, Developmental Aide, Direct Care Worker, Health Service Worker.

References

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
• O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
• BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
• O*NET-SOC code: 31-1133.00