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The differences between behavioral health technicians and mental health nurses can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a mental health nurse has an average salary of $106,812, which is higher than the $34,611 average annual salary of a behavioral health technician.
The top three skills for a behavioral health technician include patients, behavioral health and crisis intervention. The most important skills for a mental health nurse are patients, psychiatric mental, and PMHNP.
| Behavioral Health Technician | Mental Health Nurse | |
| Yearly salary | $34,611 | $106,812 |
| Hourly rate | $16.64 | $51.35 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 99,503 | 86,884 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 50% | Bachelor's Degree, 43% |
| Average age | 34 | 44 |
| Years of experience | - | 2 |
A behavioral health technician participates in treating patients with behavioral problems caused by mental health issues. They are primarily responsible for monitoring the behavior of the patient, following the guidelines of treatment from a mental health professional, and regularly reporting any progress or problems. Moreover, a behavioral health technician must also carry out administrative tasks, which include producing reports and assessments, answering inquiries and correspondence, maintaining schedules, and keeping records. Furthermore, it is essential to give emotional support to a patient, providing them with a safe and healthy environment at all times.
A mental health nurse is responsible for assisting with the diagnosis and treatment plans of patients with mental health complications. Mental health nurses handle high-quality nursing care under mental health professionals' supervision within a hospital or mental health institution. They support in performing therapeutic activities, administering medical examinations, and counseling patients to know more about their conditions. A mental health nurse also does administrative tasks as needed, such as organizing and updating patients' information on the database, processing treatment payments, and responding to the family's inquiries and concerns.
Behavioral health technicians and mental health nurses have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Behavioral Health Technician | Mental Health Nurse | |
| Average salary | $34,611 | $106,812 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $47,000 | Between $62,000 And $182,000 |
| Highest paying City | Rochester, NY | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | University of California, Berkeley | Community Health Systems |
| Best paying industry | Non Profits | Government |
There are a few differences between a behavioral health technician and a mental health nurse in terms of educational background:
| Behavioral Health Technician | Mental Health Nurse | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 50% | Bachelor's Degree, 43% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Nursing |
| Most common college | Johns Hopkins University | Duke University |
Here are the differences between behavioral health technicians' and mental health nurses' demographics:
| Behavioral Health Technician | Mental Health Nurse | |
| Average age | 34 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 36.4% Female, 63.6% | Male, 16.9% Female, 83.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 14.3% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 20.1% Asian, 6.4% White, 51.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% | Black or African American, 12.2% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian, 9.1% White, 65.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 15% | 9% |