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What is a licensed psychiatric technician and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
Quoted expert
Sepideh Soheilian Ph.D.
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a licensed psychiatric technician. For example, did you know that they make an average of $22.7 an hour? That's $47,208 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 9% and produce 12,500 job opportunities across the U.S.

What general advice would you give to a licensed psychiatric technician?

Sepideh Soheilian Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, University of Baltimore

General advice I would give to a graduate in the field of counseling psychology beginning their career is to be flexible and open minded, especially during these unprecedented times due to the pandemic. Being open to providing mental health services in a variety of formats such as virtual or hybrid (combining virtual, and in-person services) will allow for greater flexibility in providing services to clients. Career development and career satisfaction is an ongoing process. Therefore, I would also encourage graduates to continually evaluate and assess their careers to determine if their current position is still the best fit for their career values, needs, and goals.
ScoreLicensed Psychiatric TechnicianUS Average
Salary
3.7

Avg. Salary $47,208

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
10.0

Growth rate 9%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
3.4
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.13%

Asian 6.43%

Black or African American 14.26%

Hispanic or Latino 20.09%

Unknown 6.17%

White 51.91%

Gender

female 71.81%

male 28.19%

Age - 30
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 30
Stress level
10.0

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
6.7

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance
5.9

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Licensed psychiatric technician career paths

Key steps to become a licensed psychiatric technician

  1. Explore licensed psychiatric technician education requirements

    Most common licensed psychiatric technician degrees

    Associate

    49.7 %

    Bachelor's

    25.2 %

    High School Diploma

    8.4 %
  2. Start to develop specific licensed psychiatric technician skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Patients26.60%
    Vital Signs8.31%
    CPR6.67%
    Rehabilitation6.53%
    Substance Abuse5.72%
  3. Complete relevant licensed psychiatric technician training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New licensed psychiatric technicians learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a licensed psychiatric technician based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real licensed psychiatric technician resumes.
  4. Research licensed psychiatric technician duties and responsibilities

    • Monitor and manage preventative behavior with 2-3 MHA'S team and carry out a constructive routine with patients.
    • Certify in CPR / first aid.
    • Assist clients with ADL's, run groups within the secured treatment area.
    • Provide quality health care, including infection control, emergency preparedness, transportation, CPR and first aid.
  5. Prepare your licensed psychiatric technician resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your licensed psychiatric technician resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a licensed psychiatric technician resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable licensed psychiatric technician resume templates

    Build a professional licensed psychiatric technician resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your licensed psychiatric technician resume.
    Licensed Psychiatric Technician Resume
    Licensed Psychiatric Technician Resume
    Licensed Psychiatric Technician Resume
    Licensed Psychiatric Technician Resume
    Licensed Psychiatric Technician Resume
    Licensed Psychiatric Technician Resume
    Licensed Psychiatric Technician Resume
    Licensed Psychiatric Technician Resume
    Licensed Psychiatric Technician Resume
  6. Apply for licensed psychiatric technician jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a licensed psychiatric technician job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first licensed psychiatric technician job

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Average licensed psychiatric technician salary

The average licensed psychiatric technician salary in the United States is $47,208 per year or $23 per hour. Licensed psychiatric technician salaries range between $27,000 and $80,000 per year.

Average licensed psychiatric technician salary
$47,208 Yearly
$22.70 hourly

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How do licensed psychiatric technicians rate their job?

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Licensed psychiatric technician reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2022
Cons

Nothing


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A zippia user wrote a review on Nov 2019
Cons

The pay is too low for the experience one must have...


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A zippia user wrote a review on May 2019
Pros

Working with children's development, building on common knowledge and skills The challenge it brings but knowing the outcome is what it's about.

Cons

There really is not anything that comes to mind.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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