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Licensed psychiatric technician education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a licensed psychiatric technician. Licensed psychiatric technicians usually study mental health counseling, nursing, or psychology. 50% of licensed psychiatric technicians hold a associate degree, and 25% hold an bachelor's degree. We analyzed 601 real licensed psychiatric technician resumes to see exactly what licensed psychiatric technician education sections show.

The most common colleges for licensed psychiatric technicians are the Cypress College and the Cypress College.

There are also many online licensed psychiatric technician courses to help get the education required to be a licensed psychiatric technician.

There are certain licensed psychiatric technician certifications that you should consider. These licensed psychiatric technician certifications include Licensed Penetration Tester (LPT) and Medical Assistant.

What education do you need to become a licensed psychiatric technician?

What degree do you need to be a licensed psychiatric technician?

The most common degree for licensed psychiatric technicians is associate degree, with 50% of licensed psychiatric technicians earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 25% and bachelor's degree degree at 8%.
  • Associate, 50%
  • Bachelor's, 25%
  • High School Diploma, 8%
  • Master's, 8%
  • Other Degrees, 9%

What should I major in to become a licensed psychiatric technician?

You should major in mental health counseling to become a licensed psychiatric technician. 30% of licensed psychiatric technicians major in mental health counseling. Other common majors for a licensed psychiatric technician include nursing and psychology.

Most common colleges for licensed psychiatric technicians

Licensed psychiatric technicians often get their degrees at Cypress College, Pueblo Community College, and University of Phoenix. Here are the most common colleges for licensed psychiatric technicians in the US based on their resumes.
Licensed psychiatric technician common collegePercentages
Cypress College20.59%
Pueblo Community College16.18%
University of Phoenix10.29%
Teachers College of San Joaquin7.35%
Arapahoe Community College4.41%

Best majors for licensed psychiatric technicians

Best colleges for licensed psychiatric technicians

The best colleges for licensed psychiatric technicians are Johns Hopkins University, Northwestern University, and Duke University.

A licensed psychiatric technician with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for licensed psychiatric technicians. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become licensed psychiatric technicians.

1. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

In-state tuition

$53,740

Enrollment

5,567

2. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Enrollment

31,503

3. Hunter College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,182

Enrollment

16,205

4. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

5. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$55,695

Enrollment

6,596

6. University of Holy Cross

New Orleans, LA • Private

In-state tuition

$14,180

Enrollment

863

7. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

8. San Jose State University

San Jose, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,796

Enrollment

27,125

9. Fairfield University

Fairfield, CT • Private

In-state tuition

$48,350

Enrollment

4,103

10. Coppin State University

Baltimore, MD • Private

In-state tuition

$8,873

Enrollment

2,326

20 best online courses for licensed psychiatric technicians

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1. Creating Behavioral Change

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In this course you will learn about understanding and changing mental and physical health behavior. We will examine both the historical context and the current science. Major topics will include fundamental behavioral principles and basic elements of empirically supported individual treatments (e.g., motivational interviewing, cognitive behavioral therapies). Lectures and examples will illustrate both the theory and the practice of evidence-based approaches to behavior change. You will engage...

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Acute stroke is a time-dependent medical emergency. In acute ischemic stroke, the first objective is to restore brain flow using sistemic thrombolytic treatment and, in patients with large vessel occlusion, by endovascular treatment. In hemorrhagic stroke there are also specific treatments that can improve the clinical outcome. The sooner the initiation of all these therapies the higher the clinical benefit. Thus, the organization of Stroke Code systems coordinated between emergency medical...

3. Crisis Intervention Seminar

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4.4
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The emphasis is on the development of fundamental clinical skills in the area of crisis intervention...

4. Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT): The Complete Course

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4.7
(291)

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)...

5. History of Mental Illness

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Our lexicon of mental illness is immense: There currently are hundreds of classified disorders and an extensive assortment of medications and therapies. This course explores the history of this productive science -- its discoveries, classifications, and treatments of psychiatric distress. The excursion begins with a general introduction and proceeds to explore 4 kinds of mental illness: neurasthenia, depression, attention deficits (ADD/ADHD), and narcissism. Each kind is examined in terms of...

6. Addiction Treatment: Clinical Skills for Healthcare Providers

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This course is designed with a singular goal: to improve the care you provide to your patients with substance use disorders. By delving into a model case performed by actors, seven Yale instructors from various fields provide techniques to screen your patients for substance use disorder risk, diagnose patients to gauge the severity of their use, directly manage treatment plans, refer out to treatment services, and navigate the various conditions that may limit your patient’s access to treatment...

7. Cat Behavior Rectification & Cat Health Care: 2 courses in 1

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4.2
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1. Common Cat Behavior Issues and training methods to rectify them 2. Tips for better healthcare of your cat...

8. [Accredited] Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) Counselor

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Learn DBT in depth, start conducting sessions with ready to use templates, and set up counseling practice within weeks!...

9. Health Behavior Change: From Evidence to Action

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Humans often fail to make rational decisions that affect their health. This course seeks to heighten understanding of the social and behavioral factors that contribute to health decisions and behaviors, with an ultimate goal of learning how to utilize these factors in improving public health efforts. Through a set of experiential learning exercises, students will learn to apply the science of health behavior change in their own lives. The course is appropriate for students interested in health...

10. Pharmacy Technician Fundamentals

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In this foundational Pharmacy Technician Career Training Specialization, students will take four courses to master the fundamentals of a career in pharmacy. The first two courses teach how to communicate and engage professionally in any healthcare setting and the necessary knowledge of human anatomy and physiology required for any medical role. Next, students dive into two pharmacy-related courses - Pharmacy Technician Essentials and Pharmacy Dosages & Prescriptions Essentials - to round out...

11. Home Health Aide, Nurse Aide, Caregiver Certification Course

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Become A Certified Home Health Aide, Personal Care Aide, Nurse Aide/ Caregiver At The End Of This Course. Enroll Now!!...

12. CBT: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy For Therapists & Coaches

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Comprehensive CBT Therapy Training Cognitive Behavior Therapy Practitioner Level Treat Anxiety, Depression & More...

13. Managing mental health issues in the workplace

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4.1
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Learn how to support your own mental health and wellbeing and that of your staff...

14. Dog & Cat Behavior Problems

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Learn the essential training techniques you'll need to raise a pet dog or cat and fix common behavior problems...

15. Mental Health First Aid Skills -

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4.4
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This course is designed to provide the tools and knowledge for learners to help and support those experiencing MH issues...

16. Mental Health and Wellness Professional (MHW) Diploma Course

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Discover a flexible and comprehensive way of understanding mental health as a Certified Mental Health Professional (MHP)...

17. Introduction to CBT: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

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Online Counselling & Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) Training Course...

18. Addiction & Mental Health (Dual Diagnosis) Integrative 12hrs

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4.7
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Substance Abuse & Mental Health Interventions: Drug & Alcohol Addiction & Mental Health - Integrative Holistic Approach...

19. Become a Pharmacy Technician

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4.7
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A Video Study Guide for the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam...

20. Abnormal Behavior & Clinical Psychology (Certificate)

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4.4
(383)

Guiding students into the field of mental health services for either personal and/or professional development...

Top 10 most affordable universities for licensed psychiatric technicians

The most affordable schools for licensed psychiatric technicians are Hunter College of the City University of New York, california state university - long beach, and baruch college of the city university of new york.

If the best universities for licensed psychiatric technicians are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for licensed psychiatric technicians.

1. Hunter College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,182

Cost of attendance

13,998

2. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

3. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

4. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

5. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

6. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

7. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

8. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

9. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,886

Cost of attendance

17,645

10. Minot State University

Minot, ND • Private

In-state tuition

$7,064

Cost of attendance

15,576

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for licensed psychiatric technicians

The hardest universities for licensed psychiatric technicians to get into are Johns Hopkins University, Northwestern University, and Duke University.

Some great schools for licensed psychiatric technicians are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for licensed psychiatric technicians based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

2. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

3. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

Admissions rate

9%

SAT average

1,516

4. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

5. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

6. Boston College

Chestnut Hill, MA • Private

Admissions rate

28%

SAT average

1,429

7. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

6%

SAT average

1,512

8. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

9. University of Rochester

Rochester, NY • Private

Admissions rate

29%

SAT average

1,422

10. Case Western Reserve University

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

29%

SAT average

1,443

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for licensed psychiatric technicians

The easiest schools for licensed psychiatric technicians to get into are Nyack College, notre dame de namur university, and d'youville college.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a licensed psychiatric technician without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for licensed psychiatric technicians.

1. Nyack College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

999

2. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

3. D'Youville College

Buffalo, NY • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,072

4. Bluefield College

Bluefield, VA • Private

Admissions rate

95%

SAT average

980

5. Kean University

Union, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

991

6. Ottawa University

Ottawa, KS • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

1,024

7. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

8. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

9. Curry College

Milton, MA • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

1,026

10. Wayland Baptist University

Plainview, TX • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

1,003

Average licensed psychiatric technician salary by education level

Licensed psychiatric technicians with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $55,562 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, licensed psychiatric technicians earn a median annual income of $48,481 compared to $46,774 for licensed psychiatric technicians with an Associate degree.
Licensed psychiatric technician education levelLicensed psychiatric technician salary
Master's Degree$55,562
High School Diploma or Less$46,554
Bachelor's Degree$48,481
Some College/ Associate Degree$46,774

Licensed psychiatric technician education FAQs

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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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