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How to hire a licensed psychiatric technician

Licensed psychiatric technician hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring licensed psychiatric technicians in the United States:

  • The median cost to hire a licensed psychiatric technician is $1,633.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • HR departments typically allocate 15% of their budget towards recruitment efforts.
  • Small businesses spend $1,105 per licensed psychiatric technician on training each year, while large companies spend $658.
  • It takes approximately 12 weeks for a new employee to reach full productivity levels.
  • There are a total of 34,982 licensed psychiatric technicians in the US, and there are currently 50,493 job openings in this field.
  • San Diego, CA, has the highest demand for licensed psychiatric technicians, with 9 job openings.

How to hire a licensed psychiatric technician, step by step

To hire a licensed psychiatric technician, consider the skills and experience you are looking for in a candidate, allocate a budget for the position, and post and promote the job opening to reach potential candidates. Follow these steps to hire a licensed psychiatric technician:

Here's a step-by-step licensed psychiatric technician hiring guide:

  • Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
  • Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
  • Step 3: Make a budget
  • Step 4: Write a licensed psychiatric technician job description
  • Step 5: Post your job
  • Step 6: Interview candidates
  • Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new licensed psychiatric technician
  • Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    Before you post your licensed psychiatric technician job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a licensed psychiatric technician for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

    Determine employee vs contractor status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a licensed psychiatric technician to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a licensed psychiatric technician that fits the bill.

    This list shows salaries for various types of licensed psychiatric technicians.

    Type of Licensed Psychiatric TechnicianDescriptionHourly rate
    Licensed Psychiatric TechnicianPsychiatric technicians and aides care for people who have mental illness and developmental disabilities. Technicians typically provide therapeutic care and monitor their patients’ conditions... Show more$12-38
    Behavioral Health TechnicianA 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... Show more$12-22
    TechnicianTechnicians are skilled professionals who primarily work with technology in different industries. They are knowledgeable about the technical aspects of the various items they work with... Show more$11-27
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Patients
    • Vital Signs
    • CPR
    • Rehabilitation
    • Substance Abuse
    • LPT
    • PT
    • Medication Management
    • Crisis Management
    • Mental Health
    • Crisis Intervention
    • Developmental Disabilities
    • Group Therapy Sessions
    • Mental Illness
    Check all skills
    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.
    • Provide training and assistance in adl's, leisure, vocational, active treatment, and behavioral support.
    • Perform medication administration and select nursing procedures in the physical care of patients according to establish policies and procedures.
    More licensed psychiatric technician duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in your licensed psychiatric technician job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A licensed psychiatric technician salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

    For example, the average salary for a licensed psychiatric technician in Nebraska may be lower than in Massachusetts, and an entry-level licensed psychiatric technician usually earns less than a senior-level licensed psychiatric technician. Additionally, a licensed psychiatric technician with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

    Average licensed psychiatric technician salary

    $47,208yearly

    $22.70 hourly rate

    Entry-level licensed psychiatric technician salary
    $27,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 26, 2025

    Average licensed psychiatric technician salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1California$69,603$33
    2New Jersey$59,491$29
    3Ohio$48,750$23
    4Georgia$41,438$20
    5North Carolina$41,237$20
    6Indiana$36,396$18
    7Oklahoma$32,361$16
    8Montana$31,498$15

    Average licensed psychiatric technician salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1Rady Children's Hospital And Health Center$67,526$32.466
    2Dignity Health$61,681$29.6575
    3Southcoast Health$58,139$27.9516
    4Careerstaff Unlimited - A Genesis Healthcare Company$57,676$27.73
    5Maxim Healthcare Group$47,334$22.76406
    6Central Transport$45,902$22.07100
    7Healthcare Staffing Solutions Inc$45,497$21.87
    8Wellpath$45,210$21.74280
    9Eisenhower Medical Center$43,202$20.77
    10Pacific Clinics$42,319$20.358
    11Res-Care Premier$39,022$18.76110
    12Universal Health Services$34,895$16.78477
    13County of Riverside$33,638$16.176
    14Merakey$32,230$15.5065
    15Elwyn$32,207$15.4853
    16State Of Montana$30,113$14.483
  4. Writing a licensed psychiatric technician job description

    A licensed psychiatric technician job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a licensed psychiatric technician job description:

    Licensed psychiatric technician job description example

    Title: Licensed Psychiatric Technician/Licensed Vocational Nurse ($3,000 Hiring Incentive)

    Classification: Non-Exempt

    Actual offers will be determined by the candidate's creditable years of experience in conjunction with internal equity considerations and based on the organization's current compensation practices.

    Job Code: 288

    Job Summary

    Works within the vision, mission and philosophy of the agency. Is responsible for the general medical and psychiatric care of youth. Applies practical nursing techniques and follows standard practices in caring for youth including recognizing typical patterns or symptoms.

    Essential Duties

    1 Assists the staff Registered Nurse (RN) and Psychiatrist in the implementation of nursing processes in the agency, implementing youth's medical treatment plan and medication orders.

    2. Coordinates, schedules, and oversees all pediatric medical treatment of youth within programs.

    3. Admits and discharges youth, including completing health assessments using body charts, monthly vital signs, physical assessments, and determines physiological status.

    4. Monitors and implements the systems of care delivery for pediatric nursing / medical activities and pharmacological care.

    5. Schedules medical, dental and laboratory appointments considering medical requirements, service and transportation schedules.

    6. Schedules external psychiatric appointments and follows-up as delegated by attending psychiatrist.

    7. Follows Medical Doctors (MD) orders, oversees, evaluates, and implements all activities and functions around ordering, monitoring, documenting and the handling of medications.

    8. Maintains and manages the medical and psychiatric records and Protected Health Information (PHI) in an organized and timely manner, so as to meet the standards of care, accreditation, licensing requirements, and patient care needs.

    9. Collaborates with the multidisciplinary teams, organizes and provides education to staff, parent and youth regarding health, safety, psychiatric and medication issues.

    10. Is available on an on-call basis after hours and on weekends to respond to special needs of youth, including psychiatric emergencies with appropriate intervention.

    11. Exercises judgment in recognizing basic symptoms indicative of adverse medication reactions; consults with supervisor and/or alerts medical staff. Monitors medications for potential medication side effects.

    12. Attends committees, team and staff meetings.

    13. Employee is required to meet applicable productivity and documentation requirements

    OTHER DUTIES

    14. Driving to appointments with clients and their families or other key contacts

    15. Physical interactions with children of variable ages such as, but not limited to, games, sports and other activities

    Qualifications

    To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. All employees are responsible for keeping job requirements up to date. This can include but are not limited to certifications, licensure, and maintaining a clear criminal record.

    Education Requirements

    Completion of a prescribed course of study and training in a school accredited by the Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians of the State of California, and received a license through the California Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technician Examiners (LVN/LPT) required.

    Experience Requirements

    One (1) year clinical experience required.

    Licensing/Certification Requirements

    • First Aid/CPR Certification required.

    • License through the California Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technician Examiners (LVN/LPT) required.

    Other Specific Requirements

    • Must pass Department of Justice (DOJ), Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), and Child Abuse Index Check (CAIC) background clearance.

    • Valid California Driver's license with two years experience driving and clean driving record may be required.

    Work Environment/Conditions

    Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee may be required to use hands to handle or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; and taste or smell. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus.

    In addition this position requires sitting, standing, walking, climbing, bending, and kneeling.

    Employee Statement of Understanding

    I have read and understand the job description for my position. I am able to perform all of the essential functions of this position. I agree to successfully complete all required training indicated for this position. I agree to keep all of my required certifications and licenses current and up to date and provide proper documentation of the same to the Human Resources Department. I agree to comply with all Agency policies and procedures. I agree to comply with the agency compliance plan and all laws, rules, regulations and standards of conduct relating to my position. As an employee, I understand my duty to report any suspected violations of the law or the standards of conduct to my immediate supervisor. As an employee, I will strive to uphold the mission and vision of the organization. All employees are required to adhere to the values in all their interactions with youth and families and fellow employees.

  5. Post your job

    To find the right licensed psychiatric technician for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

    • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
    • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with licensed psychiatric technicians they would recommend.
    • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit licensed psychiatric technicians who meet your education requirements.
    • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.
    Post your job online:
    • Post your licensed psychiatric technician job on Zippia to find and recruit licensed psychiatric technician candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites such as healthcarejobsite, health jobs nationwide, hospitalcareers, medreps.com.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    Your first interview with licensed psychiatric technician candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

    You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

    The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

  7. Send a job offer and onboard your new licensed psychiatric technician

    Once you've decided on a perfect licensed psychiatric technician candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

    It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

    To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

  8. Go through the hiring process checklist

    • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
    • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
    • Define job responsibilities and requirements
    • Establish budget and timeline
    • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
    • Write job description
    • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
    • Promote the job internally
    • Process applications through applicant tracking system
    • Review resumes and cover letters
    • Shortlist candidates for screening
    • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
    • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
    • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
    • Conduct background checks on top candidates
    • Check references of top candidates
    • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
    • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
    • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
    • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
    • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
    • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)
    Sign up to download full list

How much does it cost to hire a licensed psychiatric technician?

Before you start to hire licensed psychiatric technicians, it pays to consider both the one-off costs like recruitment, job promotion, and onboarding, as well as the ongoing costs of an employee's salary and benefits. While most companies that hire licensed psychiatric technicians pay close attention to the initial cost of hiring, ongoing costs are much more significant in the long run.

You can expect to pay around $47,208 per year for a licensed psychiatric technician, as this is the median yearly salary nationally. This can vary depending on what state or city you're hiring in. If you're hiring for contract work or on a per-project basis, hourly rates for licensed psychiatric technicians in the US typically range between $12 and $38 an hour.

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