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Mental health nurse salary
Average mental health nurse salary
$106,812
Understanding Mental Health Nurse Salaries
The average salary for a mental health nurse is approximately $106,812 annually, translating to about $51 per hour. This figure reflects the diverse roles within the profession, including positions in hospitals, outpatient facilities, and schools. Salaries can be influenced by various factors including years of experience, geographic location, and specific certifications.
Salary Variations by Experience
Entry-level mental health nurses can expect to earn lower salaries, while those with several years of experience may see substantial increases. For example, nurses with over five years in the field typically earn significantly more compared to their entry-level counterparts.
Highest Paying States
States such as California, New York, and Massachusetts consistently report higher salaries for mental health nurses, driven by demand and cost of living considerations. In these states, experienced nurses can command salaries well above the national average.
Career Opportunities
With a growing emphasis on mental health, opportunities in this field are expanding. Mental health nurses are essential in various settings, providing care that addresses both physical and emotional well-being. For those considering this career path, understanding salary trends can help guide your professional journey.
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Where can a Mental Health Nurse earn more?
Mental health nurse salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level mental health nurse | $84,700 | $40.72 |
| Mid-level mental health nurse | $107,000 | $51.21 |
| Senior-level mental health nurse | $146,000 | $70.24 |
Mental health nurse salary estimates from across the web
Average mental health nurse salary by state
The average mental health nurse salary in California, Nevada, and New Hampshire are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average mental health nurse salary states are Tennessee, South Carolina, and Mississippi.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for mental health nurses
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vermont | $105,709 | $50.82 |
| 2 | Maine | $105,575 | $50.76 |
| 3 | Nevada | $108,693 | $52.26 |
| 4 | Washington | $102,144 | $49.11 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $105,943 | $50.93 |
| 6 | California | $109,423 | $52.61 |
| 7 | Michigan | $95,946 | $46.13 |
| 8 | Arizona | $99,652 | $47.91 |
| 9 | Idaho | $97,631 | $46.94 |
| 10 | New Hampshire | $106,740 | $51.32 |
| 11 | Massachusetts | $106,618 | $51.26 |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | $98,809 | $47.50 |
| 13 | Ohio | $90,573 | $43.54 |
| 14 | Connecticut | $104,214 | $50.10 |
| 15 | Oregon | $103,863 | $49.93 |
| 16 | Alaska | $96,974 | $46.62 |
| 17 | Wisconsin | $92,456 | $44.45 |
| 18 | Delaware | $97,538 | $46.89 |
| 19 | Utah | $95,670 | $46.00 |
| 20 | New Mexico | $95,189 | $45.76 |
| 21 | Minnesota | $90,468 | $43.49 |
| 22 | New York | $102,331 | $49.20 |
| 23 | Hawaii | $99,749 | $47.96 |
| 24 | Wyoming | $87,484 | $42.06 |
| 25 | Indiana | $84,913 | $40.82 |
| 26 | New Jersey | $101,433 | $48.77 |
| 27 | Maryland | $95,105 | $45.72 |
| 28 | Montana | $91,612 | $44.04 |
| 29 | North Dakota | $88,090 | $42.35 |
| 30 | South Dakota | $84,289 | $40.52 |
| 31 | West Virginia | $87,998 | $42.31 |
| 32 | North Carolina | $79,111 | $38.03 |
| 33 | Iowa | $83,134 | $39.97 |
| 34 | Virginia | $89,064 | $42.82 |
| 35 | Tennessee | $74,040 | $35.60 |
| 36 | Texas | $84,425 | $40.59 |
| 37 | Kentucky | $79,851 | $38.39 |
| 38 | Louisiana | $78,855 | $37.91 |
| 39 | District of Columbia | $94,025 | $45.20 |
| 40 | Oklahoma | $75,663 | $36.38 |
| 41 | Missouri | $77,256 | $37.14 |
| 42 | Illinois | $88,062 | $42.34 |
| 43 | Florida | $74,348 | $35.74 |
| 44 | Arkansas | $72,601 | $34.90 |
| 45 | Colorado | $85,547 | $41.13 |
| 46 | Kansas | $77,214 | $37.12 |
| 47 | Nebraska | $80,348 | $38.63 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $72,727 | $34.96 |
| 49 | Alabama | $71,229 | $34.24 |
| 50 | South Carolina | $73,578 | $35.37 |
| 51 | Georgia | $71,360 | $34.31 |
Highest paying cities for mental health nurses
The highest-paying cities for mental health nurses are San Francisco, CA, Portland, ME, and Eugene, OR.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $117,376 | $56.43 |
| 2 | Portland, ME | $106,953 | $51.42 |
| 3 | Eugene, OR | $105,797 | $50.86 |
| 4 | New Haven, CT | $104,812 | $50.39 |
| 5 | Syracuse, NY | $104,554 | $50.27 |
| 6 | Seattle, WA | $103,416 | $49.72 |
| 7 | Phoenix, AZ | $100,419 | $48.28 |
| 8 | Philadelphia, PA | $99,655 | $47.91 |
| 9 | Baltimore, MD | $95,953 | $46.13 |
| 10 | Lansing, MI | $95,856 | $46.08 |
| 11 | Salt Lake City, UT | $95,265 | $45.80 |
| 12 | Saint Paul, MN | $90,641 | $43.58 |
| 13 | Chicago, IL | $88,918 | $42.75 |
| 14 | Richmond, VA | $88,606 | $42.60 |
| 15 | San Antonio, TX | $85,910 | $41.30 |
| 16 | Fort Collins, CO | $85,659 | $41.18 |
| 17 | Indianapolis, IN | $83,622 | $40.20 |
| 18 | Kansas City, KS | $77,512 | $37.27 |
| 19 | Kansas City, MO | $77,502 | $37.26 |
| 20 | Clearwater, FL | $76,305 | $36.69 |
Mental health nurse salary details
A mental health nurse's salary ranges from $62,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $182,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a mental health nurse's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $182,000 | $15,167 | $88 |
| 75th Percentile | $141,000 | $11,750 | $68 |
| Average | $106,812 | $8,901 | $51 |
| 25th Percentile | $80,000 | $6,667 | $38 |
| 10th Percentile | $62,000 | $5,167 | $30 |
Highest paying mental health nurse jobs
The highest paying types of mental health nurses are deputy director of clinical specialty services, counselor/art therapist, and advanced practice psychiatric nurse.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Therapist | $55,943 | $4,662 | $26.90 | 159,770 |
| Counselor/Art Therapist | $79,417 | $6,618 | $38.18 | 80,647 |
| Psychiatric Technician | $39,662 | $3,305 | $19.07 | 64,888 |
| Behavior Technician | $38,026 | $3,169 | $18.28 | 47,541 |
| Behavioral Technician | $33,282 | $2,774 | $16.00 | 45,287 |
| In Home Therapist | $51,706 | $4,309 | $24.86 | 113,993 |
Top companies hiring mental health nurses now:
Which companies pay mental health nurses the most?
Mental health nurse salaries at Community Health Systems and Mercy Corps are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average mental health nurse salary at companies like Mercy Health and TMS Health are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Community Health Systems | $183,119 | $88.04 |
| 2 | Mercy Corps | $156,371 | $75.18 |
| 3 | Mercy Health | $153,189 | $73.65 |
| 4 | TMS Health | $152,223 | $73.18 |
| 5 | Baylor Scott & White Health | $151,205 | $72.69 |
| 6 | Kaiser Permanente | $143,802 | $69.14 |
| 7 | Dignity Health | $143,656 | $69.07 |
| 8 | Tykes And Teens | $141,475 | $68.02 |
| 9 | Missouri Delta Medical Center | $136,832 | $65.78 |
| 10 | MaineGeneral Health | $136,009 | $65.39 |
| 11 | Hca Hospital Services Of San Diego | $135,439 | $65.11 |
| 12 | Tarzana Treatment Centers | $135,111 | $64.96 |
| 13 | Bayless Integrated Healthcare | $134,126 | $64.48 |
| 14 | Adventist HealthCare | $132,103 | $63.51 |
| 15 | Frederick Health | $131,996 | $63.46 |
| 16 | Deer Oaks Behavioral Health | $131,898 | $63.41 |
| 17 | Uplift Family Services | $131,760 | $63.35 |
| 18 | Whidbey General Hospital | $130,183 | $62.59 |
| 19 | MHP | $130,001 | $62.50 |
| 20 | Atrium Health Floyd | $127,409 | $61.25 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Mental Health Nurse salary by industry
The average mental health nurse salary varies across industries:
- The average mental health nurse salary in the government industry is $113,936, the highest of any industry.
- The average mental health nurse salary in the finance industry is $103,120.
- Mental health nurses in the finance industry earn an average salary of $88,926, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for mental health nurses
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Government | $113,936 | $54.78 |
| 2 | Professional | $103,120 | $49.58 |
| 3 | Health Care | $96,114 | $46.21 |
| 4 | Finance | $88,926 | $42.75 |
High paying mental health nurse jobs
Mental health nurse salary trends
The average mental health nurse salary has risen by $14,952 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average mental health nurse earned $91,860 annually, but today, they earn $106,812 a year. That works out to a 10% change in pay for mental health nurses over the last decade.
Compare mental health nurse salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average mental health nurse salary over time
Compare mental health nurse salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Mental health nurse salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $107,000 | $51.35 | +2.7% |
| 2024 | $104,000 | $49.97 | +2.1% |
| 2023 | $102,000 | $48.90 | +2.4% |
| 2022 | $99,300 | $47.72 | +2.2% |
| 2021 | $97,100 | $46.66 | +1.4% |
Recently added mental health nurse salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Optum | Psychiatric Mental Health NP-Hybrid | Middlebury, CT | 06/30/2025 | $104,500 |
| Optum | Psychiatric Mental Health NP | North Kingstown, RI | 06/30/2025 | $104,500 |
| Optum | Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner-Hybrid | Kirkland, WA | 06/30/2025 | $104,500 |
| Optum | Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner | Lowell, MA | 06/30/2025 | $104,500 |
| Optum | Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner-Pmhnp | Novi, MI | 06/30/2025 | $104,500 |
| Optum | Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner-Hybrid | Redmond, OR | 06/30/2025 | $104,500 |
| Optum | Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner | Syracuse, NY | 06/30/2025 | $104,500 |
| Optum | Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner-Pmhnp-BC | Richmond, VA | 06/30/2025 | $104,500 |
| Optum | Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner | Flagstaff, AZ | 06/30/2025 | $89,800 |
| Lifestance Health | Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner | Tacoma, WA | 06/30/2025 | $200,000 |
Mental health nurse salary FAQs
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