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Mental health technician education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a mental health technician. Mental health technicians usually study psychology, criminal justice, or nursing. 52% of mental health technicians hold a bachelor's degree, and 19% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 24,199 real mental health technician resumes to see exactly what mental health technician education sections show.
The most common colleges for mental health technicians are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.
There are also many online mental health technician courses to help get the education required to be a mental health technician.
There are certain mental health technician certifications that you should consider. These mental health technician certifications include Medical Assistant and Certified Phlebotomy Technician (CPT).
What education do you need to become a mental health technician?
What degree do you need to be a mental health technician?
- Bachelor's, 52%
- Associate, 19%
- High School Diploma, 12%
- Master's, 7%
- Other Degrees, 10%
What should I major in to become a mental health technician?
- Psychology, 34%
- Criminal Justice, 10%
- Nursing, 8%
- Social Work, 6%
- Other Majors, 42%
Most common colleges for mental health technicians
| Mental health technician common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Phoenix | 18.35% |
| Pennsylvania State University | 6.94% |
| Jackson State University | 6.20% |
| Troy University | 5.83% |
| Kutztown University of Pennsylvania | 5.33% |
Best majors for mental health technicians
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psychology | 34.1% |
| 2 | Criminal Justice | 9.7% |
| 3 | Nursing | 7.7% |
| 4 | Social Work | 6.4% |
| 5 | Business | 6.4% |
Best colleges for mental health technicians
The best colleges for mental health technicians are Johns Hopkins University, Boston College, and Northeastern University.
A mental health 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 mental health 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 mental health technicians.
1. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Enrollment
31,503
2. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Enrollment
18,946
3. San Jose State University
San Jose, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,796
Enrollment
27,125
4. Coppin State University
Baltimore, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$8,873
Enrollment
2,326
5. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$53,740
Enrollment
5,567
6. Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$18,454
Enrollment
40,108
7. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Enrollment
13,871
8. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$9,808
Enrollment
13,990
9. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,522
Enrollment
13,760
10. Kansas Wesleyan University
Salina, KS • Private
In-state tuition
$29,500
Enrollment
650
20 best online courses for mental health technicians
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This course explores why primary health care is central for achieving Health for All. It provides examples of how primary health care has been instrumental in approaching this goal in selected populations and how the principles of primary health care can guide future policies and actions. Two of the most inspiring, least understood, and most often derided terms in global health discourse are “Health for All” and “Primary Health Care.” In this course, we will explore these terms in the context...
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5. Health Care Delivery in Healthcare Organizations
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6. Health After Cancer: Cancer Survivorship for Primary Care
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12. Mental Health First Aid Skills -
This course is designed to provide the tools and knowledge for learners to help and support those experiencing MH issues...
13. Mindfulness for Mental Health, Personal Growth & Inner Peace
The essential guide to cultivating positive mental health, practicing mindfulness, and advancing your personal growth...
14. Workplace Mental Health: A Manager's Ultimate Guide
How to manage mental health in the workplace to boost productivity and be the best boss!...
15. Cognitive Psychology for Positive Mental Health and Wellness
Optimise your mental health and reduce stress by mastering the key concepts of Cognitive Behavioural Psychology (CBP)...
16. Coping Skills and Self-Care for Mental Health
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17. The Mental Toughness and Inner Resilience Masterclass
A comprehensive roadmap to cultivating self-discipline, mental toughness, and building sustainable inner resilience...
18. Home Health Aide, Nurse Aide, Caregiver Certification Course
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19. The Key to Happiness: Self Care
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20. Health Coaching Certification Holistic Wellness Health Coach
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Top 10 most affordable universities for mental health technicians
The most affordable schools for mental health technicians are Hunter College of the City University of New York, california state university - long beach, and brigham young university.
If the best universities for mental health 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 mental health 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. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
4. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
5. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
6. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
7. California State University - Fullerton
Fullerton, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,886
Cost of attendance
17,645
8. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
9. Minot State University
Minot, ND • Private
In-state tuition
$7,064
Cost of attendance
15,576
10. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for mental health technicians
The hardest universities for mental health technicians to get into are Johns Hopkins University, Boston College, and Northeastern University.
Some great schools for mental health 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 mental health 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. Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA • Private
Admissions rate
28%
SAT average
1,429
3. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
4. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
5. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
6. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
Admissions rate
23%
SAT average
1,398
7. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
Admissions rate
40%
SAT average
1,376
8. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,516
9. George Washington University, The
Washington, DC • Private
Admissions rate
42%
SAT average
1,380
10. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for mental health technicians
The easiest schools for mental health technicians to get into are Nyack College, bluefield college, and ottawa university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a mental health 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 mental health technicians.
1. Nyack College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
999
2. Bluefield College
Bluefield, VA • Private
Admissions rate
95%
SAT average
980
3. Ottawa University
Ottawa, KS • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,024
4. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
5. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
6. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
7. Curry College
Milton, MA • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,026
8. Felician University
Lodi, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
999
9. William Paterson University of New Jersey
Wayne, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
994
10. Marymount University
Arlington, VA • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,065
Average mental health technician salary by education level
| Mental health technician education level | Mental health technician salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $34,322 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $31,936 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $32,468 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $31,998 |
Mental health technician education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common healthcare practitioner and technical questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025