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The average salary for a Mental Health Technician in the United States is approximately $32,118 per year or $15.44 per hour. This figure can vary based on factors such as geographical location, years of experience, and specific healthcare settings.
For instance, states such as California and New York often offer higher salaries due to the higher cost of living and increased demand for mental health services. In contrast, regions with lower living costs may present lower salary averages.
As the mental health field continues to grow, job opportunities for mental health technicians are expected to rise. This role is essential in supporting patients and assisting in their recovery. Furthermore, with additional training or specialization, technicians can advance to higher-paying positions in behavioral health facilities, hospitals, or private practices.
Tracking salary estimates over time reveals that as the demand for mental health services increases, so do the salaries for these professionals. This upward trend reflects the growing recognition of mental health's importance in overall well-being, making it a promising career choice for aspiring technicians.
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The highest-paying states for mental health technicians are Vermont, California, and Montana. The lowest average mental health technician salary states are New Mexico, Florida, and Alaska.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vermont | $45,112 | $21.69 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $35,792 | $17.21 |
| 3 | Arkansas | $32,269 | $15.51 |
| 4 | Wisconsin | $32,908 | $15.82 |
| 5 | California | $42,164 | $20.27 |
| 6 | Montana | $41,513 | $19.96 |
| 7 | North Dakota | $35,168 | $16.91 |
| 8 | New Hampshire | $36,550 | $17.57 |
| 9 | Kansas | $33,456 | $16.08 |
| 10 | Minnesota | $32,706 | $15.72 |
| 11 | Oregon | $38,958 | $18.73 |
| 12 | Illinois | $34,149 | $16.42 |
| 13 | Washington | $38,471 | $18.50 |
| 14 | Maine | $33,062 | $15.90 |
| 15 | Colorado | $34,217 | $16.45 |
| 16 | Michigan | $30,172 | $14.51 |
| 17 | Connecticut | $34,351 | $16.51 |
| 18 | West Virginia | $32,750 | $15.75 |
| 19 | Mississippi | $31,338 | $15.07 |
| 20 | Nebraska | $32,482 | $15.62 |
| 21 | Arizona | $31,037 | $14.92 |
| 22 | Iowa | $30,052 | $14.45 |
| 23 | Ohio | $29,559 | $14.21 |
| 24 | New Jersey | $33,673 | $16.19 |
| 25 | New York | $33,678 | $16.19 |
| 26 | Wyoming | $31,096 | $14.95 |
| 27 | Nevada | $31,487 | $15.14 |
| 28 | Alabama | $29,059 | $13.97 |
| 29 | Hawaii | $31,889 | $15.33 |
| 30 | Virginia | $31,824 | $15.30 |
| 31 | Tennessee | $26,784 | $12.88 |
| 32 | South Dakota | $28,867 | $13.88 |
| 33 | Missouri | $28,223 | $13.57 |
| 34 | Texas | $28,495 | $13.70 |
| 35 | Indiana | $26,872 | $12.92 |
| 36 | Utah | $28,776 | $13.83 |
| 37 | Rhode Island | $29,057 | $13.97 |
| 38 | District of Columbia | $31,889 | $15.33 |
| 39 | Delaware | $28,624 | $13.76 |
| 40 | South Carolina | $28,538 | $13.72 |
| 41 | Louisiana | $27,464 | $13.20 |
| 42 | North Carolina | $27,074 | $13.02 |
| 43 | Kentucky | $26,806 | $12.89 |
| 44 | Georgia | $28,860 | $13.88 |
| 45 | Alaska | $25,947 | $12.47 |
| 46 | Oklahoma | $25,916 | $12.46 |
| 47 | Idaho | $25,854 | $12.43 |
| 48 | Pennsylvania | $27,168 | $13.06 |
| 49 | Florida | $26,377 | $12.68 |
| 50 | New Mexico | $26,561 | $12.77 |
| 51 | Maryland | $24,391 | $11.73 |
The highest-paying cities for mental health technicians are Sacramento, CA, Eugene, OR, and Chicago, IL.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sacramento, CA | $42,885 | $20.62 |
| 2 | Eugene, OR | $39,259 | $18.87 |
| 3 | Chicago, IL | $34,205 | $16.44 |
| 4 | Denver, CO | $34,190 | $16.44 |
| 5 | Newark, NJ | $33,742 | $16.22 |
| 6 | Omaha, NE | $32,487 | $15.62 |
| 7 | Little Rock, AR | $32,199 | $15.48 |
| 8 | Reno, NV | $31,984 | $15.38 |
| 9 | Columbus, OH | $29,442 | $14.15 |
| 10 | Montgomery, AL | $28,973 | $13.93 |
| 11 | Columbus, GA | $28,771 | $13.83 |
| 12 | Newark, DE | $28,658 | $13.78 |
| 13 | McKinney, TX | $28,500 | $13.70 |
| 14 | Kansas City, MO | $28,334 | $13.62 |
| 15 | Philadelphia, PA | $27,164 | $13.06 |
| 16 | Rocky Mount, NC | $27,061 | $13.01 |
| 17 | Fort Wayne, IN | $27,047 | $13.00 |
| 18 | Memphis, TN | $26,801 | $12.89 |
| 19 | Ocala, FL | $26,550 | $12.76 |
| 20 | Oklahoma City, OK | $25,904 | $12.45 |
A mental health technician's salary ranges from $25,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $39,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $39,000 | $3,250 | $19 |
| 75th Percentile | $36,000 | $3,000 | $17 |
| Average | $32,118 | $2,677 | $15 |
| 25th Percentile | $28,000 | $2,333 | $13 |
| 10th Percentile | $25,000 | $2,083 | $12 |
The highest paying types of mental health technicians are mental health nurse, counselor/art therapist, and therapist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Therapist | $55,943 | $4,662 | $26.90 | 159,770 |
| Residence Counselor | $34,931 | $2,911 | $16.79 | 78,872 |
| Counselor/Art Therapist | $79,417 | $6,618 | $38.18 | 80,647 |
| Residential Counselor | $34,117 | $2,843 | $16.40 | 81,287 |
| In Home Therapist | $51,706 | $4,309 | $24.86 | 113,993 |
| Psychiatric Technician | $39,662 | $3,305 | $19.07 | 64,888 |
Top companies hiring mental health technicians now:
Mental health technician salaries at CARE and Silver Lake are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average mental health technician salary at companies like AspenPointe Enterprises and Kettering Health Network are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CARE | $39,850 | $19.16 |
| 2 | Silver Lake | $39,755 | $19.11 |
| 3 | AspenPointe Enterprises | $39,708 | $19.09 |
| 4 | Kettering Health Network | $38,867 | $18.69 |
| 5 | Premier Inc. | $38,208 | $18.37 |
| 6 | Telecare | $37,203 | $17.89 |
| 7 | Northern California Medical Associates | $37,107 | $17.84 |
| 8 | Washington State University | $37,038 | $17.81 |
| 9 | PHMC | $36,360 | $17.48 |
| 10 | Beacon Health Options | $36,284 | $17.44 |
| 11 | White County | $36,168 | $17.39 |
| 12 | WakeMed | $35,410 | $17.02 |
| 13 | Volunteers of America Greater Baton Rouge | $35,404 | $17.02 |
| 14 | Wellpath | $35,388 | $17.01 |
| 15 | University of Mississippi Medical Center | $35,299 | $16.97 |
| 16 | State of Nevada Employees' Association Inc | $35,288 | $16.97 |
| 17 | Maine Health/maine Mental Health Partners | $35,227 | $16.94 |
| 18 | State Of Illinois - Illinois Student Assistance Commission | $35,161 | $16.90 |
| 19 | Veritas Collaborative | $35,127 | $16.89 |
| 20 | Wexford Health Sources | $35,113 | $16.88 |
The average mental health technician salary has risen by $6,014 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average mental health technician earned $26,104 annually, but today, they earn $32,118 a year. That works out to a 13% change in pay for mental health technicians over the last decade.
Compare mental health technician salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare mental health technician salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $32,100 | $15.44 | +3.6% |
| 2024 | $31,000 | $14.89 | +2.7% |
| 2023 | $30,100 | $14.49 | +3.7% |
| 2022 | $29,000 | $13.96 | +2.2% |
| 2021 | $28,400 | $13.65 | -0.5% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wellpath | Mental Health Technician I | Florida City, FL | 06/30/2025 | $31,305 |
| Amfm Treatment | Mental Health Technician Swing Sun-Thur Pm-11Pm | Stillwater, MN | 06/29/2025 | $39,653 |
| Amfm Treatment | Mental Health Technician Split Fri/Sat AM and Sun/Mon PM | Vienna, VA | 06/29/2025 | $39,653 |
| Options for Southern Oregon | Mental Health Tech/Associate | Medford, OR | 06/29/2025 | $42,992 |
| Prime Healthcare Services | Mental Health Tech | Newark, NJ | 06/29/2025 | $39,966 |
| Mhctn | Mental Health Tech | Nashville, TN | 06/29/2025 | $41,302 |
| Wellpath | Mental Health Technician | Warren, ME | 06/28/2025 | $54,700 |
| Grafton Integrated Health Network | Mental Health Technician-Overnight | Berryville, VA | 06/28/2025 | $37,879 |
| The Guidance Center | Mental Health Technician PRN | Leavenworth, KS | 06/27/2025 | $41,093 |
| University of Toledo | Mental Health Tech | Toledo, OH | 06/27/2025 | $39,799 |
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