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The differences between psychiatric nursing assistants and behavioral health technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a behavioral health technician has an average salary of $34,611, which is higher than the $30,184 average annual salary of a psychiatric nursing assistant.
The top three skills for a psychiatric nursing assistant include patients, mental health and vital signs. The most important skills for a behavioral health technician are patients, behavioral health, and crisis intervention.
| Psychiatric Nursing Assistant | Behavioral Health Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $30,184 | $34,611 |
| Hourly rate | $14.51 | $16.64 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 181,338 | 99,503 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 38% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Average age | 42 | 34 |
| Years of experience | 3 | - |
Psychiatric Nursing Assistants require the ability to carry out individual patient treatment programs, as well as verbalization of patients' needs, clear and concise communication of information, and ensuring patient safety and well-being. Paying out at around $26K per year, this position requires no formal education outside of a diploma or GED, but postsecondary courses in psychology may help. Those who choose this career will be called on to assist mentally impaired or emotionally disturbed patients under nursing or medical staff direction, assist patients with their daily living activities, lead them to and from examinations and treatment, and restrain patients who become violent.
A 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. Moreover, a behavioral health technician must also carry out administrative tasks, which include producing reports and assessments, answering inquiries and correspondence, maintaining schedules, and keeping records. Furthermore, it is essential to give emotional support to a patient, providing them with a safe and healthy environment at all times.
Psychiatric nursing assistants and behavioral health technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Psychiatric Nursing Assistant | Behavioral Health Technician | |
| Average salary | $30,184 | $34,611 |
| Salary range | Between $22,000 And $40,000 | Between $25,000 And $47,000 |
| Highest paying City | Olympia, WA | Rochester, NY |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Maine Health/maine Mental Health Partners | University of California, Berkeley |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Non Profits |
There are a few differences between a psychiatric nursing assistant and a behavioral health technician in terms of educational background:
| Psychiatric Nursing Assistant | Behavioral Health Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 38% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | - | Johns Hopkins University |
Here are the differences between psychiatric nursing assistants' and behavioral health technicians' demographics:
| Psychiatric Nursing Assistant | Behavioral Health Technician | |
| Average age | 42 | 34 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 41.7% Female, 58.3% | Male, 36.4% Female, 63.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 16.8% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 20.8% Asian, 7.3% White, 49.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% | Black or African American, 14.3% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 20.1% Asian, 6.4% White, 51.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 15% |