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Psychiatric nursing assistant salary

Average psychiatric nursing assistant salary

$14.51

$30,184 yearly

Entry-level psychiatric nursing assistant salary
$22,000 yearly salary
Updated January 8, 2025

Average Psychiatric Nursing Assistant Salary

The average salary for psychiatric nursing assistants across the United States is approximately $30,184 annually or $15 per hour. Salaries can vary based on location, experience, and type of healthcare facility. For instance, psychiatric nursing assistants working in metropolitan areas may earn significantly higher wages compared to their counterparts in rural settings.

Where Can a Psychiatric Nursing Assistant Earn More?

States such as California, New York, and Massachusetts typically offer higher salary ranges for psychiatric nursing assistants, reflecting the cost of living and demand for mental health services. It's crucial for job seekers to consider these geographical factors when evaluating potential salaries.

Job Opportunities

The role of a psychiatric nursing assistant is vital in various healthcare settings, including hospitals, mental health clinics, and residential treatment centers. With the increasing focus on mental health awareness, the need for qualified professionals in this field is expected to rise.

  • Highest paying states: California, New York, Massachusetts
  • Typical job settings: Hospitals, clinics, residential facilities
  • Growth potential: Opportunities for advancement in specialized mental health roles

By understanding salary trends and job opportunities, aspiring psychiatric nursing assistants can make informed decisions about their career paths and financial expectations.

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Where can a Psychiatric Nursing Assistant earn more?

Compare salary by location
Vs
51k
31k
11k
-9k
Columbus, OH$38,669
Hollywood, FL$21,025
Compare salary by company
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56k
36k
16k
-4k
Maine Health/maine Mental Health Partners$38,413
State of West Virginia$26,297

Psychiatric nursing assistant salary estimates from across the web

Based on the latest salary information compiled by Zippia, Glassdoor and Comparably, the average salary for a psychiatric nursing assistant typically falls between $30,184 and $54,159.
zippia
$30,184yearly
glassdoor[1]
$45,920yearly
comparably[2]
$54,159yearly

Average psychiatric nursing assistant salary by state

The highest-paying states for psychiatric nursing assistants are Washington, Alaska, and Connecticut. The lowest average psychiatric nursing assistant salary states are New Mexico, Arkansas, and Louisiana.

  • State view
  • County view
Average salary:

Highest paying states for psychiatric nursing assistants

RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
1Maine$36,257$17.43
2Ohio$35,607$17.12
3Connecticut$36,716$17.65
4Indiana$34,898$16.78
5Minnesota$34,126$16.41
6Washington$38,522$18.52
7Rhode Island$32,430$15.59
8Wisconsin$31,277$15.04
9South Dakota$33,146$15.94
10Delaware$32,134$15.45
11Pennsylvania$31,052$14.93
12Alaska$38,243$18.39
13Oregon$34,238$16.46
14Kentucky$29,968$14.41
15Idaho$31,555$15.17
16Vermont$29,989$14.42
17Michigan$30,627$14.72
18New Hampshire$29,909$14.38
19Wyoming$32,649$15.70
20Nevada$32,729$15.74
21Iowa$30,518$14.67
22West Virginia$28,324$13.62
23New Jersey$31,858$15.32
24Montana$30,622$14.72
25Hawaii$34,491$16.58
26Maryland$30,801$14.81
27Missouri$28,892$13.89
28Nebraska$29,605$14.23
29Kansas$29,021$13.95
30California$31,107$14.96
31North Dakota$29,021$13.95
32Colorado$28,017$13.47
33North Carolina$26,583$12.78
34Tennessee$24,550$11.80
35Arizona$27,885$13.41
36Massachusetts$27,239$13.10
37New York$27,328$13.14
38Virginia$27,622$13.28
39Oklahoma$26,568$12.77
40District of Columbia$30,276$14.56
41Arkansas$22,287$10.71
42Illinois$26,791$12.88
43Georgia$24,695$11.87
44Utah$26,319$12.65
45South Carolina$21,169$10.18
46Texas$24,064$11.57
47Florida$21,162$10.17
48Alabama$23,821$11.45
49New Mexico$22,625$10.88
50Mississippi$21,239$10.21
51Louisiana$21,442$10.31
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Highest paying cities for psychiatric nursing assistants

The highest-paying cities for psychiatric nursing assistants are Olympia, WA, Hillsboro, OR, and Cincinnati, OH.

RankCityAvg. salaryHourly rate
1Olympia, WA$38,669$18.59
2Hillsboro, OR$34,275$16.48
3Cincinnati, OH$33,994$16.34
4Las Vegas, NV$32,359$15.56
5Hackensack, NJ$32,026$15.40
6Fresno, CA$31,947$15.36
7Fond du Lac, WI$31,436$15.11
8Harrisburg, PA$31,042$14.92
9Lansing, MI$30,683$14.75
10Iowa City, IA$30,443$14.64
11Grand Junction, CO$27,948$13.44
12Tucson, AZ$27,304$13.13
13Durham, NC$27,162$13.06
14Buffalo Grove, IL$27,083$13.02
15El Paso, TX$25,134$12.08
16Hollywood, FL$21,025$10.11

Psychiatric nursing assistant salary details

A psychiatric nursing assistant's salary ranges from $22,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $40,000 at the 90th percentile.

Average psychiatric nursing assistant salary graph
Average psychiatric nursing assistant salary graph, trends, and summary

What is a psychiatric nursing assistant's salary?

PercentileAnnual salaryMonthly salaryHourly rate
90th Percentile$40,000$3,333$19
75th Percentile$35,000$2,917$17
Average$30,184$2,515$15
25th Percentile$25,000$2,083$12
10th Percentile$22,000$1,833$11

Highest paying psychiatric nursing assistant jobs

The highest paying types of psychiatric nursing assistants are registered nursing assistant, licensed nursing assistant, and mental health worker.

Job titleAnnual salaryMonthly salaryHourly rateJob openings
PRN$39,642$3,304$19.0672,309
Mental Health Worker$41,081$3,423$19.75144,879
Behavioral Health Technician$34,611$2,884$16.6499,503
Mental Health Technician$32,118$2,677$15.44103,710
Hospital Corpsman$34,357$2,863$16.522,714
Patients Transporter$29,476$2,456$14.17126,533

Top companies hiring psychiatric nursing assistants now:

  1. Mayo Clinic jobs (6)
  2. Wellpath jobs (17)
  3. North Texas Medical Center jobs (178)
  4. Rio Grande jobs (58)
  5. Infirmary Health jobs (4)

Which companies pay psychiatric nursing assistants the most?

Psychiatric nursing assistant salaries at Maine Health/maine Mental Health Partners and Hackensack Meridian Health are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average psychiatric nursing assistant salary at companies like Mayo Clinic and Saratoga Hospital are highly competitive.

RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rate
1Maine Health/maine Mental Health Partners$38,413$18.47
2Hackensack Meridian Health$34,822$16.74
3Mayo Clinic$34,179$16.43
4Saratoga Hospital$33,880$16.29
5Washington State University$33,689$16.20
6Wellpath$33,176$15.95
7Senior PsychCare$32,336$15.55
8FSR$32,190$15.48
9NaphCare$32,153$15.46
10ICONMA$31,746$15.26
11Texas$31,672$15.23
12Memorial Healthcare System$31,612$15.20
13Provider Solutions & Development$31,362$15.08
14UnitedHealth Group$31,147$14.97
15All Medical Personnel$30,882$14.85
16Seattle Children's Healthcare System$30,356$14.59
17University of Iowa Center for Advancement$29,055$13.97
18Christian Healthcare Ministries$28,218$13.57
19State of West Virginia$26,297$12.64

Wage gap by gender, race and education

$33,000$32,600$32,200$31,800$31,400$31,000
MaleFemale

Psychiatric nursing assistant salary trends

The average psychiatric nursing assistant salary has risen by $4,958 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average psychiatric nursing assistant earned $25,226 annually, but today, they earn $30,184 a year. That works out to a 8% change in pay for psychiatric nursing assistants over the last decade.

Compare psychiatric nursing assistant salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.

Average psychiatric nursing assistant salary over time

Compare psychiatric nursing assistant salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.

Psychiatric nursing assistant salary by year

YearAvg. salaryHourly rate% Change
2025$30,200$14.51+5.0%
2024$28,700$13.79-4.5%
2023$30,000$14.41+3.6%
2022$28,900$13.89+3.4%
2021$27,900$13.42+3.3%

Recently added psychiatric nursing assistant salaries

CompanyJobLocationDate addedSalary
Department of Veterans AffairsNursing Assistant-Acute Inpatient Psychiatric UnitOmaha, NE06/28/2025$38,062
Texas Health & Human Services CommissionPsychiatric Nursing Asst LLLEl Paso, TX06/28/2025$43,798
Christian Health Care CenterPsychiatric Nursing Assistant (PNA)-Ramapo Ridge Behavioral Health HospitalWyckoff, NJ06/12/2025$36,523
Hopewell Home Healthcare LLCPsychiatric Nursing AssistantHouston, TX06/09/2025$37,566
Texas Health & Human Services CommissionPsychiatric Nursing Assistant LLEl Paso, TX05/30/2025$36,571
Department of Veterans AffairsNursing Assistant-Psychiatric-Open Continuous AnnouncementFayetteville, NC05/20/2025$36,627
Tri County ServicesPsychiatric Nursing AssistantConroe, TX05/17/2025$37,566
Hopewell Home Healthcare LLCPsychiatric Nursing AssistantHouston, TX04/28/2025$37,566
Department of Veterans AffairsPsychiatric Nursing AssistantHampton, VA04/13/2025$40,564
Texas Health & Human Services CommissionPsychiatric Nursing Asst IVAustin, TX04/11/2025$49,134

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