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The differences between psychiatric technicians and behavioral technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a psychiatric technician has an average salary of $39,662, which is higher than the $33,282 average annual salary of a behavioral technician.
The top three skills for a psychiatric technician include patients, mental health and social work. The most important skills for a behavioral technician are autism, applied behavior analysis, and behavior analysis.
| Psychiatric Technician | Behavioral Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $39,662 | $33,282 |
| Hourly rate | $19.07 | $16.00 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 64,888 | 45,287 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Average age | 34 | 34 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A psychiatric technician is responsible for supporting patients with mental issues and disabilities by administering treatment plans and quality therapeutic care. Psychiatric technicians assist the patients through counseling, observing their mental and social behaviors, and suggesting recreational activities to help them interact with others. They also work with other medical professionals to seek advice, especially when performing medical procedures and suggesting medications. A psychiatric technician must have excellent communication and time-management skills, especially when responding to the patients' concerns and looking after them during daily activities.
A behavioral technician is responsible for supporting patients to overcome their behavior problems and difficulties. Behavioral technicians evaluate the patient's condition through counseling and administer behavioral treatment plans according to the patients' needs. They also coordinate with other physicians and mental health professionals for medications and more serious medical support as needed. A behavioral technician assists the patients in their daily activities, observe their social and personal behaviors, write progress reports, and develop engaging activities that would help them bring back a healthy lifestyle and growth.
Psychiatric technicians and behavioral technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Psychiatric Technician | Behavioral Technician | |
| Average salary | $39,662 | $33,282 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $61,000 | Between $24,000 And $44,000 |
| Highest paying City | Santa Barbara, CA | Somerville, MA |
| Highest paying state | California | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | St. Tammany Health System | Missouri State University |
| Best paying industry | Government | Education |
There are a few differences between a psychiatric technician and a behavioral technician in terms of educational background:
| Psychiatric Technician | Behavioral Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | Johns Hopkins University | Johns Hopkins University |
Here are the differences between psychiatric technicians' and behavioral technicians' demographics:
| Psychiatric Technician | Behavioral Technician | |
| Average age | 34 | 34 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 40.1% Female, 59.9% | Male, 32.7% Female, 67.3% |
| Race ratio | 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% | 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 | 15% | 15% |