Behavioral Health Technician Salary: What the Federal Data Shows
Behavioral health technicians in the US earn a median of $45,130 a year, according to the most recent federal wage data (BLS, May 2025 estimates, released May 2026). Most earn between $35,090 and $60,750. Where you work changes the picture more than any other single factor: the median runs from $31,440 in Louisiana to $67,430 in the District of Columbia, more than a 2x spread for the same job title.
This page breaks down the numbers by state, shows which states pay most, and covers the levers that actually move technician pay. Every figure comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, cited at the bottom, and we refresh this page each spring when new federal estimates come out.
National snapshot
Highest-paying states
| Rank | State | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $67,430 |
| 2 | Oregon | $59,820 |
| 3 | New York | $58,080 |
| 4 | Nebraska | $57,370 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $55,500 |
Cost of living explains part of this list but not all of it. Nebraska pays a higher median than Massachusetts or New Jersey, and Oregon outpays California by more than $10,000. The stronger pattern: states where a large share of technicians work in state-run psychiatric facilities, which tend to pay on government wage scales with union representation, sit near the top regardless of living costs.
Behavioral health technician salary by state
| State | Employment | 10th pctile | Median | 90th pctile | Mean |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 3,290 | $23,330 | $36,680 | $45,870 | $35,600 |
| Alaska | 340 | $40,270 | $51,650 | $77,830 | $57,280 |
| Arizona | 8,160 | $36,240 | $45,640 | $56,420 | $45,280 |
| Arkansas | 1,900 | $29,790 | $35,930 | $44,130 | $35,980 |
| California | 14,100 | $40,880 | $49,140 | $88,090 | $58,780 |
| Colorado | 1,740 | $40,940 | $47,430 | $59,810 | $48,960 |
| Connecticut | 1,040 | $41,250 | $55,500 | $77,540 | $57,720 |
| Delaware | 350 | $32,100 | $38,410 | $47,320 | $39,790 |
| District of Columbia | 380 | $42,440 | $67,430 | $78,460 | $63,160 |
| Florida | 12,710 | $35,280 | $43,570 | $57,290 | $44,900 |
| Georgia | 5,560 | $37,530 | $46,250 | $58,130 | $47,350 |
| Hawaii | 2,060 | $45,830 | $55,150 | $63,720 | $54,750 |
| Idaho | 780 | $37,980 | $41,490 | $48,180 | $42,800 |
| Illinois | 9,410 | $36,820 | $46,200 | $53,620 | $46,090 |
| Indiana | 6,790 | $36,010 | $40,910 | $50,190 | $42,750 |
| Iowa | 690 | $36,370 | $42,910 | $46,310 | $41,580 |
| Kansas | 1,670 | $36,710 | $43,780 | $49,300 | $42,370 |
| Kentucky | 910 | $31,300 | $40,370 | $54,750 | $42,240 |
| Louisiana | 2,420 | $28,400 | $31,440 | $36,830 | $32,310 |
| Maine | 620 | $39,320 | $45,320 | $51,740 | $46,180 |
| Maryland | 680 | $34,500 | $45,520 | $61,190 | $45,700 |
| Massachusetts | 5,340 | $40,140 | $52,000 | $66,330 | $53,840 |
| Michigan | 4,850 | $36,630 | $43,140 | $72,550 | $46,530 |
| Minnesota | 3,550 | $36,830 | $40,300 | $58,490 | $45,160 |
| Mississippi | 930 | $27,540 | $35,320 | $49,770 | $36,120 |
| Missouri | 4,450 | $34,870 | $45,840 | $55,530 | $44,340 |
| Montana | 310 | $35,030 | $39,190 | $54,350 | $41,710 |
| Nebraska | 1,390 | $39,490 | $57,370 | $62,000 | $53,800 |
| Nevada | 2,060 | $38,480 | $46,450 | $56,250 | $47,110 |
| New Hampshire | 260 | $44,180 | $44,660 | $60,530 | $50,860 |
| New Jersey | 2,520 | $45,770 | $54,040 | $64,620 | $56,400 |
| New Mexico | 660 | $31,390 | $39,020 | $49,760 | $41,720 |
| New York | 2,040 | $41,650 | $58,080 | $85,920 | $60,080 |
| North Carolina | 5,950 | $33,900 | $40,630 | $50,530 | $42,270 |
| North Dakota | 270 | $38,350 | $39,960 | $55,760 | $43,620 |
| Ohio | 3,950 | $31,550 | $39,140 | $48,840 | $40,880 |
| Oklahoma | 820 | $34,080 | $39,060 | $62,400 | $42,250 |
| Oregon | 1,250 | $44,570 | $59,820 | $73,530 | $58,140 |
| Pennsylvania | 10,340 | $36,920 | $43,930 | $54,000 | $44,750 |
| Rhode Island | 990 | $43,450 | $48,520 | $62,490 | $50,310 |
| South Carolina | 560 | $35,390 | $40,970 | $53,170 | $43,880 |
| Tennessee | 3,810 | $31,370 | $39,800 | $53,940 | $42,190 |
| Texas | 11,350 | $33,240 | $39,970 | $49,250 | $41,750 |
| Utah | 1,940 | $34,760 | $40,770 | $47,870 | $41,980 |
| Vermont | 600 | $40,630 | $47,560 | $58,360 | $48,650 |
| Virginia | 3,950 | $38,580 | $48,320 | $58,530 | $48,110 |
| Washington | 1,920 | $44,030 | $52,470 | $76,730 | $55,160 |
| West Virginia | 770 | $30,130 | $34,100 | $44,270 | $34,840 |
| Wisconsin | 4,430 | $32,560 | $40,290 | $84,760 | $48,190 |
A reading tip: the gap between a state’s median and its 90th percentile tells you how much room the local market has. Michigan’s median is a modest $43,140, but its 90th percentile hits $72,550, which points to a set of well-paying facilities worth seeking out. Wisconsin shows the same shape. Louisiana is the opposite case: a low median and a low ceiling.
What actually raises BHT pay
Four levers show up consistently.
Setting
Government-run facilities, state hospitals in particular, generally pay technicians more than private residential or outpatient programs, and acute and crisis settings pay more than lower-acuity ones.
Shifts
Behavioral health runs around the clock. Overnight and weekend differentials are standard at 24/7 facilities and can add meaningfully to base pay for the same role.
Credentials
Requirements vary by state, which is part of why state medians vary. California licenses psychiatric technicians outright (LPT), and certifications elsewhere signal skill to employers who set pay bands. Check your state’s rules before assuming a certification moves the needle.
The degree path
The biggest raise available to a technician is usually a role change. Counselors in the same federal dataset (substance use, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors) earn a median of $59,350, about $14,000 above the technician median, and technician experience is exactly the background counseling programs and employers want. Our complete guide to behavioral health careers maps those paths.
For comparison within the support tier: psychiatric aides, a separate federal category with narrower duties, earn a median of $44,910, essentially level with technicians nationally, though aide roles typically require less training to enter.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a behavioral health technician make?
The national median is $45,130 a year (BLS, May 2025 estimates). Most BHTs earn between $35,090 and $60,750, and state medians range from $31,440 to $67,430.
Which states pay behavioral health technicians the most?
By median wage: the District of Columbia ($67,430), Oregon ($59,820), New York ($58,080), Nebraska ($57,370), and Connecticut ($55,500).
Do behavioral health technicians and mental health technicians earn different salaries?
Federal data can’t say, because BLS counts both titles (plus psychiatric technicians) as one occupation. In practice the titles describe overlapping work and employers use them interchangeably; setting and state matter far more than the title on the posting.
How can a BHT earn more?
Move toward government or acute-care settings, take shift differentials, check whether your state licenses or certifies technicians, or use the experience as a step toward counseling roles, which pay a median of $14,000 more.
Where these numbers come from
Wage figures are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates (occupation code 29-2053, Psychiatric Technicians), released May 2026 and the most recent federal data available. OEWS reports wages for employees; independent contractor rates are not included. All figures are estimates and marked as such. We refresh this page when BLS publishes new estimates each spring.
Looking for BHT work now? Explore current opportunities from employers hiring this month.
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