Psychiatric Aides Salary
The median pay for a psychiatric aides in Kansas City, MO-KS is $39,950/year ($19.21/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $46K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.54), which stretches that salary to about $43,171 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,358/month, about 49.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $40K get you in Kansas City?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Kansas City’s Regional Price Parity (92.54). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About psychiatric aides
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What this looks like in Kansas City
Pay for psychiatric aides in Kansas City runs about 11% below the U.S. median of $45K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,358/month, which is 49.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.54 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for psychiatric aidess.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for psychiatric aides in metros near Kansas City, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma City | $37K | $41K |
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers | $28K | $31K |
| Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway | $36K | $41K |
| Topeka | $38K | $43K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Kansas City, MO-KS
Entry-level psychiatric aides (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $40K. Top earners bring in $46K or more, a $8K spread from bottom to top.
Psychiatric Aides pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Psychiatric Aides salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | $55K | +23% | 620 |
| Washington | $53K | +17% | 330 |
| Hawaii | $52K | +16% | 30 |
| Maryland | $51K | +15% | 250 |
| Nevada | $51K | +14% | 220 |
| Rhode Island | $51K | +14% | 130 |
| New York | $50K | +12% | 5,120 |
| Alaska | $49K | +10% | 190 |
| Illinois | $49K | +8% | 120 |
| Oregon | $48K | +8% | 1,550 |
| Vermont | $48K | +7% | 330 |
| California | $48K | +6% | 3,760 |
| Maine | $47K | +4% | 110 |
| Montana | $46K | +3% | 330 |
| Colorado | $46K | +3% | 300 |
| Michigan | $46K | +2% | 1,410 |
| New Jersey | $46K | +2% | 2,060 |
| Massachusetts | $45K | +1% | 950 |
| Oklahoma | $45K | +0% | N/A |
| Indiana | $45K | -0% | 1,930 |
| Pennsylvania | $45K | -0% | 1,620 |
| Connecticut | $45K | -1% | 520 |
| Texas | $43K | -5% | 1,760 |
| Utah | $41K | -9% | 130 |
| Missouri | $40K | -11% | 110 |
| Iowa | $39K | -13% | 400 |
| Kentucky | $39K | -14% | 250 |
| Ohio | $38K | -14% | 980 |
| North Carolina | $38K | -14% | N/A |
| Kansas | $38K | -15% | 580 |
| Florida | $38K | -16% | 2,210 |
| West Virginia | $38K | -16% | 220 |
| Virginia | $37K | -17% | N/A |
| Georgia | $37K | -18% | 1,090 |
| South Carolina | $36K | -19% | 200 |
| Arkansas | $36K | -19% | 490 |
| Mississippi | $31K | -32% | 2,490 |
| Louisiana | $30K | -33% | 280 |
| Alabama | $27K | -40% | 790 |
Showing 1–10 of 39 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track psychiatric aides salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Kansas City numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare Support
Frequently asked questions
Can a psychiatric aide afford a 2BR apartment alone in Kansas City?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $40K, rent takes 49.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,358/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for psychiatric aides in Kansas City?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new psychiatric aides typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,288/month. At HUD’s $1,358/month FMR, rent would take 59% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is psychiatric aide a high-paying job in Kansas City?
Local pay runs 11% below the national median — $40K here vs. $45K nationally. Cost of living is 7% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Kansas City compare to the national average for psychiatric aides?
Kansas City pays $40K median vs. the U.S. average of $45K — that’s -11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.54), the purchasing-power equivalent is $43K — below the national median.
How much do psychiatric aides make in Kansas City, MO-KS?
The median is $39,950 a year, that works out to about $19 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,130, and experienced psychiatric aides can clear $45,630. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $40K enough to live in Kansas City?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,753/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,358/month, which eats 49.3% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a psychiatric aides salary go in Kansas City?
Kansas City has a Regional Price Parity of 92.54 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median psychiatric aides salary is worth about $43,171 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do psychiatric aides get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.
