Psychiatric Aides Salary
The median pay for a psychiatric aides in Missouri is $39,840/year ($19.16/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $33K at the entry level to $51K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.97), which stretches that salary to about $44,779 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,097/month, about 40.4% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Missouri. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $40K actually covers in Missouri, month by month
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What this looks like in Missouri
Pay for psychiatric aides in Missouri 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 $1,097/month, which is 39.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.97 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% 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 aides.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Missouri
Entry-level psychiatric aides (10th percentile) start around $33K. Mid-career wages sit at $40K. Top earners bring in $51K or more, a $18K spread from bottom to top.
Psychiatric Aides salary by metro in Missouri
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas City | $40K | +0% | 220 |
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Missouri numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a psychiatric aide afford a 2BR apartment alone in Missouri?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $40K, rent takes 39.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,097/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 Missouri?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new psychiatric aides typically earn — is $33K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,334/month. At HUD’s $1,097/month FMR, rent would take 47% 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 Missouri?
Local pay runs 11% below the national median — $40K here vs. $45K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Missouri compare to the national average for psychiatric aides?
Missouri pays $40K median vs. the U.S. average of $45K — that’s -11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $45K — below the national median.
How much do psychiatric aides make in Missouri?
The median is $39,840 a year, that works out to about $19 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $33,290, and experienced psychiatric aides can clear $51,030. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $40K enough to live in Missouri?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,746/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,097/month, which eats 39.9% 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 Missouri?
Missouri has a Regional Price Parity of 88.97 (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 $44,779 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.