Psychiatric Aides Salary
The median pay for a psychiatric aides in Topeka, KS is $38,390/year ($18.46/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $38K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.82), which stretches that salary to about $43,222 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,057/month, about 40.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $38K get you in Topeka?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Topeka’s Regional Price Parity (88.82). 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 Topeka
Pay for psychiatric aides in Topeka runs about 15% below the U.S. median of $45K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,057/month, which is 40.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.82 (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 aidess.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for psychiatric aides in metros near Topeka, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma City | $37K | $41K |
| Kansas City | $40K | $43K |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial | $48K | , |
| Colorado Springs | $52K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Topeka, KS
Entry-level psychiatric aides (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $38K. Top earners bring in $38K or more, a $0 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 Topeka numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare Support
Frequently asked questions
Can a psychiatric aide afford a 2BR apartment alone in Topeka?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $38K, rent takes 40.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,057/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 Topeka?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new psychiatric aides typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,303/month. At HUD’s $1,057/month FMR, rent would take 46% 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 Topeka?
Local pay runs 15% below the national median — $38K here vs. $45K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Topeka compare to the national average for psychiatric aides?
Topeka pays $38K median vs. the U.S. average of $45K — that’s -15%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.82), the purchasing-power equivalent is $43K — below the national median.
How much do psychiatric aides make in Topeka, KS?
The median is $38,390 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,390, and experienced psychiatric aides can clear $38,390. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $38K enough to live in Topeka?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,613/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,057/month, which eats 40.5% 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 Topeka?
Topeka has a Regional Price Parity of 88.82 (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 $43,222 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.