Psychiatric Technicians Salary
The median pay for a psychiatric technicians in Iowa City, IA is $45,210/year ($21.74/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $42K at the entry level to $47K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.51), which stretches that salary to about $49,404 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $962/month, about 31.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $45K get you in Iowa City?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Iowa City’s Regional Price Parity (91.51). 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 technicians
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What this looks like in Iowa City
Psychiatric technicians pay in Iowa City tracks closely to the national median, $45K locally vs. $45K nationwide, a 0% difference. Rent runs $962/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 31.9% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.51 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for psychiatric technicians in metros near Iowa City, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $40K | $43K |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $46K | $44K |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | $40K | $38K |
| St. Louis | $48K | $50K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Iowa City, IA
Entry-level psychiatric technicians (10th percentile) start around $42K. Mid-career wages sit at $45K. Top earners bring in $47K or more, a $5K spread from bottom to top.
Psychiatric Technicians pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Psychiatric Technicians salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $67K | +49% | 380 |
| Oregon | $60K | +33% | 1,250 |
| New York | $58K | +29% | 2,040 |
| Nebraska | $57K | +27% | 1,390 |
| Connecticut | $56K | +23% | 1,040 |
| Hawaii | $55K | +22% | 2,060 |
| New Jersey | $54K | +20% | 2,520 |
| Washington | $52K | +16% | 1,920 |
| Massachusetts | $52K | +15% | 5,340 |
| Alaska | $52K | +14% | 340 |
| California | $49K | +9% | 14,100 |
| Rhode Island | $49K | +8% | 990 |
| Virginia | $48K | +7% | 3,950 |
| Vermont | $48K | +5% | 600 |
| Colorado | $47K | +5% | 1,740 |
| Nevada | $46K | +3% | 2,060 |
| Georgia | $46K | +2% | 5,560 |
| Illinois | $46K | +2% | 9,410 |
| Missouri | $46K | +2% | 4,450 |
| Arizona | $46K | +1% | 8,160 |
| Maryland | $46K | +1% | 680 |
| Maine | $45K | +0% | 620 |
| New Hampshire | $45K | -1% | 260 |
| Pennsylvania | $44K | -3% | 10,340 |
| Kansas | $44K | -3% | 1,670 |
| Florida | $44K | -3% | 12,710 |
| Michigan | $43K | -4% | 4,850 |
| Iowa | $43K | -5% | 690 |
| Idaho | $41K | -8% | 780 |
| South Carolina | $41K | -9% | 560 |
| Indiana | $41K | -9% | 6,790 |
| Utah | $41K | -10% | 1,940 |
| North Carolina | $41K | -10% | 5,950 |
| Kentucky | $40K | -11% | 910 |
| Minnesota | $40K | -11% | 3,550 |
| Wisconsin | $40K | -11% | 4,430 |
| Texas | $40K | -11% | 11,350 |
| North Dakota | $40K | -11% | 270 |
| Tennessee | $40K | -12% | 3,810 |
| Montana | $39K | -13% | 310 |
| Ohio | $39K | -13% | 3,950 |
| Oklahoma | $39K | -13% | 820 |
| New Mexico | $39K | -14% | 660 |
| Delaware | $38K | -15% | 350 |
| Alabama | $37K | -19% | 3,290 |
| Arkansas | $36K | -20% | 1,900 |
| Mississippi | $35K | -22% | 930 |
| West Virginia | $34K | -24% | 770 |
| Louisiana | $31K | -30% | 2,420 |
Showing 1–10 of 49 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track psychiatric technicians salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Iowa City numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare
Frequently asked questions
Can a psychiatric technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Iowa City?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $45K, rent takes 31.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $962/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for psychiatric technicians in Iowa City?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new psychiatric technicians typically earn — is $42K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,539/month. At HUD’s $962/month FMR, rent would take 38% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is psychiatric technician a high-paying job in Iowa City?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $45K locally vs. $45K nationally, a 0% difference.
How does Iowa City compare to the national average for psychiatric technicians?
Iowa City pays $45K median vs. the U.S. average of $45K — that’s +0%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.51), the purchasing-power equivalent is $49K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do psychiatric technicians make in Iowa City, IA?
The median is $45,210 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $42,320, and experienced psychiatric technicians can clear $46,920. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $45K enough to live in Iowa City?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,018/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $962/month, which eats 31.9% 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 technicians salary go in Iowa City?
Iowa City has a Regional Price Parity of 91.51 (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 technicians salary is worth about $49,404 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do psychiatric technicians 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.