Psychiatric Technicians Salary
The median pay for a psychiatric technicians in Tucson, AZ is $41,140/year ($19.78/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $34K at the entry level to $52K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 96.9), that's roughly $42,456 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,402/month, about 49.1% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $41K get you in Tucson?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Tucson’s Regional Price Parity (96.9). 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 Tucson
Psychiatric technicians pay in Tucson tracks closely to the national median, $41K locally vs. $45K nationwide, a 9% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,402/month, which is 49.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 96.9) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for psychiatric technicians in metros near Tucson, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler | $47K | $45K |
| Prescott Valley-Prescott | $44K | $44K |
| Yuma | $43K | $46K |
| Lake Havasu City-Kingman | $40K | $42K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Tucson, AZ
Entry-level psychiatric technicians (10th percentile) start around $34K. Mid-career wages sit at $41K. Top earners bring in $52K or more, a $17K 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 Tucson numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare
Frequently asked questions
Can a psychiatric technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Tucson?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $41K, rent takes 49.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,402/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 Tucson?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new psychiatric technicians typically earn — is $34K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,056/month. At HUD’s $1,402/month FMR, rent would take 68% 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 Tucson?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $41K locally vs. $45K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does Tucson compare to the national average for psychiatric technicians?
Tucson pays $41K median vs. the U.S. average of $45K — that’s -9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 96.9), the purchasing-power equivalent is $42K — below the national median.
How much do psychiatric technicians make in Tucson, AZ?
The median is $41,140 a year, that works out to about $20 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $34,270, and experienced psychiatric technicians can clear $51,650. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $41K enough to live in Tucson?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,839/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,402/month, which eats 49.4% 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 Tucson?
Tucson has a Regional Price Parity of 96.9 (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 $42,456 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.