Psychiatric Technicians Salary
The median pay for a psychiatric technicians in Wisconsin is $40,290/year ($19.37/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $33K at the entry level to $85K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.33), which stretches that salary to about $42,712 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,202/month, about 43.7% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Wisconsin. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $40K get you in Wisconsin?
About psychiatric technicians
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What this looks like in Wisconsin
Pay for psychiatric technicians in Wisconsin 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 $1,202/month, which is 43.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.33 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% 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 technicianss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Wisconsin
Entry-level psychiatric technicians (10th percentile) start around $33K. Mid-career wages sit at $40K. Top earners bring in $85K or more, a $52K spread from bottom to top.
Psychiatric Technicians salary by metro in Wisconsin
8 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madison | $64K | +60% | 1,030 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $39K | -4% | 1,520 |
| La Crosse-Onalaska | $38K | -6% | 80 |
| Appleton | $38K | -7% | 210 |
| Green Bay | $37K | -9% | 210 |
| Sheboygan | $35K | -14% | 40 |
| Janesville-Beloit | $34K | -15% | 110 |
| Eau Claire | $33K | -17% | 90 |
Compare to other states
Track psychiatric technicians salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Wisconsin numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a psychiatric technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Wisconsin?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $40K, rent takes 43.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,202/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 technicians in Wisconsin?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new psychiatric technicians typically earn — is $33K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,954/month. At HUD’s $1,202/month FMR, rent would take 62% 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 Wisconsin?
Local pay runs 11% below the national median — $40K here vs. $45K nationally. Cost of living is 6% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Wisconsin compare to the national average for psychiatric technicians?
Wisconsin pays $40K median vs. the U.S. average of $45K — that’s -11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.33), the purchasing-power equivalent is $43K — below the national median.
How much do psychiatric technicians make in Wisconsin?
The median is $40,290 a year, that works out to about $19 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $32,560, and experienced psychiatric technicians can clear $84,760. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $40K enough to live in Wisconsin?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,776/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,202/month, which eats 43.3% 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 technicians salary go in Wisconsin?
Wisconsin has a Regional Price Parity of 94.33 (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 $42,712 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.