# Psychiatric Aides

> Assist mentally impaired or emotionally disturbed patients, working under direction of nursing and medical staff. May assist with daily living activities, lead patients in educational and recreational activities, or accompany patients to and from examinations and treatments. May restrain violent patients. Includes psychiatric orderlies.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/psychiatric-aides
- SOC code: 31-1133.00
- Career family: Healthcare support
- Median annual pay: $44,910 (10th percentile $32,090, 90th percentile $60,440)
- Projected growth: Slower than average, +1.9%
- Openings a year: 4,900
- Typical entry education: High school diploma
- Bright outlook: no
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code SIC)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 41 |
| Investigative (I) | 51 |
| Artistic (A) | 14 |
| Social (S) | 97 |
| Enterprising (E) | 11 |
| Conventional (C) | 46 |

## What you'd do

- Getting Information (importance 96/100)
- Assisting and Caring for Others (importance 91/100)
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 87/100)
- Documenting/Recording Information (importance 85/100)
- Training and Teaching Others (importance 84/100)
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings (importance 79/100)
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge (importance 78/100)
- Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others (importance 77/100)
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems (importance 77/100)
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events (importance 76/100)

## Skills

Service Orientation, Social Perceptiveness, Speaking, Active Listening, Monitoring, Critical Thinking, Active Learning, Coordination, Complex Problem Solving, Instructing

## Knowledge

Psychology, Customer and Personal Service, Therapy and Counseling, English Language, Administrative, Sociology and Anthropology, Public Safety and Security, Administration and Management, Philosophy and Theology, Education and Training

## Also called

Behavior Aide, Behavior Assistant, Behavior Intervention Assistant, Behavior Support Assistant, Behavioral Aide, Behavioral Assistant, Behavioral Health Assistant, BHA (Behavioral Health Aide), BHA (Behavioral Health Associate), Charge Aide

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5115) (CIP 5115, 969 colleges)
- [Health Aides/Attendants/Orderlies](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5126) (CIP 5126, 93 colleges)

## Colleges with strong outcomes (College Scorecard, 2025)

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [University of Pennsylvania UPENN](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-pennsylvania-upenn-3009) | Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | $70,054 | $76,395 | $13,021 |
| [James Madison University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/james-madison-university-1324) | Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | $38,321 | $67,033 | $19,500 |
| [Texas A & M University-College Station](https://www.collegesref.com/college/texas-a-m-university-college-station-2694) | Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | $39,804 | $66,865 | $16,500 |
| [Worcester State University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/worcester-state-university-3304) | Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | $42,384 | $63,505 | $20,500 |
| [Western Connecticut State University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/western-connecticut-state-university-3226) | Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | $42,085 | $63,218 | $27,000 |
| [Metropolitan State University-Minnesota](https://www.collegesref.com/college/metropolitan-state-university-minnesota-1666) | Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | $59,286 | $60,780 | $22,609 |
| [Davenport University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/davenport-university-770) | Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | $50,641 | $58,907 | $27,001 |
| [Ohio University-Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/ohio-university-main-campus-2008) | Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | $39,804 | $57,998 | $26,286 |

## Related careers

- [Psychiatric Technicians](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/psychiatric-technicians): $45,130 median pay
- [Physical Therapist Aides](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/physical-therapist-aides): $35,240 median pay
- [Occupational Therapy Aides](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/occupational-therapy-aides): $39,160 median pay
- [Home Health Aides](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/home-health-aides): $35,800 median pay
- [Occupational Therapy Assistants](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/occupational-therapy-assistants): $72,300 median pay
- [Physical Therapist Assistants](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/physical-therapist-assistants): $68,380 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.