How to Become a Mental Health Technician in Hawaii (2026)

Hawaii employs about 2,060 mental health technicians earning a median $55,150 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Training as a Mental Health Technician here means completing a short mental-health technician certificate or employer training; most states do not license this role.

Hawaii employs approximately 2,060 mental health technicians according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with a median annual wage of $55,150 1. The state’s concentration of mental health technician jobs is 3.25x the national average, indicating strong demand. Nationally, mental health technician employment is projected to grow 20.0% from 2024 to 2034, with about 15,900 openings per year 2. This page covers how to become a Mental Health Technician in Hawaii, including licensing requirements, training programs, and salary data.

At a Glance

  • Training paths: mental-health technician certificate or employer training (find programs)
  • Typical timeline: a short mental-health technician certificate or employer training; most states do not license this role
  • Median wage (Hawaii): $55,150 per year 1

Quick Answers About How to Become a Mental Health Technician in Hawaii

How to become a Mental Health Technician in Hawaii? Complete a short mental-health technician certificate or employer training; most states do not license this role. Confirm credential rules with the program and employer.

How long does it take? Most people finish a short mental-health technician certificate or employer training; most states do not license this role. Confirm current hour totals with the program and employer.

Do I need a license in Hawaii? Licensing varies. See the licensing section below for the Hawaii path.

What do mental health technicians earn in Hawaii? The median annual wage for mental health technicians in Hawaii is $55,150 according to BLS data. Entry-level wages start around $45,830 and experienced professionals can earn $63,720 or more 1.

How to Become a Mental Health Technician in Hawaii

  1. Complete a short program or employer training. Finish a mental-health technician certificate or train on the job. This is not a registered apprenticeship.
  2. This is not psychiatric technician licensure. A licensed psychiatric technician is a different occupation. Do not treat that license, or a health-information technician credential, as the mental-health tech path.
  3. Most states do not license this role. Confirm employer and facility rules. Do not apply to a licensing board for a credential that does not exist.

Steps and hour totals vary by credential level; confirm current requirements with the program and employer before you enroll.

Mental Health Technician License Requirements in Hawaii

Most states do not license mental health technicians. This role is not psychiatric technician licensure and not health-information technology. Employers typically want a short certificate or on-the-job training.

Typical path

  1. Complete a short certificate or employer training.

  2. Do not apply for a psychiatric technician or HIT license as this path.

Hour totals, fees, and reciprocity rules change. Confirm current requirements with the program and employer before you enroll.

Mental Health Technician Wages by Metro Area in Hawaii

Psychiatric Technicians Wages by Metro Area in Hawaii

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics ( OES data), psychiatric technicians wages in Hawaii vary by metro area.

Metro AreaEmploymentMedian Annual WageAvg. Annual WageEntry Level
(10th pctile)
Experienced
(90th pctile)
Urban Honolulu1,640$55,150$54,300$45,830$63,720
Kahului-Wailuku130$62,590$60,880$46,290$66,000

Wages reflect survey data and vary based on experience, credentials, employer, and local market conditions. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May .

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the job outlook for mental health technicians in Hawaii? Hawaii currently employs approximately 2,060 mental health technicians 1. Nationally, mental health technician employment is projected to grow 20.0% from 2024 to 2034 2.

What training programs are available in Hawaii? Options include trade schools, community colleges, and state-approved training programs. Use the school finder above to search for programs in Hawaii.

How much do mental health technicians earn in Hawaii compared to the national average? The median annual wage for mental health technicians in Hawaii is $55,150, which is $12,560 above the national median of $42,590 according to BLS data 1.

In Hawaii

Top local programs

Explore More Trades in Hawaii

Citations

About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.

References


  1. Bureau of Labor Statistics - Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics: https://www.bls.gov/oes/ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎

  2. Bureau of Labor Statistics - Employment Projections: https://www.bls.gov/emp/ ↩︎ ↩︎

Data sources

Figures on this page are sourced from the federal and state datasets below. Methodology: how we rank and source data.

DataProviderVintage
Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsMay 2025
Employment ProjectionsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics2024-2034
Integrated Postsecondary Education Data SystemNational Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)2024
College Scorecard (school-level outcomes)U.S. Department of Educationlatest release
College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings)U.S. Department of Educationlatest release (updated 2026-06-12)
Occupational licensing requirementsCareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor)latest release (updated 2026-02-22)
Registered apprenticeship programsCareerOneStop / Apprenticeship.gov (U.S. Department of Labor)latest release (updated 2025-10-25)
O*NET occupation profiles (skills, tasks, tools, job zones)U.S. Department of Labor (O*NET / Employment & Training Admin.)O*NET 29.1 (updated 2026-06-13)