How long does mental health technician training take in Iowa?

Most people become a Mental Health Technician in Iowa through a short mental-health technician certificate or employer training; most states do not license this role.

Do mental health technicians need a license in Iowa?

No statewide license is required for mental health technicians in Iowa. See the licensing section above for the credential path.

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

Q: How much do mental health technicians earn in Iowa?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (May 2025), mental health technicians in Iowa earned a median annual wage of approximately $42,910. Employment concentration in Iowa is roughly 0.44 of the national average, meaning fewer workers per capita than the U.S. as a whole.

Q: What is the job outlook for mental health technicians in Iowa?

Iowa currently employs approximately 690 workers, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 20.0% national employment change for this occupation from 2024 to 2034.

Updated June 8, 2026 | TradeCareerPath Editorial Team

Iowa psychiatric technicians earn a median annual wage of $42,910 ($20.63/hr) according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (May 2025), with about 690 workers employed statewide. The state median is approximately -4.9% below the national median of $45,130 for the same occupation.

Key Takeaways

Median annual pay: $42,910 ($20.63/hr)
25th percentile: $37,440 per year
75th percentile: $44,630 per year
Top 10% earn: more than $46,310 per year
Entry-level (bottom 10%): under $36,370 per year
Workers employed in Iowa: 690
Versus national median: -4.9% below the U.S. median of $45,130
Job concentration: Location quotient 0.44 - this occupation is less concentrated in Iowa than the national average

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Last reviewed June 8, 2026.

Iowa employs about 690 mental health technicians earning a median $42,910 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.

Key Facts

Median wage (Iowa): $42,910/yr (Source: BLS OEWS, 2025)
Employed in Iowa: 690 workers (Source: BLS OEWS, 2025)
Location quotient: 0.44x U.S. average (Source: BLS OEWS, 2025)
Projected growth: 20.0% (2024-2034) (Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024)

Compare Mental Health Technician Schools in Iowa

BOC Score, tuition, graduation rate, and median graduate earnings from federal IPEDS and U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard data. Earnings are reported across all programs at the school (all majors), not a single trade. Distance is measured from the page's primary location.
#	School	BOC Score (0–100)	Tuition	Median grad earnings (all majors)	Graduation rate	Online	Distance
1	Southwest Wisconsin Technical College	65.2	Contact school for pricing	$50,757	60%	Yes*	139 mi

Schools closest to the page's primary location are gathered first, then ranked by BOC Score; distance from the page's primary location is shown for reference. The BOC Score is an independent measure of school outcomes (graduation, earnings, net price, retention) expressed as a 0–100 percentile within each school's peer group; higher is better and advertising never affects it. *Online availability refers to coursework; hands-on trade training is completed in person. Read the full methodology.

Iowa employs approximately 690 mental health technicians according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with a median annual wage of $42,910 ¹. 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 Iowa, 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 (Iowa): $42,910 per year ¹

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

How to become a Mental Health Technician in Iowa? 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 Iowa? Licensing varies. See the licensing section below for the Iowa path.

What do mental health technicians earn in Iowa? The median annual wage for mental health technicians in Iowa is $42,910 according to BLS data. Entry-level wages start around $36,370 and experienced professionals can earn $46,310 or more ¹.

How to Become a Mental Health Technician in Iowa

Complete a short program or employer training. Finish a mental-health technician certificate or train on the job. This is not a registered apprenticeship.
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.
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 Iowa

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

Complete a short certificate or employer training.
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 Iowa

Psychiatric Technicians Wages by Metro Area in Iowa

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

Metro Area	Employment	Median Annual Wage	Avg. Annual Wage	Entry Level (10th pctile)	Experienced (90th pctile)
Omaha	720	$48,310	$49,500	$39,490	$60,060
Des Moines-West Des Moines	300	$39,750	$41,000	$35,760	$46,310
Iowa City	60	$45,210	$44,830	$42,320	$46,920

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 Iowa? Iowa currently employs approximately 690 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 Iowa? Options include trade schools, community colleges, and state-approved training programs. Use the school finder above to search for programs in Iowa.

How much do mental health technicians earn in Iowa compared to the national average? The median annual wage for mental health technicians in Iowa is $42,910, which is $320 above the national median of $42,590 according to BLS data ¹.

In Iowa

Best Trade Schools in Iowa (2026)

Top local programs

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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

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

Data	Provider	Vintage
Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)	U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics	May 2025
Employment Projections	U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics	2024-2034
Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System	National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)	2024
College Scorecard (school-level outcomes)	U.S. Department of Education	latest release
College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings)	U.S. Department of Education	latest release (updated 2026-06-12)
Occupational licensing requirements	CareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor)	latest release (updated 2026-02-22)
Registered apprenticeship programs	CareerOneStop / 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)