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

Updated June 8, 2026 | TradeCareerPath Editorial Team

Virginia employs about 3,950 mental health technicians earning a median $48,320 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.

Compare Mental Health Technician Schools in Virginia

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.
#SchoolBOC Score (0–100)TuitionMedian grad earnings (all majors)Graduation rateOnlineDistance
157.2Contact school for pricing$47,633Not reportedYes*68 mi
254.3Contact school for pricing$50,34439%Yes*71 mi
Sponsored Ad
354.1Contact school for pricing$48,00440%Yes*70 mi
452.7Contact school for pricing$54,14031%Yes*71 mi
Sponsored Ad
552.4Contact school for pricing$37,25139%Yes*61 mi
649.2$5,646 - $20,788$51,04237%Yes*70 mi
Sponsored Ad
747.9Contact school for pricing$43,979Not reportedYes*52 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.

Virginia employs approximately 3,950 mental health technicians according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with a median annual wage of $48,320 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 Virginia, 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 (Virginia): $48,320 per year 1

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

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

What do mental health technicians earn in Virginia? The median annual wage for mental health technicians in Virginia is $48,320 according to BLS data. Entry-level wages start around $38,580 and experienced professionals can earn $58,530 or more 1.

How to Become a Mental Health Technician in Virginia

  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 Virginia

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 Virginia

Psychiatric Technicians Wages by Metro Area in Virginia

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

Metro AreaEmploymentMedian Annual WageAvg. Annual WageEntry Level
(10th pctile)		Experienced
(90th pctile)
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria1,450$50,840$55,030$42,440$77,000
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk1,150$47,420$46,320$38,210$56,020
Richmond610$48,320$47,330$39,720$60,260
Roanoke130$45,020$43,870$37,010$54,880
Kingsport-Bristol90$37,610$40,950$30,050$54,390

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 Virginia? Virginia currently employs approximately 3,950 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 Virginia? Options include trade schools, community colleges, and state-approved training programs. Use the school finder above to search for programs in Virginia.

How much do mental health technicians earn in Virginia compared to the national average? The median annual wage for mental health technicians in Virginia is $48,320, which is $5,730 above the national median of $42,590 according to BLS data 1.

In Virginia

Top local programs

Related trades & nearby areas

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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

  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)