How long does mental health technician training take in Washington?

Most people become a Mental Health Technician in Washington 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 Washington?

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

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

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

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (May 2025), mental health technicians in Washington earned a median annual wage of approximately $52,470. Employment concentration in Washington is roughly 0.54 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 Washington?

Washington currently employs approximately 1,920 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

Washington psychiatric technicians earn a median annual wage of $52,470 ($25.23/hr) according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (May 2025), with about 1,920 workers employed statewide. The state median is approximately 16.3% above the national median of $45,130 for the same occupation.

Key Takeaways

Median annual pay: $52,470 ($25.23/hr)
25th percentile: $46,360 per year
75th percentile: $61,990 per year
Top 10% earn: more than $76,730 per year
Entry-level (bottom 10%): under $44,030 per year
Workers employed in Washington: 1,920
Versus national median: 16.3% above the U.S. median of $45,130
Job concentration: Location quotient 0.54 - this occupation is less concentrated in Washington than the national average

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

Washington employs about 1,920 mental health technicians earning a median $52,470 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 Washington

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	Pierce College District	69.7	$5,418 - $18,085	$53,333	31%	Yes*	67 mi
2	Lake Washington Institute of Technology	68.9	$5,997 - $16,339	$55,891	38%	Yes*	64 mi
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3	Highline College	68.6	$4,772 - $18,812	$59,261	37%	Yes*	58 mi
4	Clover Park Technical College	63.9	$6,634 - $18,882	$51,699	42%	Yes*	63 mi
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5	Seattle Central College	55.0	Contact school for pricing	$60,072	31%	—	66 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.

Washington employs approximately 1,920 mental health technicians according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with a median annual wage of $52,470 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 Washington, 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 (Washington): $52,470 per year ¹

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

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

What do mental health technicians earn in Washington? The median annual wage for mental health technicians in Washington is $52,470 according to BLS data. Entry-level wages start around $44,030 and experienced professionals can earn $76,730 or more ¹.

How to Become a Mental Health Technician in Washington

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 Washington

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 Washington

Psychiatric Technicians Wages by Metro Area in Washington

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

Metro Area	Employment	Median Annual Wage	Avg. Annual Wage	Entry Level (10th pctile)	Experienced (90th pctile)
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria	1,450	$50,840	$55,030	$42,440	$77,000
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue	1,330	$52,490	$56,490	$45,810	$78,280
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro	430	$46,290	$50,220	$39,080	$64,780
Spokane-Spokane Valley	200	$62,400	$58,490	$41,060	$76,730
Kennewick-Richland	N/A	$42,760	$46,300	$42,760	$57,270

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 Washington? Washington currently employs approximately 1,920 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 Washington? Options include trade schools, community colleges, and state-approved training programs. Use the school finder above to search for programs in Washington.

How much do mental health technicians earn in Washington compared to the national average? The median annual wage for mental health technicians in Washington is $52,470, which is $9,880 above the national median of $42,590 according to BLS data ¹.

In Washington

Best Trade Schools in Washington (2026)

Top local programs

Explore More Trades in Washington

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)