How to Become a Patient Care Technician in Mississippi (2026)

Updated June 8, 2026 | TradeCareerPath Editorial Team

Mississippi employs about 14,200 patient care technicians earning a median $31,520 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025; proxy category “Nursing Assistants”). Training as a Patient Care Technician here means completing CNA or PCT training plus CPCT; many PCT roles also require a nurse-aide listing.

Compare Patient Care Technician Schools in Mississippi

BOC Score, tuition, graduation rate, and median graduate earnings from federal IPEDS and U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard data. Tuition is the published annual figure for the latest reported year and excludes room, board, books and fees. 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)Tuition (published, per year)Median grad earnings (all majors)Graduation rateOnlineDistance
153.6$4,250 in-state / $7,300 out-of-state$40,04243%Yes*65 mi
253.5$3,710 in-state / $6,610 out-of-state$39,98439%Yes*28 mi
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352.0$3,380 in-state / $4,550 out-of-state$39,11755%Yes*137 mi
451.3$4,250 in-state / $7,850 out-of-state$44,10348%Yes*139 mi
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550.6$4,078 in-state / $6,478 out-of-state$50,81034%Yes*52 mi
649.8$9,292 in-state / $14,857 out-of-state$48,73549%Yes*146 mi
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747.6$3,740$42,36845%Yes*131 mi
845.6$4,806 in-state / $6,806 out-of-state$36,34041%Yes*83 mi
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944.0$4,740 in-state / $8,610 out-of-state$41,57841%Yes*146 mi
1041.8$3,540$37,96031%Yes*75 mi
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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.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Mississippi employs approximately 14,200 workers in the related “Nursing Assistants” category (SOC 31-1131), with a median annual wage of $31,520 1. The state’s concentration of jobs in this category is 1.31x the national average, indicating strong regional demand. Nationally, employment in this category is projected to grow 2.3% from 2024 to 2034, with about 204,100 openings per year 2. This page covers how to become a Patient Care Technician in Mississippi, including licensing requirements, training programs, and salary data.

A note on salary data: The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not track patient care technician salaries as a separate category. The wage figures on this page are based on the closest matching BLS classification: Nursing Assistants (SOC 31-1131). Actual patient care technician earnings may vary.

At a Glance

  • Training paths: PCT or CNA training (find programs)
  • Typical timeline: CNA or PCT training plus CPCT; many PCT roles also require a nurse-aide listing
  • Exam: CPCT and/or state CNA exam
  • Median wage (Mississippi): $31,520 per year (based on related “Nursing Assistants” category) 1

Quick Answers About How to Become a Patient Care Technician in Mississippi

How to become a Patient Care Technician in Mississippi? Complete CNA or PCT training plus CPCT; many PCT roles also require a nurse-aide listing. Confirm credential rules with the program and employer.

How long does it take? Most people finish CNA or PCT training plus CPCT; many PCT roles also require a nurse-aide listing. Confirm current hour totals with the program and employer.

Do I need a license in Mississippi? Most states do not require a statewide occupational license. Employers typically expect CPCT and/or state CNA exam. See the licensing section below.

What do patient care technicians earn in Mississippi? The BLS does not track patient care technician wages separately. Based on the related “Nursing Assistants” category, the median annual wage in Mississippi is $31,520, with entry-level wages around $27,050 and experienced workers earning $38,290 or more 1.

How to Become a Patient Care Technician in Mississippi

  1. Complete CNA or PCT training. Many PCT jobs require a CNA listing plus extra modules (phlebotomy, EKG). This is not a registered apprenticeship.
  2. Earn CPCT if the employer requires it. Pass CPCT and keep any required nurse-aide registry listing current.

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

Patient Care Technician License Requirements in Mississippi

Patient care technicians often need a CNA listing plus CPCT. Confirm Mississippi nurse-aide rules rather than inventing a separate PCT license.

Typical path

  1. Complete CNA or PCT training.

  2. Earn CPCT if required.

  3. Keep nurse-aide listing current if the state uses one.

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

Patient Care Technician Wages by Metro Area in Mississippi

Patient Care Technician Wages by Metro Area in Mississippi

Note: The BLS does not track patient care technician wages separately. The data below is based on the closest matching category: Nursing Assistants (SOC 31-1131).

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics ( OES data), nursing assistants wages in Mississippi vary by metro area.

Metro AreaEmploymentMedian Annual WageAvg. Annual WageEntry Level
(10th pctile)		Experienced
(90th pctile)
Memphis4,930$38,010$38,520$31,660$44,540
Jackson3,000$32,040$33,170$28,010$37,940
Gulfport-Biloxi1,660$31,520$34,360$28,120$44,350
Hattiesburg840$30,440$31,690$26,870$35,570

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 patient care technicians in Mississippi? Mississippi employs approximately 14,200 workers in the related “Nursing Assistants” category 1. Nationally, employment in this category is projected to grow 2.3% from 2024 to 2034 2.

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

How much do patient care technicians earn in Mississippi compared to the national average? The median annual wage for patient care technicians in Mississippi is $31,520 (based on the related “Nursing Assistants” category), which is $8,010 below the national median of $39,530 according to BLS data 1.

In Mississippi

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

  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)