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Boston Career Explorer

Healthcare Practitioners and Technical

Psychiatric Technicians

Care for individuals with mental or emotional conditions or disabilities, following the instructions of physicians or other health practitioners. Monitor patients' physical and emotional well-being and report to medical staff. May participate in rehabilitation and treatment programs, help with personal hygiene, and administer oral or injectable medications.

Also called: BHT (Behavioral Health Technician), Health Care Technician (Health Care Tech), LPT (Licensed Psychiatric Technician), Mental Health Associate, Mental Health Specialist, Mental Health Technician (MHT)

Median pay in Greater Boston
$57,610
$27.70/hr
Jobs in Greater Boston
3,460
Massachusetts 2024–2034
+16.3%
380 openings a year
Typical U.S. entry requirement
Postsecondary nondegree award
plus Short-term on-the-job training; Less than 5 years of related work experience

Greater Boston: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, May 2025. Growth and openings: Massachusetts statewide projection.

Pay range in Greater Boston

Yearly pay in Greater Boston by percentile
10th25thMedian75th90th
$42,770$47,320$57,610$59,640$72,520

10% of workers earn less than the first figure and 10% earn more than the last.

What you’d do

  • Provide nursing, psychiatric, or personal care to patients with cognitive, intellectual, or developmental disabilities.
  • Encourage patients to develop work skills and to participate in social, recreational, or other therapeutic activities that enhance interpersonal skills or develop social relationships.
  • Restrain violent, potentially violent, or suicidal patients by verbal or physical means as required.
  • Lead prescribed individual or group therapy sessions as part of specific therapeutic procedures.
  • Monitor patients' physical and emotional well-being and report unusual behavior or physical ailments to medical staff.
  • Take and record measures of patients' physical condition, using devices such as thermometers or blood pressure gauges.

AI and this job

AI exposure: how much of this job’s work AI tools can do or help with, based on national research. It is not a forecast of job loss.

Moderate exposure48 of 100

The index averages three national research measures, each shown as a percentile of all jobs:

  • AIOE 40
  • Language-model AIOE 48
  • GPTs-are-GPTs 55

Observed AI use today: Little or none (Anthropic Economic Index)

Psychiatric technicians have moderate AI exposure, and observed AI use in this work is little or none so far. AI tools could help with some record-keeping and with spotting patterns in patient notes. The core of the job relies on people: personal care, leading therapy activities, building trust, and responding to crises. Massachusetts job growth is projected at 16.3%.

Likely to change

  • Writing and organizing patient notes
  • Tracking patient changes to report

Still relies on people

  • Caring for and calming patients in person
  • Leading therapy and social activities

Written with AI from the data on this page. Check with a career coach before making a decision.

Next steps from here

Related jobs that build on what you already do.

  • Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses

    Watching patients and reporting changes in their condition carries over. This move adds vital-sign checks and a median Boston pay of $82,190.

    Pay difference
    +$24,580 median
    AI exposure
    Moderate
    MA growth
    +2.9%
    To get started
    Postsecondary nondegree award

  • Physical Therapist Assistants

    Encouraging and motivating patients while documenting their progress carries over. It requires an associate's degree and offers $80,430 median pay, with 18.5% projected growth.

    Pay difference
    +$22,820 median
    AI exposure
    Lower
    MA growth
    +18.5%
    To get started
    Associate's degree

  • Paramedics

    Monitoring patients and acting quickly in urgent situations carries over. Paramedics add emergency medical procedures, with a median Boston pay of $66,460.

    Pay difference
    +$8,850 median
    AI exposure
    Lower
    MA growth
    +2.0%
    To get started
    Postsecondary nondegree award

Training near Boston

College and school programs in the Boston metro area that lead to this job, with 2023-24 completions (IPEDS).

6 programs near Boston

Related occupations

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