Prevailing Wage for Psychiatric Technicians
Psychiatric Technicians (SOC 29-2053) must clear the DOL prevailing wage floor before any H-1B, E-3, or green card sponsorship can proceed. Whether your offer is for a role titled BHT (Behavioral Health Technician), Mental Health Technician (MHT), or Health Care Technician (Health Care Tech), DOL sets four experience-based wage levels and the floor shifts significantly by city.
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Entry-level psychiatric technicians with limited experience, typically under two years, working under close supervision with a narrow scope of patient care duties. Employers filing at Level 1 are expected to provide substantial on-the-job guidance and training.
Qualified technicians with two or more years of experience who work independently on routine cases with occasional supervision. Level 2 is the most common filing level for Psychiatric Technicians, reflecting standard staff positions at inpatient and residential facilities.
Experienced technicians who handle complex patient cases, may informally guide newer staff, and operate with minimal oversight. These professionals typically hold a state license such as the California LPT (Licensed Psychiatric Technician) credential or equivalent.
Fully competent senior technicians who lead teams, manage rehabilitation program components, or serve in charge-tech roles. Employers filing at Level 4 are recognizing a breadth of autonomous clinical and administrative responsibility across the unit.
Prevailing Wage for Psychiatric Technicians by OES area
Each shape is a DOL OES area, the unit prevailing wage is published for.
What’s an OES area?
The Department of Labor publishes prevailing wages for geographic zones called OES areas. Every U.S. county belongs to exactly one, and the wage floor applies across the whole area. A worker in Oakland gets the San Francisco metro wage, not a separate Oakland wage.
Top 10 cities · Level 1
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Confirm your title maps to SOC 29-2053
Roles posted as Mental Health Associate or Mental Health Specialist sometimes get filed under a social services SOC instead of 29-2053, which carries a different wage floor. Verify your offer letter title matches what the employer filed on the LCA before signing.
Watch California metro gaps carefully
The spread between California metros and lower-paying markets like Monroe or Lafayette, Louisiana is wider for this occupation than most allied health roles. An offer in a California metro should clear a significantly higher floor than the national median, so compare city-specific data before evaluating any offer.
Check whether shift differentials count toward the wage
Psychiatric technician pay often includes night or weekend shift differentials. DOL counts only the base or guaranteed wage toward prevailing wage compliance, not discretionary premiums. Confirm your base rate alone clears the floor for your worksite city and level.
Use Migrate Mate to find employers sponsoring this role
Migrate Mate shows which employers have sponsored psychiatric technician positions in the past, filterable by location and visa type. Focusing on facilities with a documented sponsorship history saves time over applying to employers unfamiliar with the LCA process for this occupation.
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Find Jobs for Psychiatric TechniciansPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 29-2053.00 alongside Psychiatric Technicians, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
BHT (Behavioral Health Technician) Prevailing Wage
BHT (Behavioral Health Technician) Prevailing Wage
BHT (Behavioral Health Technician) positions fall under SOC 29-2053.00 (Psychiatric Technicians). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Health Care Technician (Health Care Tech) Prevailing Wage
Health Care Technician (Health Care Tech) Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Health Care Technician (Health Care Tech) for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 29-2053.00 (Psychiatric Technicians). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
LPT (Licensed Psychiatric Technician) Prevailing Wage
LPT (Licensed Psychiatric Technician) Prevailing Wage
LPT (Licensed Psychiatric Technician) is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 29-2053.00 (Psychiatric Technicians). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Mental Health Associate Prevailing Wage
Mental Health Associate Prevailing Wage
Mental Health Associate positions fall under SOC 29-2053.00 (Psychiatric Technicians). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Mental Health Specialist Prevailing Wage
Mental Health Specialist Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Mental Health Specialist for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 29-2053.00 (Psychiatric Technicians). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Mental Health Technician (MHT) Prevailing Wage
Mental Health Technician (MHT) Prevailing Wage
Mental Health Technician (MHT) is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 29-2053.00 (Psychiatric Technicians). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
MHA (Mental Health Assistant) Prevailing Wage
MHA (Mental Health Assistant) Prevailing Wage
MHA (Mental Health Assistant) positions fall under SOC 29-2053.00 (Psychiatric Technicians). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
MHW (Mental Health Worker) Prevailing Wage
MHW (Mental Health Worker) Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a MHW (Mental Health Worker) for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 29-2053.00 (Psychiatric Technicians). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Psychiatric Technician (PT) Prevailing Wage
Psychiatric Technician (PT) Prevailing Wage
Psychiatric Technician (PT) is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 29-2053.00 (Psychiatric Technicians). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Residential Aide (RA) Prevailing Wage
Residential Aide (RA) Prevailing Wage
Residential Aide (RA) positions fall under SOC 29-2053.00 (Psychiatric Technicians). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does DOL set the prevailing wage for Psychiatric Technicians?
DOL derives prevailing wages from Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys collected at the metro and state level. For SOC 29-2053, DOL maps those survey results to four wage levels representing entry through fully competent experience tiers. The OFLC publishes these figures and employers must use them when certifying an LCA for any sponsored position.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I identify mine?
Level 1 applies to entry-level technicians under close supervision. Level 2 covers independently functioning staff and is the most common filing level for this occupation. Level 3 reflects experienced professionals handling complex cases with minimal oversight. Level 4 applies to senior or lead technicians with broad autonomous responsibility. Your level is determined by the actual duties and supervision described in the job offer, not solely by years of experience.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same role vary so much by city?
DOL conducts regional OES surveys that capture local labor market conditions, so wages for SOC 29-2053 in Stockton or San Francisco reflect California facility pay scales, while Louisiana metros reflect lower regional compensation norms. When an employer files an LCA, they must list the actual worksite address, and DOL assigns the prevailing wage for that specific metro. A facility that spans multiple sites must use the wage for each location where you will actually work.
What happens if a job offer is below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
An employer cannot certify a valid LCA if the offered wage falls below the prevailing wage for the worksite and level. USCIS will not approve an H-1B or other sponsored visa petition without a certified LCA. If a discrepancy is discovered after filing, USCIS may issue a Request for Evidence or deny the petition. The employer is legally required to pay at least the prevailing wage for the duration of the sponsored employment.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for a specific U.S. location?
The OFLC Wage Search tool lets you look up current prevailing wages by SOC code, wage level, and metro area. Enter SOC 29-2053 and your worksite city to see the applicable floor. You can also review the O*NET occupation profile for SOC 29-2053 to understand how the role is formally classified. Migrate Mate lets you filter sponsored psychiatric technician job listings by location, so you can quickly see which employers are actively hiring in your target metro.
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