Psychiatric Technician Salary in San Diego, CA
Psychiatric Technicians in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area earn a median $48,120 a year — 7% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $39,282 take-home, or $3,274 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median psychiatric technician salary in San Diego, CA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$3,594
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,983
- Medicare (1.45%)$698
- California income tax$937
- CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$626
- Take-home pay$39,282
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 6.00% state
Psychiatric Technician pay by experience in San Diego, CA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $37,080 | $17.83 | $31,019 | $2,585 |
| 25th percentile | $43,780 | $21.05 | $36,048 | $3,004 |
| Median (50th) | $48,120 | $23.13 | $39,282 | $3,274 |
| 75th percentile | $59,970 | $28.83 | $47,939 | $3,995 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $77,120 | $37.08 | $59,124 | $4,927 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, California resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $48,120 buys in San Diego, CA
Prices in San Diego, CA are 11.9% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.79× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median psychiatric technician's $39,282 take-home pay has the buying power of $35,109 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Psychiatric Technician jobs are less concentrated in San Diego, CA than nationally (location quotient 0.58), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for psychiatric technicians, adjusted for cost of living
San Diego, CA ranks #44 of 63 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ann Arbor, MI | $72,550 | $57,036 | $56,539 |
| 2 | Madison, WI | $64,380 | $51,858 | $53,304 |
| 3 | Omaha, NE | $48,310 | $39,679 | $43,171 |
| 4 | Springfield, MO | $45,840 | $37,795 | $42,666 |
| 5 | Fresno, CA | $53,680 | $43,344 | $42,428 |
| 6 | Boston, MA | $57,610 | $45,809 | $42,312 |
| 7 | New York, NY | $58,610 | $46,705 | $41,492 |
| 8 | St. Louis, MO | $47,970 | $39,407 | $41,442 |
| 44 | San Diego, CA | $48,120 | $39,282 | $35,109 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 63 metros →
Psychiatric Technician salaries elsewhere in California
- Fresno, CA — $53,680
- San Francisco, CA — $54,640
- Riverside, CA — $48,470
- Sacramento, CA — $47,810
- Los Angeles, CA — $48,040
Frequently asked questions
How much does a psychiatric technician make in San Diego, CA?
The median psychiatric technician salary in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area is $48,120 a year, or about $23.13 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $43,780 and $59,970.
What is a psychiatric technician’s take-home pay in San Diego, CA?
On the median $48,120 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $39,282 a year ($3,274 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,562 in California taxes in 2026.
Is San Diego, CA a good place to work as a psychiatric technician?
Pay here is 7% above the national median of $45,130. Local prices are 11.9% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $35,109 would in a typical U.S. city. San Diego, CA ranks #44 of 63 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a psychiatric technician afford rent in San Diego, CA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in San Diego, CA is $2,459 a month ($3,001 for two bedrooms) — 75% of a median psychiatric technician’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in San Diego, CA
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