How much does a RN Psychiatric Nurse make in the United States?
As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for a RN Psychiatric Nurse in the United States is $88,958 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $43.
However, a RN Psychiatric Nurse's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $108,786
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $81,258 to $99,337
Key Factors That Influence RN Psychiatric Nurse Salaries
A RN Psychiatric Nurse's salary isn't a fixed number.
It's shaped by several important factors.
Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.
How Experience Level Affects RN Psychiatric Nurse Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of a RN Psychiatric Nurse's salary.
As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases.
Here’s how the average salary grows at different career stages:
Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $85,693
Early Career (1-2 years): $85,921
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $88,958
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $93,232
Expert (over 8 years): $93,537
Levels
Salary
Entry Level RN Psychiatric Nurse
$85,693
Intermediate Level RN Psychiatric Nurse
$85,921
Senior Level RN Psychiatric Nurse
$88,958
Specialist Level RN Psychiatric Nurse
$93,232
Expert Level RN Psychiatric Nurse
$93,537
$85,6930 yr
$85,921< 2 yrs
$88,9582-4 yrs
$93,2325-8 yrs
$93,537> 8 yrs
View as Table
View as Graph
What Am I Worth?
How Do RN Psychiatric Nurse Salaries Vary from State to State?
Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work.
States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors
often pay more to attract RN Psychiatric Nurses.
For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
District of Columbia: $98,495.
California: $98,121.
Massachusetts: $96,813.
District of Columbia$98,495
California$98,121
Massachusetts$96,813
Washington$96,458
New Jersey$96,422
Alaska$96,297
Connecticut$95,070
New York$94,572
Hawaii$92,979
Rhode Island$92,232
Maryland$91,725
Minnesota$91,031
Colorado$90,764
Illinois$90,675
Oregon$90,337
Delaware$90,088
New Hampshire$89,932
Virginia$89,581
Pennsylvania$88,558
Nevada$88,042
North Dakota$87,873
Michigan$87,606
Wisconsin$87,508
Vermont$87,313
Texas$86,770
Maine$86,734
Arizona$86,681
Ohio$86,619
Georgia$85,800
Indiana$85,391
Wyoming$85,311
Utah$85,187
Iowa$85,133
Kansas$84,706
Louisiana$84,582
North Carolina$84,537
Missouri$84,519
Florida$84,172
Montana$83,986
Nebraska$83,808
Kentucky$83,710
South Carolina$83,354
Tennessee$83,132
Idaho$83,043
New Mexico$82,393
Oklahoma$82,251
Alabama$81,726
South Dakota$80,845
Arkansas$80,365
West Virginia$80,107
Mississippi$79,333
Top Paying Cities for RN Psychiatric Nurses
Salaries can also vary between different cities.
Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay.
Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:
San Jose: $112,203
San Francisco: $110,975
Oakland: $108,636
San Jose, CA$112,203
San Francisco, CA$110,975
Oakland, CA$108,636
New York, NY$102,426
Paramus, NJ$101,180
Queens Village, NY$101,176
Passaic, NJ$101,091
Bergenfield, NJ$101,083
Stamford, CT$100,888
Huntington, NY$100,851
Newark, NJ$100,194
Bridgeport, CT$100,006
Vallejo, CA$99,829
New Brunswick, NJ$99,794
Petaluma, CA$99,740
Middlesex, NJ$99,571
Somerset, NJ$99,509
Santa Cruz, CA$99,393
Boston, MA$98,851
Monterey, CA$98,538
Seattle, WA$98,335
Santa Rosa, CA$98,317
Los Angeles, CA$98,290
Juneau, AK$98,059
Washington, DC$97,961
Orange, CA$97,644
Santa Ana, CA$97,409
Long Beach, CA$97,320
Anaheim, CA$97,303
Anchorage, AK$97,258
Santa Maria, CA$96,991
Everett, WA$96,974
Danbury, CT$96,660
Bremerton, WA$96,538
Tacoma, WA$96,217
New Suffolk, NY$96,216
Sacramento, CA$96,191
Santa Barbara, CA$96,093
Trenton, NJ$95,995
San Diego, CA$95,995
Brockton, MA$95,897
Fairbanks, AK$95,679
Lompoc, CA$95,452
Lowell, MA$95,380
Ventura, CA$95,363
Nashua, NH$95,346
Stockton, CA$95,337
Modesto, CA$94,687
Poughkeepsie, NY$94,492
Olympia, WA$94,323
Kennewick, WA$94,323
New Haven, CT$94,287
Lawrence, MA$93,967
Hartford, CT$93,878
Riverside, CA$93,860
New Bedford, MA$93,771
Richland, WA$93,771
Bakersfield, CA$93,647
San Bernardino, CA$93,611
New Britain, CT$93,602
Atlantic City, NJ$93,602
New London, CT$93,566
Norwich, CT$93,540
Portsmouth, NH$93,522
Boulder, CO$93,333
Portland, OR$93,211
Worcester, MA$93,202
Minneapolis, MN$92,926
Philadelphia, PA$92,801
Honolulu, HI$92,508
Saint Paul, MN$92,465
Vineland, NJ$92,446
Providence, RI$92,188
Chicago, IL$91,930
Bellingham, WA$91,823
Springfield, MA$91,752
Baltimore, MD$91,725
Chico, CA$91,503
Pittsfield, MA$91,262
Manchester, NH$91,093
Spokane, WA$90,702
Denver, CO$90,693
Albany, NY$90,275
Troy, NY$90,239
Nassau, NY$90,144
Schenectady, NY$90,053
Wilmington, DE$89,981
Burlington, VT$89,857
Salem, OR$89,821
Portland, ME$89,546
Yakima, WA$89,457
Rochester, MN$89,181
Reno, NV$89,136
Fresno, CA$89,136
Milwaukee, WI$89,056
Detroit, MI$88,967
Ann Arbor, MI$88,952
Allentown, PA$88,941
Colorado Springs, CO$88,789
Syracuse, NY$88,745
Carson City, NV$88,745
Houston, TX$88,620
Eugene, OR$88,576
Gary, IN$88,469
Springfield, OR$88,398
Bismarck, ND$88,380
Galveston, TX$88,318
Medford, OR$88,184
Fort Collins, CO$88,149
Concord, NH$88,104
Austin, TX$88,078
Mesa, AZ$87,891
Reading, PA$87,882
Phoenix, AZ$87,873
Dallas, TX$87,846
Saint Cloud, MN$87,761
Madison, WI$87,642
Utica, NY$87,402
Rochester, NY$87,259
Des Moines, IA$87,250
Raleigh, NC$87,242
Atlanta, GA$87,108
Battle Creek, MI$87,081
Salt Lake City, UT$87,055
Lancaster, PA$86,921
Harrisburg, PA$86,797
Kansas City, MO$86,708
Champaign, IL$86,690
Kansas City, KS$86,690
Fort Worth, TX$86,681
Columbus, OH$86,666
Boca Raton, FL$86,645
Pittsburgh, PA$86,610
Richmond, VA$86,574
Indianapolis, IN$86,557
Cleveland, OH$86,548
Las Vegas, NV$86,441
Cincinnati, OH$86,441
Petersburg, VA$86,307
Huntsville, AL$86,174
Lansing, MI$86,114
Lebanon, PA$86,103
Pueblo, CO$86,094
Appleton, WI$86,067
Buffalo, NY$86,032
Dayton, OH$86,005
Racine, WI$85,987
Charlotte, NC$85,978
Saint Louis, MO$85,952
York, PA$85,898
Elkhart, IN$85,898
Gastonia, NC$85,881
Billings, MT$85,860
Beaumont, TX$85,836
Lorain, OH$85,818
Benton Harbor, MI$85,800
Toledo, OH$85,783
Binghamton, NY$85,738
Rock Hill, SC$85,729
Rockford, IL$85,685
Springfield, IL$85,649
Elyria, OH$85,640
Fargo, ND$85,640
Flagstaff, AZ$85,578
Fort Lauderdale, FL$85,525
Duluth, MN$85,471
Miami, FL$85,471
Cheyenne, WY$85,409
Grand Forks, ND$85,409
Bangor, ME$85,213
Cedar Rapids, IA$85,115
Durham, NC$85,078
Louisville, KY$85,071
Grand Rapids, MI$85,053
Hialeah, FL$85,044
Casper, WY$84,920
Scranton, PA$84,813
New Orleans, LA$84,786
Virginia Beach, VA$84,777
Akron, OH$84,733
Peoria, IL$84,617
Sarasota, FL$84,599
Nashville, TN$84,537
Omaha, NE$84,537
Green Bay, WI$84,537
Baton Rouge, LA$84,493
Charleston, SC$84,475
Jamestown, NY$84,430
Davenport, IA$84,430
Tucson, AZ$84,386
Saint Petersburg, FL$84,333
Tampa, FL$84,315
Evansville, IN$84,261
Port Arthur, TX$84,261
Bradenton, FL$84,226
Santa Fe, NM$84,066
Orlando, FL$83,906
Clearwater, FL$83,879
Canton, OH$83,692
La Crosse, WI$83,692
Albuquerque, NM$83,639
Newport News, VA$83,630
High Point, NC$83,603
Ogden, UT$83,568
Corpus Christi, TX$83,496
Norfolk, VA$83,443
Laramie, WY$83,443
Rock Island, IL$83,390
Saginaw, MI$83,372
Jacksonville, FL$83,363
Salisbury, NC$83,345
Boise, ID$83,327
Moline, IL$83,283
Fort Myers, FL$83,256
Memphis, TN$83,238
Tulsa, OK$83,194
Waterloo, IA$83,141
Spartanburg, SC$83,052
Lincoln, NE$83,007
Fort Wayne, IN$82,989
Provo, UT$82,980
Cedar Falls, IA$82,874
San Antonio, TX$82,838
Greensboro, NC$82,802
South Bend, IN$82,794
Savannah, GA$82,696
Muskegon, MI$82,660
Birmingham, AL$82,651
Winston Salem, NC$82,608
Lake Charles, LA$82,393
Anderson, IN$82,375
Lexington, KY$82,349
Augusta, GA$82,322
Greenville, SC$82,322
Lima, OH$82,251
Wichita, KS$82,242
Tuscaloosa, AL$82,242
Columbia, SC$82,162
Springfield, OH$82,144
Asheville, NC$82,002
Bloomington, IN$81,940
Knoxville, TN$81,619
Shreveport, LA$81,610
Wilmington, NC$81,495
Roanoke, VA$81,495
Topeka, KS$81,335
Frankfort, KY$81,325
Oklahoma City, OK$81,263
Chillicothe, OH$81,228
Longview, TX$81,219
Melbourne, FL$81,210
Sioux Falls, SD$81,068
Mobile, AL$81,059
Terre Haute, IN$81,023
Altoona, PA$80,970
Amarillo, TX$80,908
Killeen, TX$80,881
Fayetteville, AR$80,810
Chattanooga, TN$80,783
Sioux City, IA$80,703
Idaho Falls, ID$80,685
Lynchburg, VA$80,614
Gainesville, FL$80,498
Portsmouth, OH$80,454
Little Rock, AR$80,436
Lafayette, LA$80,401
Youngstown, OH$80,401
Daytona Beach, FL$80,347
Clarksville, TN$80,338
Pensacola, FL$80,329
Temple, TX$80,323
Hopkinsville, KY$80,063
Erie, PA$80,045
Florence, SC$80,009
Charleston, WV$79,867
Great Falls, MT$79,822
Macon, GA$79,698
Tallahassee, FL$79,689
Fayetteville, NC$79,671
Waco, TX$79,653
Helena, MT$79,591
Pine Bluff, AR$79,557
Vincennes, IN$79,449
Lubbock, TX$79,413
Alamogordo, NM$79,360
Twin Falls, ID$79,280
Rapid City, SD$79,253
Jackson, MS$79,093
Huntington, WV$79,087
Greenville, MS$79,084
Parkersburg, WV$78,993
Montgomery, AL$78,977
Wichita Falls, TX$78,888
Springfield, MO$78,888
Biloxi, MS$78,844
Monroe, LA$78,755
Johnstown, PA$78,693
Sumter, SC$78,657
Columbus, GA$78,648
Pascagoula, MS$78,479
Abilene, TX$78,479
Kingsport, TN$78,248
Albany, GA$78,248
Gulfport, MS$78,221
Alexandria, LA$77,928
Fort Smith, AR$77,705
El Paso, TX$77,465
Las Cruces, NM$77,065
Harlingen, TX$76,839
Pocatello, ID$76,824
Florence, AL$76,709
Brownsville, TX$76,691
Mcallen, TX$76,504
Dothan, AL$76,380
Columbus, MS$75,851
Altus, OK$75,437
Lawton, OK$75,268
Pierre, SD$74,947
What Skills Can Increase a RN Psychiatric Nurse's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Accountability (Mentioned in 4.51% Job Postings): Setting and holding oneself and others to stated expectations by associating tasks with our business's mission, values, and goals.
Acute Care (Mentioned in 3.91% Job Postings): Acute care is a branch of secondary health care where a patient receives active but short-term treatment for a severe injury or episode of illness, an urgent medical condition, or during recovery from surgery. In medical terms, care for acute health conditions is the opposite from chronic care, or longer term care. Acute care services are generally delivered by teams of health care professionals from a range of medical and surgical specialties. Acute care may require a stay in a hospital emergency department, ambulatory surgery center, urgent care centre or other short-term stay facility, along with the assistance of diagnostic services, surgery, or follow-up outpatient care in the community. Hospital-based acute inpatient care typically has the goal of discharging patients as soon as they are deemed healthy and stable. Acute care settings include emergency department, intensive care, coronary care, cardiology, neonatal intensive care, and many general areas where the patient could become acutely unwell and require stabilization and transfer to another higher dependency unit for further treatment.
Data Collection (Mentioned in 1.72% Job Postings): Data collection is the process of gathering and measuring information on targeted variables in an established system, which then enables one to answer relevant questions and evaluate outcomes. Data collection is a component of research in all fields of study including physical and social sciences, humanities, and business. While methods vary by discipline, the emphasis on ensuring accurate and honest collection remains the same. The goal for all data collection is to capture quality evidence that allows analysis to lead to the formulation of convincing and credible answers to the questions that have been posed.
See More Skills
Skills
Demand Percentage
Accountability
4.51%
Acute Care
3.91%
Data Collection
1.72%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay.
Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a RN Psychiatric Nurse's salary.
Telecommunications: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Collective Bargaining: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
Data Collection: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
Skill
Salary
Salary % Increase
Telecommunications
$95,185
7%
Collective Bargaining
$92,517
4%
Data Collection
$92,517
4%
Workday
$92,517
4%
Integrity
$91,627
3%
Staff Development
$90,738
2%
Get Latest Data
RN Psychiatric Nurse Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For RN Psychiatric Nurse roles, the industry you choose can impact your earning potential
by as much as 40% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the highest-paying industry, Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit,
offers compensation 20% above the average. Conversely,
RN Psychiatric Nurse positions in Healthcare typically offer lower base pay,
as this sector often view RN Psychiatric Nurse as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industry for a RN Psychiatric Nurse
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
$106,750
$51.0
20%
How Education impacts a RN Psychiatric Nurse's Salary?
Your level of education can impact your salary potential.
While many RN Psychiatric Nurses enter the field with a Associate's Degree degree,
higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.
According to our 100% employer-reported salary data,
the median salary for a RN Psychiatric Nurse with a Associate's Degree is between
$82,114
and $86,534).
Understanding how a RN Psychiatric Nurse's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting.
Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role.
Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.
Salaries for a RN Psychiatric Nurse can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary decreased from $207,871 in 2023
to around $202,182 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of RN Psychiatric Nurse salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of RN Psychiatric Nurse Over Time
2022
$???
2023
$207,871
2024
$210,103
2025
$202,182
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$207,871
2024
$210,103
2025
$202,182
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for RN Psychiatric Nurse
Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
For Employers
If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution.
Compensation Planning
Common company salaries for RN Psychiatric Nurse
Here are companies hiring for RN Psychiatric Nurse and their salaries, click below for more details.
N
$97,099/per year
New York Police Department
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
S
$95,962/per year
State of New York - Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
U
$94,615/per year
US Department of Transportation
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
U
$93,141/per year
US General Services Administration
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
L
$92,342/per year
Los Angeles County
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
D
$92,011/per year
Department of Justice - Federal Bureau of Prisons
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
U
$91,967/per year
US Department of Commerce
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
U
$91,755/per year
US Department of Energy
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
F
$91,673/per year
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
N
$90,276/per year
Naval Sea Systems Command
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
T
$88,975/per year
The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
S
$88,721/per year
San Diego County
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
T
$88,664/per year
The TTB
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
L
$87,569/per year
Lutheran Services
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
M
$85,066/per year
Maryland Inc
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
S
$83,780/per year
State University of New York
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
N
$82,969/per year
New York State
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
P
$82,703/per year
Puerto Rico Department of Education
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
U
$80,526/per year
US Central Command
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
H
$80,286/per year
Health and Safety Executive Northern Ireland
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
A
$79,270/per year
Air Force Reserve
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
A
$78,505/per year
American Automobile Association (AAA)
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
S
$76,678/per year
State of Florida - Department of Health
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
N
$75,183/per year
New York State Department
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
S
$75,106/per year
State University System of Florida
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
Find Your Next RN Psychiatric Nurse Job
Ready to take the next step in your career?
Browse thousands of current RN Psychiatric Nurse job openings on our job board.
Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.
Build Your Thriving Psychiatric Practice with Strategic Support. Success in psychiatric practice requires dedicated focus and strategic investment in your ...
more
OH295Lb Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner. Facility in the Cincinnati area is seeking a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner long term Locums opportunity. 4- 6 mont...
more
Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner Long-Term Care (Adults 18+). A Great Opportunity / Full Time. At ViaQuest we provide specialized, individualized psychiatric...
more
PRN/Weekend Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner. Mount Carmel Behavioral Health is the Preferred Psychiatric and Mental Health Hospital in Columbus, OH for Adul...
more
Charge Nurse. The Charge Nurse plans, directs, and evaluates the overall patient care and functions in a particular area during an assigned shift. Serves a...
more
2 Days Ago
For Employees
Get a Salary Increase
Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.
Search Job Openings
Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.
For Employers
Adjust Employee Salary
Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.
Price My Industry Jobs
Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.
FAQ about RN Psychiatric Nurse
1. What industry pays the highest salary for RN Psychiatric Nurse?
The Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit industry offers the highest average compensation for RN Psychiatric Nurse roles,
with salaries approximately 20% above the market median.
Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?
Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.