Retraining ReportJob training public funding can pay for

Find training

Mental health technician training in California

11 mental health technician programs with costs, results and funding that can make them free

10 schools offer these mental health technician programs, and California has approved every one for workforce funding. Each shows its price if you pay yourself and how past students did.

Psychiatric technicians and aides care for people who have mental conditions or developmental disabilities. Technicians typically need a postsecondary certificate and aides a high school diploma, both learn on the job, and some states require technicians to be licensed.1

In California, 2 of the 11 programs take students without a high school diploma, 5 ask for a diploma or equivalent and 4 ask for earlier courses first.

By kind, the 11 programs here are psychiatric technician program (6 programs), peer support specialist course (2 programs), mental health or psychiatric technician (associate degree, 2 programs) and mental health technician certificate or course (1 program).

See the 11 programs

How much does mental health technician certification cost in California?

$2,160 to $3,394 is what most mental health technician programs in California cost if you pay yourself

That is the middle half of the 11 programs with a price. All of them: $736 to $6,641

In the typical program

Finished the program
83%
Working 6 months later
89%
Earned a year, estimated
about $48,400
Length
38 to 51 weeks

Source: US Department of Labor, program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Only programs approved for workforce funding are listed; other schools in California may also offer mental health technician training. How these figures are made

Is there free mental health technician training in California?

Who qualifies, and other ways to pay: financial aid, grants and the GI Bill

All 11 mental health technician programs in California approved for WIOA funding

Filters
What you need to enroll
Kind of program
School
How it's taught
How to show the list

11 programs

  • Peer support specialist courseOnlineHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Peer Specialist For Veterans (Online)

    Loyola Marymount University - LMU Extension

    Based in Los Angeles, CA

    Accredited school

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Loyola Marymount University - LMU Extension, based in Los Angeles, CAPeer support specialist course · Accredited schoolOnline · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$2,500
    Program website, Peer Specialist For Veterans (Online) at Loyola Marymount University - LMU Extension
    More details about Peer Specialist For Veterans (Online) at Loyola Marymount University - LMU Extension
    Finished
    74%
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    14 weeks, 6 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $200
    Students counted
    391
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $2,500
    Program website, Peer Specialist For Veterans (Online) at Loyola Marymount University - LMU Extension

  • Psychiatric technician programHybridPrerequisite courses

    Psychiatric Technician-Three Semester: Certificate Program

    Napa Valley College

    Napa

    Accredited school

    Prerequisite courses

    Napa Valley College, NapaPsychiatric technician program · Accredited schoolHybrid · Prerequisite courses

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$2,070
    Program website, Psychiatric Technician-Three Semester: Certificate Program at Napa Valley College
    More details about Psychiatric Technician-Three Semester: Certificate Program at Napa Valley College
    Finished
    100%
    Working at 6 months
    100%
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    48 weeks, 15 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $1,696
    Students counted
    220
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $2,070
    Program website, Psychiatric Technician-Three Semester: Certificate Program at Napa Valley College

  • Psychiatric technician programIn personEducation and courses

    Psychiatric Technology

    Porterville College

    Porterville

    Accredited school

    Education and courses

    Porterville College, PortervillePsychiatric technician program · Accredited schoolIn person · Education and courses

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$6,641

    41 students trained with WIOA funding

    School website, Psychiatric Technology at Porterville College
    More details about Psychiatric Technology at Porterville College
    Finished
    75%
    Working at 6 months
    89%
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    48 weeks, 32 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    None listed
    Students counted
    164
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $6,641
    students trained with WIOA funding
    41
    School website, Psychiatric Technology at Porterville College

  • Peer support specialist courseHybridNo diploma needed

    Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist (Hybrid)

    Monrovia Community Adult School

    Monrovia

    No diploma needed

    Monrovia Community Adult School, MonroviaPeer support specialist courseHybrid · No diploma needed

    Earned a year, estimated$41,100
    Price if you pay yourself$1,145

    41 students trained with WIOA funding

    School website, Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist (Hybrid) at Monrovia Community Adult School
    More details about Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist (Hybrid) at Monrovia Community Adult School
    Finished
    92%
    Working at 6 months
    50%
    Earned in a quarter
    $10,270
    Length
    5 weeks, 20 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $850
    Students counted
    132
    Earned a year, estimated
    $41,100
    Price if you pay yourself
    $1,145
    students trained with WIOA funding
    41
    School website, Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist (Hybrid) at Monrovia Community Adult School

  • Psychiatric technician programIn personHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Psychiatric Technician

    Hacienda La Puente Adult Education

    La Puente

    Accredited school

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Hacienda La Puente Adult Education, La PuentePsychiatric technician program · Accredited schoolIn person · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimated$52,500
    Price if you pay yourself$3,696

    8 students trained with WIOA funding

    Program website, Psychiatric Technician at Hacienda La Puente Adult Education
    More details about Psychiatric Technician at Hacienda La Puente Adult Education
    Finished
    97%
    Working at 6 months
    100%
    Earned in a quarter
    $13,114
    Length
    48 weeks, 33 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $2,894
    Students counted
    71
    Earned a year, estimated
    $52,500
    Price if you pay yourself
    $3,696
    students trained with WIOA funding
    8
    Program website, Psychiatric Technician at Hacienda La Puente Adult Education

  • Psychiatric technician programHybridEducation and courses

    Psychiatric Technician C.A.

    Cuesta College

    San Luis Obispo

    Accredited school

    Education and courses

    Cuesta College, San Luis ObispoPsychiatric technician program · Accredited schoolHybrid · Education and courses

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$3,093
    Program website, Psychiatric Technician C.A. at Cuesta College
    More details about Psychiatric Technician C.A. at Cuesta College
    Finished
    78%
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    54 weeks, 40 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $1,396
    Students counted
    53
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $3,093
    Program website, Psychiatric Technician C.A. at Cuesta College

  • Psychiatric technician programIn personHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Psychiatric Technician-PC

    Kern Community College District

    Bakersfield

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Kern Community College District, BakersfieldPsychiatric technician programIn person · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimated$67,300
    Price if you pay yourself$2,250

    45 students trained with WIOA funding

    School website, Psychiatric Technician-PC at Kern Community College District
    More details about Psychiatric Technician-PC at Kern Community College District
    Finished
    81%
    Working at 6 months
    79%
    Earned in a quarter
    $16,829
    Length
    54 weeks, 30 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $2,370
    Students counted
    45
    Earned a year, estimated
    $67,300
    Price if you pay yourself
    $2,250
    students trained with WIOA funding
    45
    School website, Psychiatric Technician-PC at Kern Community College District

  • Mental health or psychiatric technician (associate degree)In personHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Psychiatric Technician, As

    Yuba College

    Marysville

    Accredited school

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Yuba College, MarysvilleMental health or psychiatric technician (associate degree) · Accredited schoolIn person · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimated$48,400
    Price if you pay yourself$2,428

    30 students trained with WIOA funding

    More details about Psychiatric Technician, As at Yuba College
    Finished
    83%
    Working at 6 months
    86%
    Earned in a quarter
    $12,111
    Length
    40 weeks, 40 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $850
    Students counted
    41
    Earned a year, estimated
    $48,400
    Price if you pay yourself
    $2,428
    students trained with WIOA funding
    30

  • Psychiatric technician programIn personHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Psychiatric Technician

    West Hills College Coalinga

    Coalinga

    Accredited school

    High school diploma or equivalent

    West Hills College Coalinga, CoalingaPsychiatric technician program · Accredited schoolIn person · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimated$35,700
    Price if you pay yourself$2,553

    9 students trained with WIOA funding

    Program website, Psychiatric Technician at West Hills College Coalinga
    More details about Psychiatric Technician at West Hills College Coalinga
    Finished
    100%
    Working at 6 months
    100%
    Earned in a quarter
    $8,916
    Length
    57 weeks, 20 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $2,847
    Students counted
    24
    Earned a year, estimated
    $35,700
    Price if you pay yourself
    $2,553
    students trained with WIOA funding
    9
    Program website, Psychiatric Technician at West Hills College Coalinga

  • Mental health technician certificate or courseIn personEducation and courses

    Community Mental Health Worker Certificate of Achievement

    City College of San Francisco

    San Francisco

    Accredited school

    Education and courses

    City College of San Francisco, San FranciscoMental health technician certificate or course · Accredited schoolIn person · Education and courses

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$736
    More details about Community Mental Health Worker Certificate of Achievement at City College of San Francisco
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    36 weeks, 12 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $32
    Students counted
    Not reported
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $736

  • Mental health or psychiatric technician (associate degree)HybridNo diploma needed

    Psychiatric Technician A.S.

    Cuesta College

    San Luis Obispo

    Accredited school

    No diploma needed

    Cuesta College, San Luis ObispoMental health or psychiatric technician (associate degree) · Accredited schoolHybrid · No diploma needed

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$4,573
    Program website, Psychiatric Technician A.S. at Cuesta College
    More details about Psychiatric Technician A.S. at Cuesta College
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    45 weeks, 40 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $7,075
    Students counted
    Not reported
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $4,573
    Program website, Psychiatric Technician A.S. at Cuesta College

How to pay for mental health technician training in California

WIOA funding can pay for mental health technician training in California

Every program on this page is approved for it. Whether you qualify, how much your local area pays and how to apply are on our page Does WIOA pay for job training?

Financial aid and grants for mental health technician training

Most students can get federal student aid for college, career school or trade school. A Federal Pell Grant, unlike a loan, usually doesn't have to be repaid. Ask the school whether its program qualifies.67

GI Bill for mental health technician training

Veterans, service members and qualified dependents can use GI Bill benefits for non-college training programs.8

The program list does not show which programs accept these. Ask the school.

Mental health technician training in Los Angeles, San Luis Obispo, Napa and other California cities

Choosing an area filters the program list above. 2 more programs are in 2 other areas and 1 online.

Other training in California

How mental health technician training compares with the rest of education and social services: Child care and social services training in California

Where the California mental health technician program numbers come from

Which California mental health technician programs are on this list?

These are the mental health technician programs California approved for WIOA funding (public workforce funding under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act), as reported to the US Department of Labor for program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Each state keeps its approved programs on an eligible training provider list (ETPL).9 The list here covers programs approved as of June 30, 2025. Schools that never applied for approval are missing, so this is a part of what California offers.

How the prices and results of California mental health technician programs are measured

Prices are tuition and required fees for someone paying without workforce funding, as the school reported them; check the current price with the school. Results describe students who left each program in recent years, so they are no guarantee, and the yearly earnings are the reported quarter times four, an estimate. A program without a "Trained with WIOA funding" line may still take WIOA students. Where a field was left empty or withheld, the page says "Not reported", and "Left out" where a figure was filed but failed one of our checks; nothing is estimated to fill a gap. Where the numbers come from explains each figure in full.

Sources for the facts about mental health technician training in California

Show the 9 sourcesHide the sources
  1. US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Psychiatric Technicians and Aides
  2. US Department of Labor, TrainingProviderResults.gov: About This Site
  3. US Department of Labor: WIOA Adult Program
  4. Code of Federal Regulations, title 20, part 680, sections 680.220, 680.230 and 680.310: career services before training, other grants such as Pell Grants first, and limits on Individual Training Accounts (GovInfo, 2024 edition)
  5. US Department of Labor: American Job Centers
  6. US Department of Education, Federal Student Aid: Eligibility for Federal Student Aid
  7. US Department of Education, Federal Student Aid: Don't Miss Out on Federal Pell Grants
  8. US Department of Veterans Affairs: GI Bill benefits for non-college degree programs
  9. US Department of Labor, Training and Employment Guidance Letter 8-19, Attachment I: Requirements for Training Providers, Program Eligibility, and the State Eligible Training Provider (ETP) List