How do you become a psychiatric nurse?
A psychiatric nurse is a registered nurse who works with people who have mental health conditions. You need an RN license, which a diploma, associate or bachelor’s degree leads to. Prescribing and therapy roles need a graduate degree.
Staff nurse route
Earn an RN license, then work on an inpatient psychiatric unit, in a crisis service, a community mental health center or a substance use program. No separate license is needed. Nurses with experience can sit for the psychiatric-mental health nursing certification from the American Nurses Credentialing Center, which is voluntary.
Advanced practice route
A psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP) holds a master’s or Doctor of Nursing Practice degree, passes the national PMHNP certification and is licensed by the state. PMHNPs can diagnose and prescribe, and what they may do without physician oversight depends on the state. See nurse practitioner pay and growth.
Pay
Federal data does not split registered nurses by specialty. The median RN earned $97,550 in May 2025, and the median NP $132,300. Compare pay by state.
Pay and projections: Bureau of Labor Statistics. NCLEX figures: NCSBN. Enrollment: AACN. Sources and years are ondata sources.