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The differences between aba therapists and child care counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both an aba therapist and a child care counselor. Additionally, a child care counselor has an average salary of $36,843, which is higher than the $35,938 average annual salary of an aba therapist.
The top three skills for an aba therapist include autism, applied behavior analysis and BCBA. The most important skills for a child care counselor are CPR, child care, and behavioral issues.
| ABA Therapist | Child Care Counselor | |
| Yearly salary | $35,938 | $36,843 |
| Hourly rate | $17.28 | $17.71 |
| Growth rate | 14% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 90,516 | 100,538 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Average age | 41 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
An ABA therapist is responsible for administering treatment plans to patients with behavioral disabilities and intellectual disorders, supporting them through systematic processes, and recording their developmental progress throughout therapy sessions. ABA therapists develop engaging activities for the children, observing their personal and social behaviors, and adjust approach as needed. They also coordinate with other behavior therapists and other medical health professionals for refined strategies that adhere to the child's progress. An ABA therapist must have excellent communication and organizational skills to assist patients with different behavioral problems and attend to their needs efficiently.
Child care counselors monitor the progress of children who have behavioral, physical, and mental issues in between counseling appointments. These counselors create daily schedules for children that include field trips, play dates, and learning plans to ensure that children get the most out of their days. They use their critical thinking skills, organizational skills, and interpersonal skills to deal with children diagnosed with psychological issues and to coordinate with their patients' families. Most of the cases they handle are the abuse, bullying, and past traumas of children.
Aba therapists and child care counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| ABA Therapist | Child Care Counselor | |
| Average salary | $35,938 | $36,843 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $47,000 | Between $28,000 And $47,000 |
| Highest paying City | Jersey City, NJ | Chicago, IL |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Cook Children's Medical Center | Washington State University |
| Best paying industry | Education | Finance |
There are a few differences between an aba therapist and a child care counselor in terms of educational background:
| ABA Therapist | Child Care Counselor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | SUNY at Albany |
Here are the differences between aba therapists' and child care counselors' demographics:
| ABA Therapist | Child Care Counselor | |
| Average age | 41 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 15.4% Female, 84.6% | Male, 34.4% Female, 65.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.0% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 13.9% Asian, 4.6% White, 68.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 13.4% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 15.1% Asian, 2.7% White, 63.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 10% |