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The differences between aba therapists and occupational therapists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become an aba therapist, becoming an occupational therapist takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, an occupational therapist has an average salary of $75,707, 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 an occupational therapist are patients, rehabilitation, and home health.
| ABA Therapist | Occupational Therapist | |
| Yearly salary | $35,938 | $75,707 |
| Hourly rate | $17.28 | $36.40 |
| Growth rate | 14% | 14% |
| Number of jobs | 90,516 | 78,315 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 55% |
| Average age | 41 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 12 |
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.
An occupational therapist specializes in treating patients who are recovering from illnesses or disabilities to help them adapt and overcome the physical and mental difficulties they face in their daily lives. The responsibilities of an occupational therapist revolve around examining a patient's medical history and conducting different kinds of assessments to determine what type of treatment a patient should receive. Furthermore, an occupational therapist must build rapport with a patient to make them feel at ease and coordinate with their guardian or family to discuss the recommended ways to help the patient adjust and recuperate.
Aba therapists and occupational therapists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| ABA Therapist | Occupational Therapist | |
| Average salary | $35,938 | $75,707 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $47,000 | Between $58,000 And $97,000 |
| Highest paying City | Jersey City, NJ | Salinas, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | California |
| Best paying company | Cook Children's Medical Center | Waters |
| Best paying industry | Education | Professional |
There are a few differences between an aba therapist and an occupational therapist in terms of educational background:
| ABA Therapist | Occupational Therapist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 55% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Occupational Therapy |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | Duke University |
Here are the differences between aba therapists' and occupational therapists' demographics:
| ABA Therapist | Occupational Therapist | |
| Average age | 41 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 15.4% Female, 84.6% | Male, 16.8% Female, 83.2% |
| 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, 4.8% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 6.2% Asian, 9.6% White, 75.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 14% |