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The differences between aba therapists and social services assistants 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 a social services assistant takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a social services assistant has an average salary of $37,445, 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 social services assistant are social work, patients, and rehabilitation.
| ABA Therapist | Social Services Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $35,938 | $37,445 |
| Hourly rate | $17.28 | $18.00 |
| Growth rate | 14% | 12% |
| Number of jobs | 90,516 | 152,760 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 57% |
| Average age | 41 | 43 |
| 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.
A social services assistant is responsible for supporting the social needs of citizens within society. Social services assistants work within the community office or health institutions to assist patients and their families in processing their needs and obtaining medical information. They also coordinate with other organizations to gather additional resources and financial assistance to plan community programs that will be beneficial for society. A social services assistant provides counseling to the families to identify the services and referrals they needed.
Aba therapists and social services assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| ABA Therapist | Social Services Assistant | |
| Average salary | $35,938 | $37,445 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $47,000 | Between $29,000 And $47,000 |
| Highest paying City | Jersey City, NJ | Tacoma, WA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Washington |
| Best paying company | Cook Children's Medical Center | Research Foundation of The City University of New York |
| Best paying industry | Education | Government |
There are a few differences between an aba therapist and a social services assistant in terms of educational background:
| ABA Therapist | Social Services Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 57% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Social Work |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | SUNY at Binghamton |
Here are the differences between aba therapists' and social services assistants' demographics:
| ABA Therapist | Social Services Assistant | |
| Average age | 41 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 15.4% Female, 84.6% | Male, 17.0% Female, 83.0% |
| 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, 11.7% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 18.9% Asian, 6.7% White, 56.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 11% |