Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between aba therapists and youth workers 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 youth worker. Additionally, an aba therapist has an average salary of $35,938, which is higher than the $32,242 average annual salary of a youth worker.
The top three skills for an aba therapist include autism, applied behavior analysis and BCBA. The most important skills for a youth worker are direct supervision, CPR, and crisis intervention.
| ABA Therapist | Youth Worker | |
| Yearly salary | $35,938 | $32,242 |
| Hourly rate | $17.28 | $15.50 |
| Growth rate | 14% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 90,516 | 87,360 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 53% |
| 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.
Youth workers specialize in handling and providing support to young individuals with behavioral difficulties. They are primarily responsible for devising recreational projects, handling the budget, producing progress reports, managing intervention programs, and counseling troubled youth while keeping their information confidential. There may be instances where one must also search for opportunities and apply for funding or sponsorship. Furthermore, as a youth worker, it is vital to assess an individual's condition to determine their needs and ensure that they will receive the proper treatment.
Aba therapists and youth workers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| ABA Therapist | Youth Worker | |
| Average salary | $35,938 | $32,242 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $47,000 | Between $25,000 And $40,000 |
| Highest paying City | Jersey City, NJ | Freehold, NJ |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Cook Children's Medical Center | Salt Lake County |
| Best paying industry | Education | Education |
There are a few differences between an aba therapist and a youth worker in terms of educational background:
| ABA Therapist | Youth Worker | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 53% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Criminal Justice |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | SUNY at Albany |
Here are the differences between aba therapists' and youth workers' demographics:
| ABA Therapist | Youth Worker | |
| Average age | 41 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 15.4% Female, 84.6% | Male, 42.6% Female, 57.4% |
| 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% |