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Applied behavior science specialist education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become an applied behavior science specialist. Applied behavior science specialists usually study psychology, clinical psychology, or counseling psychology. 51% of applied behavior science specialists hold a master's degree, and 39% hold an bachelor's degree. We analyzed 62 real applied behavior science specialist resumes to see exactly what applied behavior science specialist education sections show.
The most common colleges for applied behavior science specialists are the Hofstra University and the Hofstra University.
There are also many online applied behavior science specialist courses to help get the education required to be an applied behavior science specialist.
What education do you need to become an applied behavior science specialist?
What degree do you need to be an applied behavior science specialist?
- Master's, 51%
- Bachelor's, 39%
- Doctorate, 4%
- Associate, 4%
- Other Degrees, 2%
What should I major in to become an applied behavior science specialist?
- Psychology, 34%
- Clinical Psychology, 18%
- Other Majors, 32%
Most common colleges for applied behavior science specialists
| Applied behavior science specialist common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Hofstra University | 9.38% |
| John Jay College of Criminal Justice of the City University of New York | 9.38% |
| Fordham University | 9.38% |
| Jamestown Business College | 6.25% |
| Walden University | 6.25% |
Best majors for applied behavior science specialists
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psychology | 34.0% |
| 2 | Clinical Psychology | 18.0% |
| 3 | Counseling Psychology | 10.0% |
| 4 | Behavioral Sciences | 6.0% |
| 5 | Sociology | 4.0% |
Best colleges for applied behavior science specialists
The best colleges for applied behavior science specialists are Columbia University in the City of New York, Northwestern University, and University of Pennsylvania.
An applied behavior science specialist with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for applied behavior science specialists. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become applied behavior science specialists.
1. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
2. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
3. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
4. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$53,740
Enrollment
5,567
5. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
6. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Enrollment
18,946
7. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
8. University of Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,207
Enrollment
30,905
9. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,948
Enrollment
17,238
10. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
In-state tuition
$53,399
Enrollment
7,356
20 best online courses for applied behavior science specialists
Advertising disclosure
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18. Simple Solutions for Common Dog Behavior & Training Problems
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19. Economics: Behavior of Buyers and Sellers & Product Pricing
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20. CBT and Positive Psychology: Your Journey to Happiness
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Top 10 most affordable universities for applied behavior science specialists
The most affordable schools for applied behavior science specialists are Baruch College of the City University of New York, hunter college of the city university of new york, and california state university - long beach.
If the best universities for applied behavior science specialists are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for applied behavior science specialists.
1. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
2. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
3. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
4. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
5. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
6. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
7. California State University - Fullerton
Fullerton, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,886
Cost of attendance
17,645
8. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
9. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
10. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Cost of attendance
25,527
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for applied behavior science specialists
The hardest universities for applied behavior science specialists to get into are Columbia University in the City of New York, Northwestern University, and University of Pennsylvania.
Some great schools for applied behavior science specialists are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for applied behavior science specialists based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
2. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
3. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
4. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
5. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
6. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,506
7. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
8. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
9. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
10. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for applied behavior science specialists
The easiest schools for applied behavior science specialists to get into are Mount Saint Mary's University, barry university, and notre dame de namur university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an applied behavior science specialist without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for applied behavior science specialists.
1. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
2. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
3. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
4. Felician University
Lodi, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
999
5. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
6. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
7. Texas Woman's University
Denton, TX • Private
Admissions rate
87%
SAT average
1,059
8. Saint Martin's University
Lacey, WA • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,111
9. Fresno Pacific University
Fresno, CA • Private
Admissions rate
85%
SAT average
1,053
10. San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,054
Average applied behavior science specialist salary by education level
| Applied behavior science specialist education level | Applied behavior science specialist salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $41,291 |
| Doctorate Degree | $43,444 |
Applied behavior science specialist education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025