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The differences between behavior analysts and counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a behavior analyst has an average salary of $73,616, which is higher than the $36,225 average annual salary of a counselor.
The top three skills for a behavior analyst include autism, applied behavior analysis and BCBA. The most important skills for a counselor are patients, crisis intervention, and substance abuse.
| Behavior Analyst | Counselor | |
| Yearly salary | $73,616 | $36,225 |
| Hourly rate | $35.39 | $17.42 |
| Growth rate | 14% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 67,013 | 77,536 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 2 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 54% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Average age | 39 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 6 | - |
A behavior analyst is responsible for supporting patients and students with mental and social difficulties, developing treatment plans to address their learning and/or social disabilities. Behavior analysts monitor the students' progress by evaluating their learning and providing them with comprehensive materials and resources according to a targeted curriculum. They also adjust therapy programs as needed, coordinating with other health professionals, students' families, and teachers to provide the best techniques to support their development.
Often, counselors are known to be the go-to person in times we are in need of emotional and psychological support. They help people to manage and overcome the issues which affect their mental health and well-being. Counselors face different kind of situations which may involve trauma, addiction, disabilities, abuse, suicide, anger management, career, and even personal relationships. They provide care, counseling, rehabilitation, and support services. Every counseling requires collaborative effort both from the counselor and client to become effective.
Behavior analysts and counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Behavior Analyst | Counselor | |
| Average salary | $73,616 | $36,225 |
| Salary range | Between $51,000 And $105,000 | Between $19,000 And $67,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | - |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | California |
| Best paying company | Empower U | - |
| Best paying industry | Government | Education |
There are a few differences between a behavior analyst and a counselor in terms of educational background:
| Behavior Analyst | Counselor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 54% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between behavior analysts' and counselors' demographics:
| Behavior Analyst | Counselor | |
| Average age | 39 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 28.9% Female, 71.1% | Male, 38.5% Female, 61.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 15.4% Asian, 4.6% White, 63.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% | Black or African American, 15.6% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 11.1% Asian, 3.5% White, 63.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 9% |