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The differences between behavior analysts and family counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a behavior analyst, becoming a family counselor takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a behavior analyst has an average salary of $73,616, which is higher than the $41,510 average annual salary of a family counselor.
The top three skills for a behavior analyst include autism, applied behavior analysis and BCBA. The most important skills for a family counselor are social work, community resources, and POC.
| Behavior Analyst | Family Counselor | |
| Yearly salary | $73,616 | $41,510 |
| Hourly rate | $35.39 | $19.96 |
| Growth rate | 14% | 14% |
| Number of jobs | 67,013 | 93,253 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 54% | Bachelor's Degree, 56% |
| Average age | 39 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 4 |
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.
A Family Counselor treats married couples or family members in order to help them overcome mental or emotional problems. They provide effective treatment measures to help the family members resolve their issues.
Behavior analysts and family counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Behavior Analyst | Family Counselor | |
| Average salary | $73,616 | $41,510 |
| Salary range | Between $51,000 And $105,000 | Between $27,000 And $62,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | New York |
| Best paying company | Empower U | Shirley Ryan AbilityLab |
| Best paying industry | Government | Professional |
There are a few differences between a behavior analyst and a family counselor in terms of educational background:
| Behavior Analyst | Family Counselor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 54% | Bachelor's Degree, 56% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between behavior analysts' and family counselors' demographics:
| Behavior Analyst | Family Counselor | |
| Average age | 39 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 28.9% Female, 71.1% | Male, 26.3% Female, 73.7% |
| 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, 7.0% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 13.9% Asian, 4.6% White, 68.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 6% |