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The differences between behavior analysts and family support specialists 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 support specialist takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a behavior analyst has an average salary of $73,616, which is higher than the $37,343 average annual salary of a family support specialist.
The top three skills for a behavior analyst include autism, applied behavior analysis and BCBA. The most important skills for a family support specialist are social work, child abuse, and patients.
| Behavior Analyst | Family Support Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $73,616 | $37,343 |
| Hourly rate | $35.39 | $17.95 |
| Growth rate | 14% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 67,013 | 143,739 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 54% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Average age | 39 | 42 |
| 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 support specialist is an individual who provides counseling and rehabilitation services to families who are facing crises so that their lives can be improved. Family support specialists conduct interviews with members of a family to determine areas that need support such as anti-social behavior, bullying, or domestic violence. They collaborate with healthcare and social professionals to evaluate caseload needs. In cases of relevant child protection, family support specialists are also required to attend court sessions.
Behavior analysts and family support specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Behavior Analyst | Family Support Specialist | |
| Average salary | $73,616 | $37,343 |
| Salary range | Between $51,000 And $105,000 | Between $24,000 And $55,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Trenton, NJ |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Empower U | Catholic Health East |
| Best paying industry | Government | Professional |
There are a few differences between a behavior analyst and a family support specialist in terms of educational background:
| Behavior Analyst | Family Support Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 54% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Hunter College of the City University of New York |
Here are the differences between behavior analysts' and family support specialists' demographics:
| Behavior Analyst | Family Support Specialist | |
| Average age | 39 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 28.9% Female, 71.1% | Male, 14.0% Female, 86.0% |
| 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, 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 | 12% | 10% |