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The differences between behavior analysts and therapists 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 $55,943 average annual salary of a therapist.
The top three skills for a behavior analyst include autism, applied behavior analysis and BCBA. The most important skills for a therapist are social work, patients, and group therapy sessions.
| Behavior Analyst | Therapist | |
| Yearly salary | $73,616 | $55,943 |
| Hourly rate | $35.39 | $26.90 |
| Growth rate | 14% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 67,013 | 159,770 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 54% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Average age | 39 | 41 |
| 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.
A therapist is responsible for improving the patients' health conditions by evaluating their needs and providing physical and mental support. Therapists are licensed, medical professionals who specialize in different areas to perform treatments and bring relief to patients. Some of their duties include diagnosing patient's problems, performing counseling services, monitoring medication progress, customizing therapy activities for pain management, and consulting other health professionals as needed. Therapists must have extensive knowledge with the medical industry to detect patients' conditions easily and provide effective medications.
Behavior analysts and therapists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Behavior Analyst | Therapist | |
| Average salary | $73,616 | $55,943 |
| Salary range | Between $51,000 And $105,000 | Between $39,000 And $80,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | California |
| Best paying company | Empower U | Childhelp |
| Best paying industry | Government | Government |
There are a few differences between a behavior analyst and a therapist in terms of educational background:
| Behavior Analyst | Therapist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 54% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between behavior analysts' and therapists' demographics:
| Behavior Analyst | Therapist | |
| Average age | 39 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 28.9% Female, 71.1% | Male, 24.4% Female, 75.6% |
| 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, 4.0% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 11.3% White, 72.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 12% |