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The differences between behavior support specialists and behavior analysts can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a behavior support specialist, becoming a behavior analyst takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a behavior analyst has an average salary of $73,616, which is higher than the $36,769 average annual salary of a behavior support specialist.
The top three skills for a behavior support specialist include social work, crisis intervention and applied behavior analysis. The most important skills for a behavior analyst are autism, applied behavior analysis, and BCBA.
| Behavior Support Specialist | Behavior Analyst | |
| Yearly salary | $36,769 | $73,616 |
| Hourly rate | $17.68 | $35.39 |
| Growth rate | 12% | 14% |
| Number of jobs | 140,749 | 67,013 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 54% |
| Average age | 43 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 6 |
Behavior support specialists are social work professionals who provide support to other therapists in treating individuals with behavioral issues. These specialists must provide behavior analysis and health consultations to individuals who are diagnosed with development delay issues, disabilities, and autism spectrum disorders. They must develop and monitor crisis intervention plans for patients with mental health and behavioral needs. Behavior support specialists must also work with special education and regular teachers to implement behavior intervention strategies for students with special education needs.
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.
Behavior support specialists and behavior analysts have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Behavior Support Specialist | Behavior Analyst | |
| Average salary | $36,769 | $73,616 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $46,000 | Between $51,000 And $105,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | North Dakota | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Texas | Empower U |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Government |
There are a few differences between a behavior support specialist and a behavior analyst in terms of educational background:
| Behavior Support Specialist | Behavior Analyst | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 54% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between behavior support specialists' and behavior analysts' demographics:
| Behavior Support Specialist | Behavior Analyst | |
| Average age | 43 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 35.2% Female, 64.8% | Male, 28.9% Female, 71.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.6% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 14.4% Asian, 5.9% White, 62.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.1% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 12% |