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The differences between behavior technicians and behavioral specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a behavioral specialist has an average salary of $42,029, which is higher than the $38,026 average annual salary of a behavior technician.
The top three skills for a behavior technician include autism, applied behavior analysis and behavior analysis. The most important skills for a behavioral specialist are mental health, autism, and applied behavior analysis.
| Behavior Technician | Behavioral Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $38,026 | $42,029 |
| Hourly rate | $18.28 | $20.21 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 12% |
| Number of jobs | 47,541 | 74,968 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Average age | 34 | 39 |
| Years of experience | - | 6 |
The job of a behavioral technician is to offer mental health services to patients who struggle with behavior-related problems. Behavior technicians uphold the highest standard of quality of care. They are the ones who enforce learning programs like self-help, communication, and play skills. It is their duty to incorporate medical care training for parents, so caregivers or family members can support and teach skills during family activities. One must be good in written and verbal communication, can work with team members, and develop good interpersonal relationship skills to be a good technician.
A behavioral specialist is a psychological expert providing guidance and counseling to people who have behavioral issues affecting their abilities to learn and socialize with other people. Behavioral specialists assess the level of patients' behavior and make treatment plans to help them cope. They monitor the patient's progress and keep treatment reports, improving or adjusting treatment plans as needed. They also communicate with the patients' family and friends for treatment support, as well as coordinate with other health professionals for additional assistance.
Behavior technicians and behavioral specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Behavior Technician | Behavioral Specialist | |
| Average salary | $38,026 | $42,029 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $49,000 | Between $28,000 And $61,000 |
| Highest paying City | Urban Honolulu, HI | Anchorage, AK |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Ernst & Young | Barbarian |
| Best paying industry | Education | Professional |
There are a few differences between a behavior technician and a behavioral specialist in terms of educational background:
| Behavior Technician | Behavioral Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between behavior technicians' and behavioral specialists' demographics:
| Behavior Technician | Behavioral Specialist | |
| Average age | 34 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 26.5% Female, 73.5% | Male, 33.3% Female, 66.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 14.3% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 20.1% Asian, 6.4% White, 51.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% | 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 | 15% | 12% |