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Best states for a behavior technician
Quoted expert
Sheryl Covitt
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Not all states present equal opportunity for employees, and when it comes to behavior technician jobs, it's no different. We know how hard job search can be, and in order to make your life a little easier, we have the information you need in order to determine where you might want to start your job search. Our research shows that Hawaii is the best state in the country for behavior technicians.
We figured that the best places for behavior technician jobs has three things everyone would agree on. There would be high annual wages, good career prospects (no matter what phase of the career you are in), and a lot of job opportunities.We found that the South is best for behavior technicians, and the Northeast is the worst. Urban Honolulu, HI is the best city in the country for behavior technician jobs, where as Hawaii is the best state in the country.
10 best states for behavior technicians in 2026
1. Hawaii
Total behavior technician jobs: 91 Average annual salary: $54,222 Lowest 10 percent earn: $42,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $69,000 Location Quotient: 1.27
2. Connecticut
Total behavior technician jobs: 355 Average annual salary: $45,739 Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $57,000 Location Quotient: 1.25
3. Montana
Total behavior technician jobs: 106 Average annual salary: $48,478 Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $63,000 Location Quotient: 1.07
4. Massachusetts
Total behavior technician jobs: 912 Average annual salary: $44,348 Lowest 10 percent earn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $55,000 Location Quotient: 1.16
5. Maine
Total behavior technician jobs: 146 Average annual salary: $40,338 Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $49,000 Location Quotient: 1.28
6. West Virginia
Total behavior technician jobs: 146 Average annual salary: $41,284 Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $53,000 Location Quotient: 1.12
7. Illinois
Total behavior technician jobs: 1,219 Average annual salary: $40,998 Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $53,000 Location Quotient: 1.19
8. North Dakota
Total behavior technician jobs: 70 Average annual salary: $42,073 Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $53,000 Location Quotient: 0.88
9. Alaska
Total behavior technician jobs: 119 Average annual salary: $39,710 Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $49,000 Location Quotient: 1.66
10. Vermont
Total behavior technician jobs: 67 Average annual salary: $41,975 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $51,000 Location Quotient: 1.02
Behavior technician jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a behavior technician
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a behavior technician
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | $54,222 | $42,000 | 1,427,538 | 91 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $45,739 | $36,000 | 3,588,184 | 355 |
| 3 | Montana | $48,478 | $36,000 | 1,050,493 | 106 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $44,348 | $35,000 | 6,859,819 | 912 |
| 5 | Maine | $40,338 | $33,000 | 1,335,907 | 146 |
| 6 | West Virginia | $41,284 | $31,000 | 1,815,857 | 146 |
| 7 | Illinois | $40,998 | $31,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,219 |
| 8 | North Dakota | $42,073 | $33,000 | 755,393 | 70 |
| 9 | Alaska | $39,710 | $32,000 | 739,795 | 119 |
| 10 | Vermont | $41,975 | $34,000 | 623,657 | 67 |
| 11 | New Jersey | $42,006 | $32,000 | 9,005,644 | 754 |
| 12 | Rhode Island | $40,474 | $32,000 | 1,059,639 | 101 |
| 13 | Iowa | $38,966 | $29,000 | 3,145,711 | 329 |
| 14 | California | $45,691 | $32,000 | 39,536,653 | 2,102 |
| 15 | New York | $42,320 | $33,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,021 |
| 16 | Maryland | $42,515 | $32,000 | 6,052,177 | 508 |
| 17 | Washington | $42,307 | $31,000 | 7,405,743 | 385 |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | $36,241 | $28,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,158 |
| 19 | Alabama | $35,552 | $27,000 | 4,874,747 | 462 |
| 20 | Oregon | $41,137 | $30,000 | 4,142,776 | 205 |
| 21 | Arizona | $35,949 | $26,000 | 7,016,270 | 720 |
| 22 | Wisconsin | $35,427 | $27,000 | 5,795,483 | 664 |
| 23 | Mississippi | $38,237 | $29,000 | 2,984,100 | 134 |
| 24 | Michigan | $36,607 | $28,000 | 9,962,311 | 623 |
| 25 | New Hampshire | $39,093 | $31,000 | 1,342,795 | 112 |
| 26 | Nebraska | $37,824 | $28,000 | 1,920,076 | 146 |
| 27 | Virginia | $39,421 | $30,000 | 8,470,020 | 735 |
| 28 | Florida | $36,020 | $27,000 | 20,984,400 | 1,628 |
| 29 | Indiana | $34,902 | $26,000 | 6,666,818 | 643 |
| 30 | South Dakota | $34,530 | $26,000 | 869,666 | 106 |
| 31 | Colorado | $36,311 | $27,000 | 5,607,154 | 560 |
| 32 | Minnesota | $37,652 | $29,000 | 5,576,606 | 450 |
| 33 | Delaware | $36,676 | $28,000 | 961,939 | 112 |
| 34 | Wyoming | $35,795 | $27,000 | 579,315 | 39 |
| 35 | Texas | $35,348 | $26,000 | 28,304,596 | 1,791 |
| 36 | District of Columbia | $40,868 | $31,000 | 693,972 | 74 |
| 37 | South Carolina | $35,326 | $27,000 | 5,024,369 | 364 |
| 38 | North Carolina | $35,730 | $27,000 | 10,273,419 | 713 |
| 39 | Ohio | $34,699 | $26,000 | 11,658,609 | 675 |
| 40 | Georgia | $34,718 | $26,000 | 10,429,379 | 966 |
| 41 | Arkansas | $30,812 | $23,000 | 3,004,279 | 306 |
| 42 | Tennessee | $32,320 | $24,000 | 6,715,984 | 553 |
| 43 | New Mexico | $34,378 | $25,000 | 2,088,070 | 141 |
| 44 | Utah | $31,055 | $23,000 | 3,101,833 | 297 |
| 45 | Kentucky | $32,764 | $24,000 | 4,454,189 | 266 |
| 46 | Missouri | $30,643 | $23,000 | 6,113,532 | 540 |
| 47 | Nevada | $32,670 | $23,000 | 2,998,039 | 136 |
| 48 | Kansas | $33,115 | $25,000 | 2,913,123 | 186 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $29,478 | $22,000 | 4,684,333 | 284 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $30,051 | $22,000 | 3,930,864 | 197 |
| 51 | Idaho | $25,291 | $18,000 | 1,716,943 | 84 |
Highest paying states for behavior technicians
| Rank | State | Avg. Behavior Technician Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | $54,222 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $45,739 |
| 3 | Montana | $48,478 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $44,348 |
| 5 | Maine | $40,338 |
| 6 | West Virginia | $41,284 |
| 7 | Illinois | $40,998 |
| 8 | North Dakota | $42,073 |
| 9 | Alaska | $39,710 |
| 10 | Vermont | $41,975 |
| 11 | New Jersey | $42,006 |
| 12 | Rhode Island | $40,474 |
| 13 | Iowa | $38,966 |
| 14 | California | $45,691 |
| 15 | New York | $42,320 |
| 16 | Maryland | $42,515 |
| 17 | Washington | $42,307 |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | $36,241 |
| 19 | Alabama | $35,552 |
| 20 | Oregon | $41,137 |
| 21 | Arizona | $35,949 |
| 22 | Wisconsin | $35,427 |
| 23 | Mississippi | $38,237 |
| 24 | Michigan | $36,607 |
| 25 | New Hampshire | $39,093 |
| 26 | Nebraska | $37,824 |
| 27 | Virginia | $39,421 |
| 28 | Florida | $36,020 |
| 29 | Indiana | $34,902 |
| 30 | South Dakota | $34,530 |
| 31 | Colorado | $36,311 |
| 32 | Minnesota | $37,652 |
| 33 | Delaware | $36,676 |
| 34 | Wyoming | $35,795 |
| 35 | Texas | $35,348 |
| 36 | District of Columbia | $40,868 |
| 37 | South Carolina | $35,326 |
| 38 | North Carolina | $35,730 |
| 39 | Ohio | $34,699 |
| 40 | Georgia | $34,718 |
| 41 | Arkansas | $30,812 |
| 42 | Tennessee | $32,320 |
| 43 | New Mexico | $34,378 |
| 44 | Utah | $31,055 |
| 45 | Kentucky | $32,764 |
| 46 | Missouri | $30,643 |
| 47 | Nevada | $32,670 |
| 48 | Kansas | $33,115 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $29,478 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $30,051 |
| 51 | Idaho | $25,291 |
Expert opinions on the best states for behavior technicians
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for behavior technicians to find work opportunities?
Sheryl Covitt
Adjunct Faculty in the School of Education, Loyola University Chicago
I can't speak to locations outside the Chicagoland area but I can surmise that in communities around the country, urban, suburban and rural, there is a huge need for teachers especially as there has been a documented increase in the number of teachers retiring due to the pandemic and/or are of Baby Boomer age. Per the literature, there is an increased need for teachers in special education which includes pre-K, inclusion and lo-incidence, English as a Second Language, and specialty areas in both elementary and high school.
In Chicago, the need for teachers is city-wide-not just in the high-need areas. Chicago Public Schools has The Early Offer Program which provides student teaching candidates a chance to interview with a member of the CPS teacher recruitment staff well in advance of the traditional hiring season. If they think the candidate is a good fit, they will extend a guaranteed offer to teach in CPS, and then work with them throughout the spring and summer to meet principals and find a teaching position that is an ideal fit for you. As I understand the caveat with this program, it's that they seek to place candidates in schools in high need areas of the city and this may dissuade candidates from pursuing this option.
There ARE teaching jobs available and some of variables that candidates need to seriously consider before accepting a position are:
-salary
-benefits
-professional development
-supervision/mentoring
-the financial stability of the district and the past trends when balancing budgets
-viability of the content area in terms of district need.
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Updated January 8, 2025