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Behavior technician salary
Average behavior technician salary
$38,026
Understanding Behavior Technician Salaries
The average salary for a behavior technician is approximately $38,026 per year, or about $18 per hour. Factors influencing salary include location, experience, and specific job responsibilities. For instance, behavior technicians in urban areas may earn more due to higher living costs. Additionally, those with specialized training or certifications often command higher salaries.
Salary by State
Behavior technician salaries can vary significantly by state. For example, technicians in California and New York generally earn higher wages than those in Texas or Florida. Understanding these variations can help job seekers target their applications effectively.
Top Paying Cities
Some of the highest-paying cities for behavior technicians include San Francisco, New York City, and Los Angeles. These cities not only offer competitive salaries but also a range of job opportunities in diverse settings such as schools, clinics, and health centers.
Career Growth
As the demand for mental health support increases, behavior technicians can expect job growth and opportunities for advancement. Pursuing additional certifications or educational opportunities can lead to roles with increased responsibility and higher pay.
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Where can a Behavior Technician earn more?
Average behavior technician salary by state
The highest-paying states for behavior technicians are Hawaii, Montana, and Connecticut. The lowest average behavior technician salary states are Utah, Arkansas, and Missouri.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for behavior technicians
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | $54,222 | $26.07 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $45,739 | $21.99 |
| 3 | Montana | $48,478 | $23.31 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $44,348 | $21.32 |
| 5 | Maine | $40,338 | $19.39 |
| 6 | West Virginia | $41,284 | $19.85 |
| 7 | Illinois | $40,998 | $19.71 |
| 8 | North Dakota | $42,073 | $20.23 |
| 9 | Alaska | $39,710 | $19.09 |
| 10 | Vermont | $41,975 | $20.18 |
| 11 | New Jersey | $42,006 | $20.20 |
| 12 | Rhode Island | $40,474 | $19.46 |
| 13 | Iowa | $38,966 | $18.73 |
| 14 | California | $45,691 | $21.97 |
| 15 | New York | $42,320 | $20.35 |
| 16 | Maryland | $42,515 | $20.44 |
| 17 | Washington | $42,307 | $20.34 |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | $36,241 | $17.42 |
| 19 | Alabama | $35,552 | $17.09 |
| 20 | Oregon | $41,137 | $19.78 |
| 21 | Arizona | $35,949 | $17.28 |
| 22 | Wisconsin | $35,427 | $17.03 |
| 23 | Mississippi | $38,237 | $18.38 |
| 24 | Michigan | $36,607 | $17.60 |
| 25 | New Hampshire | $39,093 | $18.79 |
| 26 | Nebraska | $37,824 | $18.18 |
| 27 | Virginia | $39,421 | $18.95 |
| 28 | Florida | $36,020 | $17.32 |
| 29 | Indiana | $34,902 | $16.78 |
| 30 | South Dakota | $34,530 | $16.60 |
| 31 | Colorado | $36,311 | $17.46 |
| 32 | Minnesota | $37,652 | $18.10 |
| 33 | Delaware | $36,676 | $17.63 |
| 34 | Wyoming | $35,795 | $17.21 |
| 35 | Texas | $35,348 | $16.99 |
| 36 | District of Columbia | $40,868 | $19.65 |
| 37 | South Carolina | $35,326 | $16.98 |
| 38 | North Carolina | $35,730 | $17.18 |
| 39 | Ohio | $34,699 | $16.68 |
| 40 | Georgia | $34,718 | $16.69 |
| 41 | Arkansas | $30,812 | $14.81 |
| 42 | Tennessee | $32,320 | $15.54 |
| 43 | New Mexico | $34,378 | $16.53 |
| 44 | Utah | $31,055 | $14.93 |
| 45 | Kentucky | $32,764 | $15.75 |
| 46 | Missouri | $30,643 | $14.73 |
| 47 | Nevada | $32,670 | $15.71 |
| 48 | Kansas | $33,115 | $15.92 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $29,478 | $14.17 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $30,051 | $14.45 |
| 51 | Idaho | $25,291 | $12.16 |
Highest paying cities for behavior technicians
The highest-paying cities for behavior technicians are Urban Honolulu, HI, Campbell, CA, and Worcester, MA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $54,234 | $26.07 |
| 2 | Campbell, CA | $46,546 | $22.38 |
| 3 | Worcester, MA | $44,464 | $21.38 |
| 4 | Baltimore, MD | $42,536 | $20.45 |
| 5 | New York, NY | $42,350 | $20.36 |
| 6 | Lakewood, WA | $42,347 | $20.36 |
| 7 | Lakewood, NJ | $42,115 | $20.25 |
| 8 | Chicago, IL | $41,072 | $19.75 |
| 9 | Saint Paul, MN | $37,623 | $18.09 |
| 10 | Lakewood, CO | $36,340 | $17.47 |
| 11 | Surprise, AZ | $36,073 | $17.34 |
| 12 | Tampa, FL | $36,054 | $17.33 |
| 13 | Jacksonville, NC | $35,770 | $17.20 |
| 14 | Houston, TX | $35,517 | $17.08 |
| 15 | Fond du Lac, WI | $35,503 | $17.07 |
| 16 | Carmel, IN | $34,882 | $16.77 |
| 17 | Lawrenceville, GA | $34,649 | $16.66 |
| 18 | Albuquerque, NM | $34,290 | $16.49 |
| 19 | Las Vegas, NV | $32,676 | $15.71 |
| 20 | Salt Lake City, UT | $30,940 | $14.88 |
Behavior Technicians are the most in-demand in these five cities:
Behavior technician salary details
A behavior technician's salary ranges from $29,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $49,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a behavior technician's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $49,000 | $4,083 | $24 |
| 75th Percentile | $43,000 | $3,583 | $21 |
| Average | $38,026 | $3,169 | $18 |
| 25th Percentile | $33,000 | $2,750 | $16 |
| 10th Percentile | $29,000 | $2,417 | $14 |
Highest paying behavior technician jobs
The highest paying types of behavior technicians are mental health nurse, counselor/art therapist, and behavior analyst.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mental Health Nurse | $106,812 | $8,901 | $51.35 | 86,884 |
| Therapist | $55,943 | $4,662 | $26.90 | 159,770 |
| Clinical Therapist | $57,864 | $4,822 | $27.82 | 136,898 |
| In Home Therapist | $51,706 | $4,309 | $24.86 | 113,993 |
| Outpatient Physical Therapist | $66,359 | $5,530 | $31.90 | 119,973 |
| ABA Therapist | $35,938 | $2,995 | $17.28 | 90,516 |
Top companies hiring behavior technicians now:
Which companies pay behavior technicians the most?
Behavior technician salaries at Ernst & Young and Kings Canyon Unified School District are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average behavior technician salary at companies like Constellation Health Services and SERC - State Education Resource Center of CT are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ernst & Young | $61,110 | $29.38 |
| 2 | Kings Canyon Unified School District | $58,860 | $28.30 |
| 3 | Constellation Health Services | $49,604 | $23.85 |
| 4 | SERC - State Education Resource Center of CT | $49,223 | $23.66 |
| 5 | Careerstaff Unlimited - A Genesis Healthcare Company | $48,900 | $23.51 |
| 6 | Aspire Public Schools | $48,116 | $23.13 |
| 7 | ProMedica Toledo Hospital | $46,117 | $22.17 |
| 8 | Rocketship Education | $46,008 | $22.12 |
| 9 | Blue Bird | $45,803 | $22.02 |
| 10 | San Mateo County Office Of Education | $44,333 | $21.31 |
| 11 | GPAC | $43,953 | $21.13 |
| 12 | Catapult Learning | $43,725 | $21.02 |
| 13 | Hartford Public Schools | $43,523 | $20.92 |
| 14 | Maxim Healthcare Group | $43,440 | $20.88 |
| 15 | City of Muskegon | $43,422 | $20.88 |
| 16 | Newton Public Schools | $43,322 | $20.83 |
| 17 | University of North Texas | $43,177 | $20.76 |
| 18 | Behavioral Health Group | $42,992 | $20.67 |
| 19 | Washington State University | $42,987 | $20.67 |
| 20 | Mendocino County Office of Education | $42,809 | $20.58 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Behavior technician salary trends
The average behavior technician salary has risen by $7,121 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average behavior technician earned $30,905 annually, but today, they earn $38,026 a year. That works out to a 13% change in pay for behavior technicians over the last decade.
Compare behavior technician salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average behavior technician salary over time
Compare behavior technician salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Behavior technician salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $38,000 | $18.28 | +3.6% |
| 2024 | $36,700 | $17.63 | +2.7% |
| 2023 | $35,700 | $17.15 | +3.7% |
| 2022 | $34,400 | $16.53 | +2.2% |
| 2021 | $33,600 | $16.16 | -0.5% |
Recently added behavior technician salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bierman Aba | Behavior Technician | Hope, IN | 06/30/2025 | $35,479 |
| Centria | Center-Based Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) | Atlanta, GA | 06/29/2025 | $39,653 |
| Centria | Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) | Phoenix, AZ | 06/29/2025 | $37,566 |
| Centria | Registered Behavior Technician | Oakland, CA | 06/29/2025 | $41,740 |
| Centria | Behavior Technician | Baltimore, MD | 06/29/2025 | $41,740 |
| Centria | Spanish Speaking Center-Based Behavior Technician | Albuquerque, NM | 06/29/2025 | $33,392 |
| Centria | Behavior Technician | Boston, MA | 06/29/2025 | $41,740 |
| Centria | Spanish Speaking Behavior Technician | Detroit, MI | 06/29/2025 | $35,479 |
| Centria | Behavior Technician | Charlotte, NC | 06/29/2025 | $35,479 |
| Teach.com | Registered Behavior Technician (RBT)/Behavior Technician (BT) | Jenks, OK | 06/29/2025 | $37,566 |
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