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Job outlook for behavior technicians in the United States
Behavior technician job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected behavior technician job growth rate is 9% from 2018-2028.
About 12,500 new jobs for behavior technicians are projected over the next decade.
Behavior technician salaries have increased 13% for behavior technicians in the last 5 years.
There are over 32,609 behavior technicians currently employed in the United States.
There are 47,541 active behavior technician job openings in the US.
The average behavior technician salary is $38,026.
Are behavior technician jobs in demand?
Behavior Technician job and salary trends over time
Behavior Technician jobs over time
Behavior Technician job growth rate over time
| Year | # Of Jobs | % Of Population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 32,609 | 0.01% |
| 2020 | 33,934 | 0.01% |
| 2019 | 32,880 | 0.01% |
| 2018 | 28,575 | 0.01% |
| 2017 | 25,927 | 0.01% |
Average behavior technician salary over time
Behavior Technician salary by year
| Year | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $38,026 | $18.28 | +3.7% |
| 2024 | $36,669 | $17.63 | +2.8% |
| 2023 | $35,681 | $17.15 | +3.8% |
| 2022 | $34,378 | $16.53 | +2.3% |
| 2021 | $33,618 | $16.16 | --0.5% |
Behavior Technician jobs by state
Most common states for behavior technicians
| Rank | State | Population | # of Jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | 739,795 | 119 | 16% |
| 2 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 912 | 13% |
| 3 | Delaware | 961,939 | 112 | 12% |
| 4 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 106 | 12% |
| 5 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 664 | 11% |
| 6 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 146 | 11% |
| 7 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 74 | 11% |
| 8 | Vermont | 623,657 | 67 | 11% |
| 9 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 1,219 | 10% |
| 10 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 720 | 10% |
| 11 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 643 | 10% |
| 12 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 560 | 10% |
| 13 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 355 | 10% |
| 14 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 329 | 10% |
| 15 | Arkansas | 3,004,279 | 306 | 10% |
| 16 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 297 | 10% |
| 17 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 106 | 10% |
| 18 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 101 | 10% |
| 19 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 1,158 | 9% |
| 20 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 70 | 9% |
Most common cities for behavior technicians
| Rank | City | # of Jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fairfax | 7 | 29% | $39,759 |
| 2 | Silver Spring | 9 | 13% | $42,480 |
| 3 | Rockville | 8 | 12% | $42,472 |
| 4 | Burnsville | 7 | 11% | $37,605 |
| 5 | Daly City | 8 | 8% | $46,527 |
| 6 | Grand Rapids | 9 | 5% | $36,477 |
| 7 | Orlando | 10 | 4% | $35,985 |
| 8 | Richmond | 8 | 4% | $39,506 |
| 9 | San Bernardino | 8 | 4% | $45,290 |
| 10 | Anaheim | 11 | 3% | $45,472 |
| 11 | Albuquerque | 9 | 2% | $34,290 |
| 12 | Phoenix | 12 | 1% | $35,972 |
| 13 | Denver | 9 | 1% | $36,339 |
| 14 | San Francisco | 9 | 1% | $46,489 |
| 15 | San Diego | 8 | 1% | $45,030 |
| 16 | Baltimore | 7 | 1% | $42,536 |
| 17 | Houston | 10 | 0% | $35,517 |
Behavior Technician job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of behavior technician experts
Tiffin University
Morningside College
Loyola University Chicago
East Tennessee State University
Miami Dade College
Jonathan Appel Ph.D.
Professor of Psychology, Counseling & Criminal JusticeTiffin University
Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Behavior Technicians?
Jonathan Appel Ph.D.: The pandemic has exacerbated mental health issues and needs all across the world. People need social interaction for well-being. The pandemic has contributed to increases in mental health and addictive disorders. Knowledge, training, treatment for psychological well-being has become even more critical as a personal and professional required skill across all fields.
Being able to understand and adapt to the limits of distance work will also be a lasting impact.
Stacie Hays
Associate Vice President of Career Services & Professional DevelopmentMorningside College
Career Services Department
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Behavior Technician job market given the pandemic?
Stacie Hays: I think one of the biggest trends we will see is an increase and continuation for remote work or work from home opportunities. Specifically, I think the pandemic has allowed employers to really see and understand that you don't need someone in the office to succeed with work tasks. I think this will cause employers to increase their searches for the right candidate, not only the local candidate, or one that is willing to relocate. This opens up opportunities in a way that perhaps we have not seen before.
What skills stand out on Behavior Technician resumes?
Stacie Hays: Definitely being adaptable or flexible is going to continue to be one of the most desired skills that employers will be looking for. In our current professional environment, it is so important to be nimble and able to change focus quickly to capitalize on opportunities. I also believe the ability to prove to employers that one can self-initiate on tasks will be paramount. Employers in general are looking for more evidence that links employees to specific experiences that illustrate their skills and abilities.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Behavior Technicians to find work opportunities?
Stacie Hays: I'm a huge proponent of utilizing labor market research in searching for jobs. One site I'm particularly fond of is Careeronestop. Here you can search for occupations, get a report, and learn more about job demand. You can also see each state's job demand for certain occupations, which makes it easy to see what state's would have more need for students with those specific majors. I'm also a fan of searching for your local state's workforce development system, as well as chamber of commerce sites or LinkedIn to determine what employers are part of that community's economy. Overall, I recommend using lots of job search websites and then going back to your favorites when you start job searching in earnest.
Sheryl Covitt
Adjunct Faculty in the School of EducationLoyola University Chicago
School of Education
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Behavior Technicians to find work opportunities?
Sheryl Covitt: 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.
Jamie Brown Ph.D.
ProfessorEast Tennessee State University
Department of Counseling and Human Services
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Behavior Technicians?
Jamie Brown Ph.D.: We know that many of our graduates are drawn to the field of Human Services due to the issues they have faced in their own lives. We have seen an uptick in students sharing the fact they have struggled with Adverse Childhood Experiences during our remote teaching and advising. We need to be aware of Trauma-Informed teaching and outreach as a program and as a university.
What experience really stands out on Behavior Technician resumes?
Jamie Brown Ph.D.: Community involvement and activism can set a potential candidate apart from other applicants.
Dr. Thomas Uhle
Teacher Education ProgramMiami Dade College
School of Education
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Behavior Technician job market given the pandemic?
Dr. Thomas Uhle: From an educational perspective, many schools are in desperate need of teachers, especially those trained to work with students with exceptionalities and with English-language learners. In Spring 2020, the stress of a seemingly instant system-wide school shutdown was more than many teachers could bear. Some who were on the brink of retirement decided to end their careers earlier than planned rather than to endure the new, somewhat chaotic, entirely remote workplace they were in.
Moving forward, the job market will favor teachers who show that they are flexible, adaptable, and competent to work from several platforms, face-to-face and remote. One thing we have learned during this pandemic is that many services can be provided using technology, so the job market could reflect this as well. For children with disabilities, some supplemental services such as counseling and behavioral therapy could still be offered, uninterrupted, when classroom instruction has gone remote. The job description for teachers and service providers will change to reflect the necessity to be flexible.