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The differences between behavior therapists and behavior technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a behavior technician has an average salary of $38,026, which is higher than the $36,864 average annual salary of a behavior therapist.
The top three skills for a behavior therapist include autism, applied behavior analysis and behavior analysis. The most important skills for a behavior technician are autism, applied behavior analysis, and behavior analysis.
| Behavior Therapist | Behavior Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $36,864 | $38,026 |
| Hourly rate | $17.72 | $18.28 |
| Growth rate | 14% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 90,578 | 47,541 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Average age | 41 | 34 |
| Years of experience | 4 | - |
A behavior therapist is an individual psychologist who is responsible for helping patients with mental disorders such as depression and schizophrenia. Behavior therapists must equip patients with psychological tools to help them diminish unhealthy thoughts so that they can effectively deal with the challenges of their daily lives. They are required to devise problem-solving methods such as psychotherapy and counseling to help patients improve their quality of life. Behavior therapists must also collaborate with the families of their patients to help them overcome behavioral issues more effectively.
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.
Behavior therapists and behavior technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Behavior Therapist | Behavior Technician | |
| Average salary | $36,864 | $38,026 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $49,000 | Between $29,000 And $49,000 |
| Highest paying City | Chicago, IL | Urban Honolulu, HI |
| Highest paying state | Alabama | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Regis College | Ernst & Young |
| Best paying industry | Education | Education |
There are a few differences between a behavior therapist and a behavior technician in terms of educational background:
| Behavior Therapist | Behavior Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between behavior therapists' and behavior technicians' demographics:
| Behavior Therapist | Behavior Technician | |
| Average age | 41 | 34 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 19.5% Female, 80.5% | Male, 26.5% Female, 73.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.0% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 13.9% Asian, 4.6% White, 68.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 15% |