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The differences between behavior therapists and behavioral technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a behavior therapist has an average salary of $36,864, which is higher than the $33,282 average annual salary of a behavioral technician.
The top three skills for a behavior therapist include autism, applied behavior analysis and behavior analysis. The most important skills for a behavioral technician are autism, applied behavior analysis, and behavior analysis.
| Behavior Therapist | Behavioral Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $36,864 | $33,282 |
| Hourly rate | $17.72 | $16.00 |
| Growth rate | 14% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 90,578 | 45,287 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| 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.
A behavioral technician is responsible for supporting patients to overcome their behavior problems and difficulties. Behavioral technicians evaluate the patient's condition through counseling and administer behavioral treatment plans according to the patients' needs. They also coordinate with other physicians and mental health professionals for medications and more serious medical support as needed. A behavioral technician assists the patients in their daily activities, observe their social and personal behaviors, write progress reports, and develop engaging activities that would help them bring back a healthy lifestyle and growth.
Behavior therapists and behavioral technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Behavior Therapist | Behavioral Technician | |
| Average salary | $36,864 | $33,282 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $49,000 | Between $24,000 And $44,000 |
| Highest paying City | Chicago, IL | Somerville, MA |
| Highest paying state | Alabama | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Regis College | Missouri State University |
| Best paying industry | Education | Education |
There are a few differences between a behavior therapist and a behavioral technician in terms of educational background:
| Behavior Therapist | Behavioral Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | Johns Hopkins University |
Here are the differences between behavior therapists' and behavioral technicians' demographics:
| Behavior Therapist | Behavioral Technician | |
| Average age | 41 | 34 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 19.5% Female, 80.5% | Male, 32.7% Female, 67.3% |
| 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% |