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Behavior therapist vs family therapist

The differences between behavior therapists and family therapists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a behavior therapist and a family therapist. Additionally, a family therapist has an average salary of $50,774, 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 family therapist are social work, patients, and rehabilitation.

Behavior therapist vs family therapist overview

Behavior TherapistFamily Therapist
Yearly salary$36,864$50,774
Hourly rate$17.72$24.41
Growth rate14%14%
Number of jobs90,578106,982
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 71%Bachelor's Degree, 47%
Average age4141
Years of experience44

What does a behavior therapist do?

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.

What does a family therapist do?

A Family Therapist works with couples and families to help ameliorate marital and family issues. They can work in hospitals, treatment programs, government agencies, health organizations, and private practices.

Behavior therapist vs family therapist salary

Behavior therapists and family therapists have different pay scales, as shown below.

Behavior TherapistFamily Therapist
Average salary$36,864$50,774
Salary rangeBetween $27,000 And $49,000Between $37,000 And $67,000
Highest paying CityChicago, ILRochester, NY
Highest paying stateAlabamaOregon
Best paying companyRegis CollegeDignity Health
Best paying industryEducationHealth Care

Differences between behavior therapist and family therapist education

There are a few differences between a behavior therapist and a family therapist in terms of educational background:

Behavior TherapistFamily Therapist
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 71%Bachelor's Degree, 47%
Most common majorPsychologyPsychology
Most common collegeCalifornia State University - Long BeachCalifornia State University - Long Beach

Behavior therapist vs family therapist demographics

Here are the differences between behavior therapists' and family therapists' demographics:

Behavior TherapistFamily Therapist
Average age4141
Gender ratioMale, 19.5% Female, 80.5%Male, 25.8% Female, 74.2%
Race ratioBlack 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, 7.0% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 13.9% Asian, 4.6% White, 68.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage6%6%

Differences between behavior therapist and family therapist duties and responsibilities

Behavior therapist example responsibilities.

  • Teach family members and teachers different ways to achieve cooperation with child and transfer skills to ensure an efficient learning environment.
  • Provide applied behavior analysis services to individuals diagnose with autism and other developmental disabilities to enhance their quality of life.
  • Provide basic parent education of correct implementation of ABA principles.
  • Provide one-on-one aba-base treatment to children who have been diagnose with autism and other developmental disorders.
  • Solve certify as well as first aid and CPR certify.
  • Complete all requirements need to be certify as an RBT.
    • Show more

Family therapist example responsibilities.

  • Complete documentation to medicaid standards.
  • Create maximum billable Medicaid hours and submitting necessary paperwork for Medicaid billing.
  • Apply behavioral analysis instruction for a student with autism concentrating on communication, socialization, self-help skills and community skills.
  • Receive and process referrals from DCF and community-base case managers for individuals suspect as substance abusers.

Behavior therapist vs family therapist skills

Common behavior therapist skills
  • Autism, 19%
  • Applied Behavior Analysis, 18%
  • Behavior Analysis, 10%
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder, 7%
  • Behavior Analysts, 5%
  • BCBA, 4%
Common family therapist skills
  • Social Work, 27%
  • Patients, 6%
  • Rehabilitation, 4%
  • Community Resources, 4%
  • Mental Health Issues, 4%
  • Group Therapy, 3%

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Updated January 8, 2025

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