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The differences between behavior therapists and social services assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a behavior therapist, becoming a social services assistant takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a social services assistant has an average salary of $37,445, 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 social services assistant are social work, patients, and rehabilitation.
| Behavior Therapist | Social Services Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $36,864 | $37,445 |
| Hourly rate | $17.72 | $18.00 |
| Growth rate | 14% | 12% |
| Number of jobs | 90,578 | 152,760 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 57% |
| Average age | 41 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 12 |
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 social services assistant is responsible for supporting the social needs of citizens within society. Social services assistants work within the community office or health institutions to assist patients and their families in processing their needs and obtaining medical information. They also coordinate with other organizations to gather additional resources and financial assistance to plan community programs that will be beneficial for society. A social services assistant provides counseling to the families to identify the services and referrals they needed.
Behavior therapists and social services assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Behavior Therapist | Social Services Assistant | |
| Average salary | $36,864 | $37,445 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $49,000 | Between $29,000 And $47,000 |
| Highest paying City | Chicago, IL | Tacoma, WA |
| Highest paying state | Alabama | Washington |
| Best paying company | Regis College | Research Foundation of The City University of New York |
| Best paying industry | Education | Government |
There are a few differences between a behavior therapist and a social services assistant in terms of educational background:
| Behavior Therapist | Social Services Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 57% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Social Work |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | SUNY at Binghamton |
Here are the differences between behavior therapists' and social services assistants' demographics:
| Behavior Therapist | Social Services Assistant | |
| Average age | 41 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 19.5% Female, 80.5% | Male, 17.0% Female, 83.0% |
| 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, 11.7% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 18.9% Asian, 6.7% White, 56.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 11% |