How to hire a behavior therapist

How to hire a behavior therapist, step by step

Here's a step-by-step behavior therapist hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a behavior therapist job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new behavior therapist
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a behavior therapist do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The behavior therapist hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a behavior therapist to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a behavior therapist that fits the bill.

   The following list breaks down different types of behavior therapists and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Behavior Therapist	Description	Hourly rate
   Behavior Therapist	Mental health counselors and marriage and family therapists help people manage and overcome mental and emotional disorders and problems with family and other relationships. They listen to clients and ask questions to help the clients understand their problems and develop strategies to improve their lives.	$12-23
   Youth Advocate	Youth advocates are individuals who responsible for maintaining the human rights of youth while assisting them in developing their skills in all areas of life, such as education, health, employment, and relationships. These advocates are required to discuss youth development and involvement with various leaders in the community... Show more	$12-19
   Family Counselor	A Family Counselor treats married couples or family members in order to help them overcome mental or emotional problems. They provide effective treatment measures to help the family members resolve their issues.	$12-29

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Autism
   • Applied Behavior Analysis
   • Behavior Analysis
   • Autism Spectrum Disorder
   • Behavior Analysts
   • BCBA
   • Patients
   • Developmental Disabilities
   • RBT
   • Treatment Programs
   • Working Independently
   • Therapy Sessions
   • Social Work
   • Kids

   Check all skills

   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.

   More behavior therapist duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your behavior therapist job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A behavior therapist salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a behavior therapist in Washington may be lower than in Alabama, and an entry-level behavior therapist usually earns less than a senior-level behavior therapist. Additionally, a behavior therapist with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average behavior therapist salary

   $36,864yearly

   $17.72 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level behavior therapist salary

   $27,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 24, 2025

   Average behavior therapist salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Illinois	$40,513	$19
   2	Minnesota	$40,291	$19
   3	Massachusetts	$40,165	$19
   4	Virginia	$39,253	$19
   5	Rhode Island	$38,548	$19
   6	Texas	$38,245	$18
   7	Georgia	$37,590	$18
   8	California	$37,100	$18
   9	Colorado	$35,767	$17
   10	Indiana	$35,436	$17
   11	Michigan	$35,015	$17
   12	New York	$35,000	$17
   13	Connecticut	$34,761	$17
   14	Maryland	$34,734	$17
   15	Wisconsin	$34,722	$17
   16	North Carolina	$34,425	$17
   17	Arizona	$34,254	$16
   18	Ohio	$32,920	$16
   19	Oregon	$32,470	$16
   20	New Mexico	$31,947	$15

   Average behavior therapist salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Regis College	$57,554	$27.67	1
   2	Maxim Healthcare Group	$45,245	$21.75	116
   3	Therapy Source	$41,194	$19.80	24
   4	Holland	$41,087	$19.75
   5	State Of South Dakota	$40,328	$19.39	36
   6	Horace Mann	$39,921	$19.19	1
   7	Trudeau Memorial Center	$39,682	$19.08
   8	The Mosaic Company	$38,885	$18.69
   9	HMEA	$38,881	$18.69
   10	Ican	$38,639	$18.58	3
   11	Southwest Autism Research & Resource Center	$38,080	$18.31	5
   12	Intercept Health	$37,946	$18.24	54
   13	Blair Family Solutions	$37,732	$18.14	2
   14	ACES	$37,711	$18.13	16
   15	Kennedy-Donovan Center	$37,691	$18.12	9
   16	HealthPRO	$37,564	$18.06	30
   17	Community Health & Wellness Center	$37,549	$18.05	12
   18	Access International, Inc.	$37,549	$18.05	26
   19	Ascendigo	$37,514	$18.04
   20	Behavioral Health Inc	$37,162	$17.87	5

4. Writing a behavior therapist job description

   A good behavior therapist job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a behavior therapist job description:

   Behavior therapist job description example

   Job DescriptionCommunity Health and Wellness, LLC offers top notch services for individuals with disabilities throughout Texas. We have current openings in Killeen, Texas with
   FLEXIBLE HOURS and COMPETITIVE RATES !
   
   We are seeking Independent Contract therapists to serve for the following:
   
   Provide one-on-one therapy sessions with children and adults with disabilities. Create tailored programs to meet the needs of individuals with TBI, PTSD, Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Spinal Cord Injury, Spina Bifida, Developmental Delay, and/or other physical or intellectual disabilities Provide evaluations and ongoing services. Complete Weekly and Quarterly Documentation as needed In order to provide services, candidates must fall under the following:
   
   Behavioral Support Provider Who Is:
   
   A psychologist licensed in accordance with the Texas Occupations Code, Chapter 501; A provisional license holder licensed in accordance with the Texas Occupations Code, Chapter 501; A psychological associate licensed in accordance the Texas Occupations Code, Chapter 501; A clinical social worker licensed in accordance with the Texas Occupations Code, Chapter 505; A licensed professional counselor licensed in accordance with the Texas Occupations Code, Chapter 503; or A behavior analyst certified by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board, Inc.; Has received training in behavioral support or have experience in providing behavioral support.
   All Service Providers must have the following:
   
   Resume Certification/License in respective field (LCSW, LPC, BCBA, etc) Auto Insurance Professional Liability Insurance (upon hire) Valid Driver's License Valid Social Security Card
   Check out our web site to learn more www.chawtx.com
   
   Job Type: Contract Compensation: $50.00 - $60.00 per hour
   
   Community Health and Wellness LLC has a calling to change people's lives. We provide home and community support services through honest and professional care. Community Health & Wellness networks, collaborates, and works with seasoned professionals, para-professionals and instructors who are committed to helping our clients, neighbors, and community receive quality, focused care and programming.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find behavior therapists for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any behavior therapists they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level behavior therapists with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your behavior therapist job on Zippia to find and recruit behavior therapist candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit behavior therapists, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new behavior therapist

   Once you've selected the best behavior therapist candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new behavior therapist. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a behavior therapist?