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Job outlook for behavior therapists in the United States
Behavior therapist job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected behavior therapist job growth rate is 14% from 2018-2028.
About 9,100 new jobs for behavior therapists are projected over the next decade.
Behavior therapist salaries have increased 4% for behavior therapists in the last 5 years.
There are over 36,773 behavior therapists currently employed in the United States.
There are 90,578 active behavior therapist job openings in the US.
The average behavior therapist salary is $36,864.
Are behavior therapist jobs in demand?
Behavior therapist job and salary trends over time
Behavior therapist jobs over time
Behavior therapist job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 36,773 | 0.01% |
| 2020 | 38,786 | 0.01% |
| 2019 | 37,758 | 0.01% |
| 2018 | 32,667 | 0.01% |
| 2017 | 29,541 | 0.01% |
Average behavior therapist salary over time
Behavior therapist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $36,864 | $17.72 | +3.5% |
| 2024 | $35,622 | $17.13 | --1.0% |
| 2023 | $35,966 | $17.29 | +2.7% |
| 2022 | $35,033 | $16.84 | --0.8% |
| 2021 | $35,306 | $16.97 | +1.2% |
Behavior therapist jobs by state
Most common states for behavior therapists
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 2,484 | 36% |
| 2 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 245 | 32% |
| 3 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 418 | 31% |
| 4 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 559 | 29% |
| 5 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 290 | 28% |
| 6 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 1,581 | 26% |
| 7 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 177 | 26% |
| 8 | Delaware | 961,939 | 240 | 25% |
| 9 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 1,326 | 24% |
| 10 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 750 | 24% |
| 11 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 1,726 | 23% |
| 12 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 1,545 | 23% |
| 13 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 2,864 | 22% |
| 14 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 2,189 | 21% |
| 15 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 1,867 | 21% |
| 16 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 1,745 | 21% |
| 17 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 1,159 | 21% |
| 18 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 2,601 | 20% |
| 19 | Missouri | 6,113,532 | 1,243 | 20% |
| 20 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 593 | 20% |
Most common cities for behavior therapists
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Weymouth Town | 9 | 16% | $39,895 |
| 2 | Marshfield | 4 | 16% | $39,907 |
| 3 | Barnstable Town | 5 | 11% | $40,064 |
| 4 | Belmont | 3 | 11% | $37,161 |
| 5 | Bothell | 3 | 7% | $31,046 |
| 6 | Quincy | 4 | 4% | $39,876 |
| 7 | Alameda | 3 | 4% | $37,020 |
| 8 | Hayward | 4 | 3% | $37,012 |
| 9 | Boston | 13 | 2% | $39,842 |
| 10 | Bellevue | 3 | 2% | $31,034 |
| 11 | Denver | 5 | 1% | $35,767 |
| 12 | Aurora | 4 | 1% | $35,764 |
| 13 | Sacramento | 4 | 1% | $36,149 |
Behavior Therapist job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of behavior therapist experts
Western Illinois University
Louisiana State University at Shreveport
University of Alabama in Huntsville
Tiffin University
Nicholls State University
Morningside College
Loyola University Chicago
Augsburg University
Francis Marion University
Kent State University
University of Lynchburg
East Tennessee State University
University of Oregon
Miami Dade College
American Massage Therapy Association
Montclair State University
FSMTB - Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
The University of Texas
Ohio University
Leigh Ann Tipton-Fisler, PhD, BCBA
Associate Professor and Program Coordinator of Specialist in School Psychology and Clinical/ Community Mental Health Graduate ProgramsWestern Illinois University
Clinical, Counseling And Applied Psychology
What Behavior Therapist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Leigh Ann Tipton-Fisler, PhD, BCBA: - The best I can give to graduates is to focus on taking small steps at first. Often the first year in the field can be exciting and overwhelming at the same time. The system we work in (the helping profession broadly) often has a lot of challenges, and new professionals want to re-envision a path for changes. This is tangible, but at first, it is important to understand the roles and functions in the workplace before flipping everything upside down. I suggest taking one small change at a time in an area that is important to you and build relationships and trust with your professional colleagues before overloading yourself with the new job and new goals.
Kacie Blalock Ph.D.
Associate Professor; Director, Master of CounselingLouisiana State University at Shreveport
Department Of Psychology
What hard/technical skills are most important for Behavior Therapists?
Kacie Blalock Ph.D.: It is important that counselors are able to effectively take notes and summarize progress, interpret assessments, memorize and recall information, and keep clear yet concise records.
Dr. Nathan Tenhundfeld Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Human FactorsUniversity of Alabama in Huntsville
Psychology Department
What skills stand out on Behavior Therapist resumes?
Dr. Nathan Tenhundfeld Ph.D.: Strong analytical skills are a must. This includes both logic and reasoning skills, but also data analysis skills. For many jobs, the ability to collect and scientifically evaluate data will be vital, if not an absolute necessity. Similarly, a strong understanding of experimental methods can put a candidate in a great position to be able to help a company evaluate existing programs and chart a path forward for new ones. Finally, I would say that a strong ability to write is critical. Those graduates who are able to effectively and persuasively communicate in writing are setting themselves up for success at any company and allowing the company to leverage them for increasingly important tasks.
What soft skills should all Behavior Therapists possess?
Dr. Nathan Tenhundfeld Ph.D.: Students need to be able to read individual and group dynamics in order to act appropriately in any given situation. This includes not only the interactions with one's bosses but also peers and subordinates. Similarly, being comfortable with networking can help any company, but networking skills shine through in interviews.
Jonathan Appel Ph.D.
Professor of Psychology, Counseling & Criminal JusticeTiffin University
Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Behavior Therapists?
Jonathan Appel Ph.D.: Clinical practice license/certifications are often critical for marketability and employment. At Tiffin University we provide a training track for Psychology students to get a Chemical Dependency License to practice with an undergraduate degree. There is a nationwide shortage for licensed addiction specialists. The demand for licensed counselors in this area has increased greater than the supply.
These students are very often among the first of our graduates to get hired. Opportunities are only increasing as the The American Rescue Plan Act will provide $4 billion for substance use disorder and mental health services.
We also provide close advising and assist students to attend graduate school to obtain additional clinical licenses in the fields of psychology, counseling and social work.
Dr. Chantrelle Varnado-Johnson
Assistant Professor & Coordinator of School Counseling ProgramNicholls State University
Department of Psychology, Counseling, and Family Studies
What technical skills for a Behavior Therapist stand out to employers?
Dr. Chantrelle Varnado-Johnson: In addition, recent graduates will need to be familiarized with using telehealth platforms due to more remote learning needs. Plus, recent graduates will need to familiarize themselves with their basic facilitative skills to establish rapport quickly to have brief sessions. Also, I would recommend students receive competency-based credentials and become licensed in at least one additional state. Lastly, I would recommend students familiarize themselves with crisis intervention and trauma counseling.
In sum, graduates have to be aware of how their roles may shift due to job displacement, furloughs, and restructuring. Due to new challenges presented in the COVID-19 pandemic, graduates have to be prepared to address the possibility of being faced with high caseloads, secondary traumatization, role conflict/ambiguity, and tension in the workplace. As a precautionary measure, neophytes should adopt a holistic self-care regimen and professional network to ameliorate the mental health condition.
Stacie Hays
Associate Vice President of Career Services & Professional DevelopmentMorningside College
Career Services Department
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Behavior Therapist job market given the pandemic?
Stacie Hays: I think one of the biggest trends we will see is an increase and continuation for remote work or work from home opportunities. Specifically, I think the pandemic has allowed employers to really see and understand that you don't need someone in the office to succeed with work tasks. I think this will cause employers to increase their searches for the right candidate, not only the local candidate, or one that is willing to relocate. This opens up opportunities in a way that perhaps we have not seen before.
What skills stand out on Behavior Therapist resumes?
Stacie Hays: Definitely being adaptable or flexible is going to continue to be one of the most desired skills that employers will be looking for. In our current professional environment, it is so important to be nimble and able to change focus quickly to capitalize on opportunities. I also believe the ability to prove to employers that one can self-initiate on tasks will be paramount. Employers in general are looking for more evidence that links employees to specific experiences that illustrate their skills and abilities.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Behavior Therapists to find work opportunities?
Stacie Hays: I'm a huge proponent of utilizing labor market research in searching for jobs. One site I'm particularly fond of is Careeronestop. Here you can search for occupations, get a report, and learn more about job demand. You can also see each state's job demand for certain occupations, which makes it easy to see what state's would have more need for students with those specific majors. I'm also a fan of searching for your local state's workforce development system, as well as chamber of commerce sites or LinkedIn to determine what employers are part of that community's economy. Overall, I recommend using lots of job search websites and then going back to your favorites when you start job searching in earnest.
Sheryl Covitt
Adjunct Faculty in the School of EducationLoyola University Chicago
School of Education
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Behavior Therapist job market given the pandemic?
Sheryl Covitt: -Diversity in skills: virtual, hybrid, in-person
-Flexibility with assignments: being able to teach multiple groups/topics in a variety of settings
-Use of technology
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Behavior Therapists to find work opportunities?
Sheryl Covitt: I can't speak to locations outside the Chicagoland area but I can surmise that in communities around the country, urban, suburban and rural, there is a huge need for teachers especially as there has been a documented increase in the number of teachers retiring due to the pandemic and/or are of Baby Boomer age. Per the literature, there is an increased need for teachers in special education which includes pre-K, inclusion and lo-incidence, English as a Second Language, and specialty areas in both elementary and high school.
In Chicago, the need for teachers is city-wide-not just in the high-need areas. Chicago Public Schools has The Early Offer Program which provides student teaching candidates a chance to interview with a member of the CPS teacher recruitment staff well in advance of the traditional hiring season. If they think the candidate is a good fit, they will extend a guaranteed offer to teach in CPS, and then work with them throughout the spring and summer to meet principals and find a teaching position that is an ideal fit for you. As I understand the caveat with this program, it's that they seek to place candidates in schools in high need areas of the city and this may dissuade candidates from pursuing this option.
There ARE teaching jobs available and some of variables that candidates need to seriously consider before accepting a position are:
-salary
-benefits
-professional development
-supervision/mentoring
-the financial stability of the district and the past trends when balancing budgets
-viability of the content area in terms of district need.
What Behavior Therapist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Christina Erickson Ph.D.: Gap years are welcome for students. Generally, I see a great deal of maturity as students move through the four years of college and this is necessary to prepare them for the demands of being a professional social worker. A gap year often increases the maturity level of students and can provide rich experiences that prepare them for college. A good gap year for a social work student includes human interactions that require students to work across human differences. That difference can be in a variety of forms, age, culture, gender, faith tradition, experiences, or even ways of thinking. What matters most is the student's ability to describe their own growth as they worked across those differences. Not about how other people changed because of their interaction, but how they changed to meet their goals and learn from others. Experience solving problems is helpful, too. Even learning how to take the first steps to deal with a challenge and being able to describe the steps, grows critical thinking and evaluation skills important for the most successful social work practitioners.
What experience really stands out on Behavior Therapist resumes?
Dr. Jessica Burke: The skills that would really stand out on resumes include experience with distance learning; Zoom; and other technological skills, such as creating and editing videos; exceptional written and oral communication skills; and research skills, such as conducting data analysis and being able to correctly interpret the data would not hurt during a time when facts are often distorted.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Behavior Therapist job market given the pandemic?
Dr. Andrew Wiley Ph.D.: Before the pandemic, the number of students who needed special education was already on the rise. There is no question that the pandemic will increase that number even further. This pandemic has had a negative impact on the learning and development of millions of kids. Reversing the damage will require an influx of dedicated and skilled specialists on a national scale.
Also, there was an acute shortage of licensed special education teachers before the pandemic. Now, the demand for qualified special educators will be greater than ever before. In addition to offering an incredible range of career opportunities, special education offers a unique opportunity to make a tremendous difference for children and their families. This is true now more than ever before.
What skills stand out on Behavior Therapist resumes?
Dr. Andrew Wiley Ph.D.: Graduates from the special education program at Kent State demonstrate adaptive expertise. The "expertise" is in specially designed instruction and interventions in academics, life skills, social skills, communication - whatever the special educational needs of students with disabilities may be. The "adaptive" refers to the ability to collaborate with other professionals to solve problems. What stands out on resumes is expert training in both research-based special education practices and the ability to function within a team. Kent State's special education program provides both.
Daniel Hall Ph.D.
Program Director, Assistant Professor of Counselor EducationUniversity of Lynchburg
College of Education, Leadership Studies, & Counseling
What experience really stands out on Behavior Therapist resumes?
Daniel Hall Ph.D.: Specificity is an essential highlight that stands out on a resume - particularly as it relates to experience in the field. That means enough detail to clearly articulate professional skills. So, for example, not just a mention of facilitating small groups, but rather the topic of the group, the theoretical approach, etc. And, perhaps more importantly, outcomes. Applicants will really stand out if they can reference engagement in evidence-based best practices and then have data that demonstrates the success they have had in application and facilitation of those practices.
Jamie Brown Ph.D.
ProfessorEast Tennessee State University
Department of Counseling and Human Services
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Behavior Therapists?
Jamie Brown Ph.D.: We know that many of our graduates are drawn to the field of Human Services due to the issues they have faced in their own lives. We have seen an uptick in students sharing the fact they have struggled with Adverse Childhood Experiences during our remote teaching and advising. We need to be aware of Trauma-Informed teaching and outreach as a program and as a university.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Behavior Therapist job market given the pandemic?
Dr. Julie Alonzo Ph.D.: With so much uncertainty about the future, many school districts and institutes of higher education imposed hiring freezes in the spring of 2020 and started the 2020-2021 academic year without the influx of new hires that we would typically see at the start of a new school year. The approval of vaccines with demonstrated efficacy against COVID-19 should, hopefully, prompt a return to a more normal job market in the coming spring. The job market will likely be quite competitive, with new graduates vying for open positions with those who were not offered positions in education last spring.
Given the challenges that schools have faced during the pandemic, I believe we will see an increasing need for culturally-competent, highly-skilled educators who can think critically and allocate limited resources creatively. Schools across the country are likely to struggle with budget shortfalls, as high unemployment rates reduce states' tax bases and as other high-priority needs compete for the limited money available. Thus, finding jobs might be more challenging than in the past.
In terms of the skills that will be needed to be competitive in the job market, the pandemic and resulting move to remote instruction for many in education will increase the demand for educators with expertise in developing literacy and numeracy, particularly in the early grades (K-5). Those with an understanding of how to use student performance data to screen for students at risk, to identify their areas of need, to provide instructional supports to meet those needs, and to monitor the progress being made so that instruction can be adjusted on a regular basis will be in high demand.
In addition, disparities in access to educational technology and the resulting disproportionality in "learning loss" as a result of the move to remote instruction for students from different demographic backgrounds will increase the demand for educators who have experience working with students from low-income families and those experiencing homelessness, as well as demand for educators who have demonstrated their ability to work effectively with students from different ethnicities.
With the continued focus on increasing the diversity of the educator workforce to better match demographics in the United States, Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and Southeast Asian educators will continue to be in high demand.
Dr. Thomas Uhle
Teacher Education ProgramMiami Dade College
School of Education
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Behavior Therapist job market given the pandemic?
Dr. Thomas Uhle: From an educational perspective, many schools are in desperate need of teachers, especially those trained to work with students with exceptionalities and with English-language learners. In Spring 2020, the stress of a seemingly instant system-wide school shutdown was more than many teachers could bear. Some who were on the brink of retirement decided to end their careers earlier than planned rather than to endure the new, somewhat chaotic, entirely remote workplace they were in.
Moving forward, the job market will favor teachers who show that they are flexible, adaptable, and competent to work from several platforms, face-to-face and remote. One thing we have learned during this pandemic is that many services can be provided using technology, so the job market could reflect this as well. For children with disabilities, some supplemental services such as counseling and behavioral therapy could still be offered, uninterrupted, when classroom instruction has gone remote. The job description for teachers and service providers will change to reflect the necessity to be flexible.
What general advice would you give to a Behavior Therapist?
Ron Precht: Generally, metropolitan areas have had more openings for massage therapists. This is a report from the end of 2019 that has the most recent data we have available. Report
What type of skills will young Behavior Therapists need?
Lyndal Khaw Ph.D.: Most of our graduates in the field of Family Science and Human Development are in this field because they want to help professions that work with children, individuals, and families. Thus, there are several skills they should have when they graduate and enter the workforce. First, they need to have excellent interpersonal and communication skills. If you want to work with people, that is an absolute given.
Second, students should demonstrate their ability to adapt to new challenges and changes, including technology skills. When working with children and families, the natural ebbs and flows of family life, across the life course, necessitate flexible professionals and who can still be useful under changing circumstances. Third, skills make you stand out in working with people, like conflict management and leadership skills. Employers want to see that graduates are not only "book smart" but have the experience to use these skills when needed on the job.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Behavior Therapists in the next 3-5 years?
Debra Persinger Ph.D.: -Simplified technology for the not-so-tech-savvy employees will be necessary to accommodate the span of generational employee demographics engaging in remote work.
-Employees will need to be adaptable - to learn and accommodate the rapid introduction of new and better technological efficiency tools.
-Controls will increase. Much like parental controls to monitor online activity, company restrictions will be implemented to prevent inappropriate online behaviors, accidental sharing, and training on basic etiquette and interpersonal communications.
-Technology that supports work and life activities - order groceries online, stress reduction apps - will demand.
-Time away from the screen will be necessary. Seems counterintuitive for a technology question. For example, I'm predicting that paper books will make a comeback - nobody wants to look at another screen for pleasure reading after working online all day.
What type of skills will young Behavior Therapists need?
Dr. Thomas Dearden Ph.D.: Indeed, the way we work is changing. The skills that young graduates will need are diverse. Transferable skills and soft skills will certainly be marketable. These include traditional crafts such as communication, but I also think the world expects more empathy from its employees. Young graduates with an understanding of racism, sexism, and environmental responsibility will become increasingly important.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Behavior Therapists to find work opportunities?
Dr. Eva Moya Ph.D.: Absolutely. Social Workers are well-positioned to work in multiple sectors at the local, state, national, and international levels. From health care, gerontology, safety net, mental health and substance abuse, child and family, education, immigration, and criminal justice sectors.
Employment is usually based on the market, economics, needs, and value of social work. The place does matter.
Social workers are in schools, courts, hospitals, community-based organizations, federally qualified health centers, mental health clinics, shelters, transitional living facilities, detention facilities, academic settings, prisons, industry, political arena, palliative care, hospice, research, international organizations, immigrant and migrant centers, elderly care facilities, protective services, the child welfare system, counseling centers, health and human service organizations, environmental and public health venues.
How do you envision technology impacting Behavior Therapists in the next 5 years?
Christine Suniti Bhat: The pandemic has already altered the way in which school counselors are engaging with their students. The importance of learning management systems and dynamic tools to interact with students online will continue to grow. School counselors will have to be prepared to deliver individual services as well as group and class interventions using technologies such as Zoom or Microsoft Teams.
This is something that we would not have anticipated five years ago. School counselors may also have to address issues related to isolation, loneliness, and excessive screen time, along with some of the issues that are related to the misuse of technology such as cyberbullying and sexting. Prevention (before problems arise) and intervention (addressing issues after they arise) are both important. Overall, health and wellness in relation to the use of technology will become more important.