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The differences between behavioral analysts and psychiatric social workers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a behavioral analyst, becoming a psychiatric social worker takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a behavioral analyst has an average salary of $69,468, which is higher than the $59,144 average annual salary of a psychiatric social worker.
The top three skills for a behavioral analyst include autism, BCBA and applied behavior analysis. The most important skills for a psychiatric social worker are social work, patients, and crisis intervention.
| Behavioral Analyst | Psychiatric Social Worker | |
| Yearly salary | $69,468 | $59,144 |
| Hourly rate | $33.40 | $28.43 |
| Growth rate | 12% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 66,538 | 57,284 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Master's Degree, 51% |
| Average age | 39 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 2 |
Behavioral Analyst supports and implements a plan to help patients overcome social and mental disabilities. They are involved in assessing patients' behavior in school, homes, or communities, implementing behavioral plans, updating therapy notes to track progress, and communicating with staff, families, and teachers in relaying the client's needs. A behavioral analyst must have good knowledge in applied behavior analysis, proficient report writing, and have comprehension in creating individualized education programs to help improve client behavior.
A psychiatric social worker specializes in providing mental health treatments and other services to patients and their families, referring them to other agencies and programs as needed. They conduct assessments and interviews to determine the condition of patients, devise specific treatment and care plans, update and maintain patient records, conduct regular counseling sessions, and monitor the progress of every patient to ensure their health and welfare. They may also provide interventions, train junior psychiatric social workers, and conduct reviews and evaluations on existing care plans.
Behavioral analysts and psychiatric social workers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Behavioral Analyst | Psychiatric Social Worker | |
| Average salary | $69,468 | $59,144 |
| Salary range | Between $42,000 And $112,000 | Between $43,000 And $79,000 |
| Highest paying City | Portland, OR | San Mateo, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | California |
| Best paying company | Therapy Source | Highmark |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Government |
There are a few differences between a behavioral analyst and a psychiatric social worker in terms of educational background:
| Behavioral Analyst | Psychiatric Social Worker | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Master's Degree, 51% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Social Work |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between behavioral analysts' and psychiatric social workers' demographics:
| Behavioral Analyst | Psychiatric Social Worker | |
| Average age | 39 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 38.4% Female, 61.6% | Male, 24.8% Female, 75.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 15.4% Asian, 4.6% White, 63.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% | Black or African American, 19.9% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.3% Asian, 3.3% White, 58.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 13% |