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Behavioral assistant education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a behavioral assistant. Behavioral assistants usually study psychology, criminal justice, or social work. 62% of behavioral assistants hold a bachelor's degree, and 14% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 2,045 real behavioral assistant resumes to see exactly what behavioral assistant education sections show.
The most common colleges for behavioral assistants are the Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey and the Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey.
There are also many online behavioral assistant courses to help get the education required to be a behavioral assistant.
There are certain behavioral assistant certifications that you should consider. These behavioral assistant certifications include Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) and Medical Assistant.
What education do you need to become a behavioral assistant?
What degree do you need to be a behavioral assistant?
- Bachelor's, 62%
- Associate, 14%
- Master's, 14%
- High School Diploma, 5%
- Other Degrees, 5%
What should I major in to become a behavioral assistant?
- Psychology, 36%
- Criminal Justice, 10%
- Social Work, 7%
- Sociology, 5%
- Other Majors, 42%
Most common colleges for behavioral assistants
| Behavioral assistant common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey | 15.91% |
| Kean University | 11.88% |
| Rowan University | 9.03% |
| University of Phoenix | 8.31% |
| William Paterson University of New Jersey | 7.36% |
Best majors for behavioral assistants
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psychology | 36.1% |
| 2 | Criminal Justice | 9.8% |
| 3 | Social Work | 7.2% |
| 4 | Sociology | 5.5% |
| 5 | Business | 4.0% |
Best colleges for behavioral assistants
The best colleges for behavioral assistants are Columbia University in the City of New York, Northwestern University, and Vanderbilt University.
A behavioral assistant with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for behavioral assistants. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become behavioral assistants.
1. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Enrollment
31,503
2. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$9,808
Enrollment
13,990
3. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Enrollment
16,205
4. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Enrollment
13,871
5. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
6. University of Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,207
Enrollment
30,905
7. California State University - Fullerton
Fullerton, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,886
Enrollment
34,637
8. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Enrollment
31,321
9. Howard University
Washington, DC • Private
In-state tuition
$26,756
Enrollment
6,166
10. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$10,610
Enrollment
40,329
20 best online courses for behavioral assistants
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16. Applied Behavioural Analysis(ABA): Application and therapy
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18. Simple Solutions for Common Dog Behavior & Training Problems
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19. CBT and Positive Psychology: Your Journey to Happiness
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20. CBT Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (Human Mind Owner's Manual)
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Top 10 most affordable universities for behavioral assistants
The most affordable schools for behavioral assistants are Hunter College of the City University of New York, california state university - long beach, and california state university - bakersfield.
If the best universities for behavioral assistants are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for behavioral assistants.
1. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
2. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
3. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
4. California State University - Fullerton
Fullerton, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,886
Cost of attendance
17,645
5. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
6. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
7. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
8. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
9. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
10. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for behavioral assistants
The hardest universities for behavioral assistants to get into are Columbia University in the City of New York, Northwestern University, and Vanderbilt University.
Some great schools for behavioral assistants are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for behavioral assistants based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
2. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
3. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
4. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
5. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
6. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
7. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
8. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
9. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,506
10. Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA • Private
Admissions rate
28%
SAT average
1,429
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for behavioral assistants
The easiest schools for behavioral assistants to get into are Mount Saint Mary's University, wayland baptist university, and barry university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a behavioral assistant without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for behavioral assistants.
1. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
2. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
3. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
4. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
5. Ottawa University
Ottawa, KS • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,024
6. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
7. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
8. University of North Texas at Dallas
Dallas, TX • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
992
9. Bluefield College
Bluefield, VA • Private
Admissions rate
95%
SAT average
980
10. Texas Woman's University
Denton, TX • Private
Admissions rate
87%
SAT average
1,059
Average behavioral assistant salary by education level
| Behavioral assistant education level | Behavioral assistant salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $46,791 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $38,334 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $42,992 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $38,574 |
Behavioral assistant education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025