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The differences between behavioral health specialists and assessment specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a behavioral health specialist and an assessment specialist. Additionally, an assessment specialist has an average salary of $64,402, which is higher than the $44,808 average annual salary of a behavioral health specialist.
The top three skills for a behavioral health specialist include patients, social work and substance abuse. The most important skills for an assessment specialist are social work, patients, and edition.
| Behavioral Health Specialist | Assessment Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $44,808 | $64,402 |
| Hourly rate | $21.54 | $30.96 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 130,222 | 90,625 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Typically working for clinics and learning institutions, a behavioral health specialist is in charge of counseling and treating patients with behavioral issues. Their responsibilities revolve around conducting initial assessment through interview and observation, maintaining records and data, developing treatment plans, and referring patients to other support services when necessary. Moreover, a behavioral health specialist must communicate with the patient's families or guardians, discuss conditions, and provide advice on taking care of them. Aside from treating patients, it is also essential to continuously monitor their behavior while building positive relationships with them.
An assessment specialist is an administrative professional who is responsible for designing and conducting assessment tests for a variety of academic clients. Assessment specialists are required to coordinate and implement the student testing program, which includes assessing an individual child's needs, potentials, and limitations. They must monitor special education or talent and gifted (TAG) staff to ensure that objectives are met. Assessment specialists must also need to know state laws and federal that pertain to educational assessments.
Behavioral health specialists and assessment specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Behavioral Health Specialist | Assessment Specialist | |
| Average salary | $44,808 | $64,402 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $66,000 | Between $47,000 And $86,000 |
| Highest paying City | Anchorage, AK | Trenton, NJ |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Maxim Healthcare Group | Microsoft |
| Best paying industry | Insurance | Technology |
There are a few differences between a behavioral health specialist and an assessment specialist in terms of educational background:
| Behavioral Health Specialist | Assessment Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between behavioral health specialists' and assessment specialists' demographics:
| Behavioral Health Specialist | Assessment Specialist | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 29.2% Female, 70.8% | Male, 31.6% Female, 68.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 3.1% White, 74.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 3.1% White, 74.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 15% | 15% |