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The differences between behavioral health technicians and certified nursing assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a behavioral health technician has an average salary of $34,611, which is higher than the $32,597 average annual salary of a certified nursing assistant.
The top three skills for a behavioral health technician include patients, behavioral health and crisis intervention. The most important skills for a certified nursing assistant are patients, vital signs, and home health.
| Behavioral Health Technician | Certified Nursing Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $34,611 | $32,597 |
| Hourly rate | $16.64 | $15.67 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 99,503 | 225,834 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3.12 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 50% | High School Diploma, 29% |
| Average age | 34 | 42 |
| Years of experience | - | 3 |
A behavioral health technician participates in treating patients with behavioral problems caused by mental health issues. They are primarily responsible for monitoring the behavior of the patient, following the guidelines of treatment from a mental health professional, and regularly reporting any progress or problems. Moreover, a behavioral health technician must also carry out administrative tasks, which include producing reports and assessments, answering inquiries and correspondence, maintaining schedules, and keeping records. Furthermore, it is essential to give emotional support to a patient, providing them with a safe and healthy environment at all times.
A certified nursing assistant generally assists patients in their healthcare needs and medical procedures. They support patients in their daily activities by monitoring patients' temperature and food intake, ensuring the cleanliness of the patient's room, and keeping documentation of patients' conditions for reference of nurses and doctors. A certified nursing assistant should also communicate with patients' families and provide updates as often as needed. It is also important that a nursing assistant is patient and compassionate enough to attend to direct patient needs, which could get demanding or challenging at times.
Behavioral health technicians and certified nursing assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Behavioral Health Technician | Certified Nursing Assistant | |
| Average salary | $34,611 | $32,597 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $47,000 | Between $24,000 And $42,000 |
| Highest paying City | Rochester, NY | Portland, ME |
| Highest paying state | California | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | University of California, Berkeley | Valley Presbyterian Hospital |
| Best paying industry | Non Profits | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a behavioral health technician and a certified nursing assistant in terms of educational background:
| Behavioral Health Technician | Certified Nursing Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 50% | High School Diploma, 29% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Nursing |
| Most common college | Johns Hopkins University | - |
Here are the differences between behavioral health technicians' and certified nursing assistants' demographics:
| Behavioral Health Technician | Certified Nursing Assistant | |
| Average age | 34 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 36.4% Female, 63.6% | Male, 12.3% Female, 87.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 14.3% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 20.1% Asian, 6.4% White, 51.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% | Black or African American, 9.3% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% Asian, 7.8% White, 62.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 15% | 7% |