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The differences between behavioral health technicians and clinical therapists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a clinical therapist has an average salary of $57,864, which is higher than the $34,611 average annual salary of a behavioral health technician.
The top three skills for a behavioral health technician include patients, behavioral health and crisis intervention. The most important skills for a clinical therapist are social work, patients, and crisis intervention.
| Behavioral Health Technician | Clinical Therapist | |
| Yearly salary | $34,611 | $57,864 |
| Hourly rate | $16.64 | $27.82 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 99,503 | 136,898 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 50% | Master's Degree, 51% |
| Average age | 34 | 41 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
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 Clinical Therapist works with patients to help identify, examine, and treat mental health and emotional issues or disorders. They counsel individuals or groups regarding psychological or emotional problems, as well as observe clients to detect indications of abnormal physical or mental behavior.
Behavioral health technicians and clinical therapists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Behavioral Health Technician | Clinical Therapist | |
| Average salary | $34,611 | $57,864 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $47,000 | Between $42,000 And $77,000 |
| Highest paying City | Rochester, NY | Los Angeles, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | University of California, Berkeley | CVS Health |
| Best paying industry | Non Profits | Government |
There are a few differences between a behavioral health technician and a clinical therapist in terms of educational background:
| Behavioral Health Technician | Clinical Therapist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 50% | Master's Degree, 51% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Social Work |
| Most common college | Johns Hopkins University | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between behavioral health technicians' and clinical therapists' demographics:
| Behavioral Health Technician | Clinical Therapist | |
| Average age | 34 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 36.4% Female, 63.6% | Male, 23.4% Female, 76.6% |
| 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, 4.0% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 11.2% White, 72.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 15% | 12% |