Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between behavioral health technicians and mental health specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a mental health specialist has an average salary of $47,321, 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 mental health specialist are patients, social work, and rehabilitation.
| Behavioral Health Technician | Mental Health Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $34,611 | $47,321 |
| Hourly rate | $16.64 | $22.75 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 99,503 | 131,449 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 50% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Average age | 34 | 45 |
| Years of experience | - | 4 |
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 mental health specialist is responsible for evaluating a patient's mental health condition and develop appropriate treatment plans to help the patients cope up with their mental difficulties. Mental health specialists provide counseling to the patients, listening to their situation, and responding with the utmost consideration. They also create regular progress reports and medical charts to monitor ongoing medication, updating treatment plans as needed. A mental health specialist must have excellent communication and organization skills, helping the patients deal with their mental stress and return to a healthy lifestyle.
Behavioral health technicians and mental health specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Behavioral Health Technician | Mental Health Specialist | |
| Average salary | $34,611 | $47,321 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $47,000 | Between $31,000 And $71,000 |
| Highest paying City | Rochester, NY | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | University of California, Berkeley | Research Foundation For Mental Hygiene Inc |
| Best paying industry | Non Profits | Government |
There are a few differences between a behavioral health technician and a mental health specialist in terms of educational background:
| Behavioral Health Technician | Mental Health Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 50% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | Johns Hopkins University | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between behavioral health technicians' and mental health specialists' demographics:
| Behavioral Health Technician | Mental Health Specialist | |
| Average age | 34 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 36.4% Female, 63.6% | Male, 32.9% Female, 67.1% |
| 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, 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% |