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How to hire a behavioral interventionist

Behavioral interventionist hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring behavioral interventionists in the United States:

  • There are a total of 26,114 behavioral interventionists in the US, and there are currently 67,059 job openings in this field.
  • The median cost to hire a behavioral interventionist is $1,633.
  • Small businesses spend $1,105 per behavioral interventionist on training each year, while large companies spend $658.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • It takes approximately 12 weeks for a new employee to reach full productivity levels.
  • HR departments typically allocate 15% of their budget towards recruitment efforts.
  • San Jose, CA, has the highest demand for behavioral interventionists, with 2 job openings.

How to hire a behavioral interventionist, step by step

To hire a behavioral interventionist, you need to identify the specific skills and experience you want in a candidate, allocate a budget for the position, and advertise the job opening to attract potential candidates. To hire a behavioral interventionist, you should follow these steps:

Here's a step-by-step behavioral interventionist hiring guide:

  • Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
  • Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
  • Step 3: Make a budget
  • Step 4: Write a behavioral interventionist job description
  • Step 5: Post your job
  • Step 6: Interview candidates
  • Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new behavioral interventionist
  • Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    Before you start hiring a behavioral interventionist, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

    Determine employee vs contractor status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    Hiring the perfect behavioral interventionist also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

    This list presents behavioral interventionist salaries for various positions.

    Type of Behavioral InterventionistDescriptionHourly rate
    Behavioral InterventionistSubstance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors advise people who suffer from alcoholism, drug addiction, eating disorders, or other behavioral problems. They provide treatment and support to help the client recover from addiction or modify problem behaviors.$13-24
    Alcohol And Drug CounselorA drug alcohol counselor treats addicts in either one-on-one or group settings. They help by educating and developing possible treatment plans for patients to support them in coping with their addictive personalities... Show more$14-32
    Substance Abuse CounselorSubstance abuse counselors act as a support system for people with drug and alcohol problems and other behavioral issues. They help the patients control their behavior until they achieve a full recovery... Show more$12-32
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Autism
    • Behavior Analysis
    • ABA
    • Applied Behavior Analysis
    • Autism Spectrum Disorder
    • Behavioral Therapy
    • Mental Health
    • Developmental Disabilities
    • Crisis Intervention
    • Data Collection
    • Behavior Management
    • BCBA
    • CPR
    • IEP
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Implement evidence-base educational and clinical treatment to students with autism spectrum disorders and/or other relate developmental disabilities.
    • Attend monthly clinic meetings to report recent progress to BCBA.
    • Job responsibilities include carrying out clients plan as directed by BCBA.
    • Redirect, reassure student, implement IEP behavioral objectives and assist student in meeting IEP goals.
    • Create program plans and IEP's specific to each individuals needs in order to maximize potential.
    • Carry out appropriate CPI strategies when need to assure the safety of students both inside and outside of the classroom.
    More behavioral interventionist duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in your behavioral interventionist job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A behavioral interventionist salary can vary based on several factors:
    • Location. For example, behavioral interventionists' average salary in nebraska is 35% less than in alaska.
    • Seniority. Entry-level behavioral interventionists earn 43% less than senior-level behavioral interventionists.
    • Certifications. A behavioral interventionist with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
    • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a behavioral interventionist's salary.

    Average behavioral interventionist salary

    $39,259yearly

    $18.87 hourly rate

    Entry-level behavioral interventionist salary
    $29,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 20, 2025

    Average behavioral interventionist salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1Mississippi$44,223$21
    2California$42,383$20
    3Indiana$41,808$20
    4Arizona$41,768$20
    5Rhode Island$40,672$20
    6Maryland$40,118$19
    7Alabama$40,001$19
    8New Mexico$39,880$19
    9Texas$39,001$19
    10Kansas$38,411$18
    11Florida$38,290$18
    12Colorado$37,286$18
    13Tennessee$37,198$18
    14Louisiana$35,700$17
    15Missouri$35,281$17

    Average behavioral interventionist salary by company

  4. Writing a behavioral interventionist job description

    A good behavioral interventionist job description should include a few things:

    • Summary of the role
    • List of responsibilities
    • Required skills and experience

    Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a behavioral interventionist job description:

    Behavioral interventionist job description example

    You’d be best matched to this position if you have a bachelor’s degree in human services, education or psychology and if you have experience in a human service setting serving children or youth. A high school diploma or equivalent is a minimum requirement for this position, as is having a valid driver’s license and excellent driving record. The position requires you to have access to a safe, reliable vehicle that can meets Vermont’s minimum insurance requirements. Daily physical requirements include frequent standing, walking and running, the ability to lift and carry 50 pounds, and to satisfactorily complete specialized physical and verbal de-escalation training provided by WCMHS (this is a condition of employment.)

    We have multiple Behavioral Interventionist openings in several programs in our Children’s Youth and Family Services Division:

    Ch.O.I.C.E. Academy

    BI’s working at ChOICE Academy are focused on serving students in grades 5-12 ages 10-22. Working in small groups you’ll have an opportunity to provide individual support as needed. The emphasis of this position’s duties is meant to help students access their education, build positive relationships and solve problems as issues arise during the program day. ChOICE Academy cross trains all staff in the fields of mental health and education. The position works closely with a multidisciplinary team to help students navigate their school days successfully. There are positions available in both our high school and middle school programs.

    Residential Treatment Programs

    BI’s working in one of our Residential Treatment programs are focused on helping our youth work on their mental health, academic, and life goals. The residential treatment programs are dedicated to youth in emotional, social and physical need who desire to grow, heal and improve their lives. We are committed to their self-betterment, and support youth in their daily lives through structure, process, and nurture. Our team of celebrated staff strives to create a therapeutic home environment in which these youth may thrive and ultimately lead independent, successful and healthy lives.

    School Based Services

    BI’s working as part of our School Based Services Teams are focused on helping our youth build appropriate social, emotional and behavioral strategies within their school and community settings. This is done in collaboration with mental health and educational providers by implementing a behavioral support plan focused on improving emotional regulation and building positive connections. The BI Provides direct supervision to enrolled children or youth within a school setting and serves as an integral member of the youth’s educational team. In additional to Implementing behavioral programming School Based BI’s provide counseling in social, recreational and daily living skills in school and community-based settings.

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  5. Post your job

    There are various strategies that you can use to find the right behavioral interventionist for your business:

    • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
    • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
    • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
    • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.
    Post your job online:
    • Post your behavioral interventionist job on Zippia to find and recruit behavioral interventionist candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    Your first interview with behavioral interventionist candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

    You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

    The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

  7. Send a job offer and onboard your new behavioral interventionist

    Once you've selected the best behavioral interventionist candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

    It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

    To prepare for the new behavioral interventionist first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

  8. Go through the hiring process checklist

    • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
    • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
    • Define job responsibilities and requirements
    • Establish budget and timeline
    • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
    • Write job description
    • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
    • Promote the job internally
    • Process applications through applicant tracking system
    • Review resumes and cover letters
    • Shortlist candidates for screening
    • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
    • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
    • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
    • Conduct background checks on top candidates
    • Check references of top candidates
    • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
    • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
    • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
    • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
    • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
    • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)
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How much does it cost to hire a behavioral interventionist?

Hiring a behavioral interventionist comes with both the one-time cost per hire and ongoing costs. The cost of recruiting behavioral interventionists involves promoting the job and spending time conducting interviews. Ongoing costs include employee salary, training, benefits, insurance, and equipment. It is essential to consider the cost of behavioral interventionist recruiting as well the ongoing costs of maintaining the new employee.

The median annual salary for behavioral interventionists is $39,259 in the US. However, the cost of behavioral interventionist hiring can vary a lot depending on location. Additionally, hiring a behavioral interventionist for contract work or on a per-project basis typically costs between $13 and $24 an hour.

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