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Behavioral specialist vs behavioral technician

The differences between behavioral specialists and behavioral technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a behavioral specialist has an average salary of $42,029, which is higher than the $33,282 average annual salary of a behavioral technician.

The top three skills for a behavioral specialist include mental health, autism and applied behavior analysis. The most important skills for a behavioral technician are autism, applied behavior analysis, and behavior analysis.

Behavioral specialist vs behavioral technician overview

Behavioral SpecialistBehavioral Technician
Yearly salary$42,029$33,282
Hourly rate$20.21$16.00
Growth rate12%9%
Number of jobs74,96845,287
Job satisfaction-5
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 59%Bachelor's Degree, 61%
Average age3934
Years of experience6-

What does a behavioral specialist do?

A behavioral specialist is a psychological expert providing guidance and counseling to people who have behavioral issues affecting their abilities to learn and socialize with other people. Behavioral specialists assess the level of patients' behavior and make treatment plans to help them cope. They monitor the patient's progress and keep treatment reports, improving or adjusting treatment plans as needed. They also communicate with the patients' family and friends for treatment support, as well as coordinate with other health professionals for additional assistance.

What does a behavioral technician do?

A behavioral technician is responsible for supporting patients to overcome their behavior problems and difficulties. Behavioral technicians evaluate the patient's condition through counseling and administer behavioral treatment plans according to the patients' needs. They also coordinate with other physicians and mental health professionals for medications and more serious medical support as needed. A behavioral technician assists the patients in their daily activities, observe their social and personal behaviors, write progress reports, and develop engaging activities that would help them bring back a healthy lifestyle and growth.

Behavioral specialist vs behavioral technician salary

Behavioral specialists and behavioral technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

Behavioral SpecialistBehavioral Technician
Average salary$42,029$33,282
Salary rangeBetween $28,000 And $61,000Between $24,000 And $44,000
Highest paying CityAnchorage, AKSomerville, MA
Highest paying stateAlaskaMassachusetts
Best paying companyBarbarianMissouri State University
Best paying industryProfessionalEducation

Differences between behavioral specialist and behavioral technician education

There are a few differences between a behavioral specialist and a behavioral technician in terms of educational background:

Behavioral SpecialistBehavioral Technician
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 59%Bachelor's Degree, 61%
Most common majorPsychologyPsychology
Most common collegeCalifornia State University - Long BeachJohns Hopkins University

Behavioral specialist vs behavioral technician demographics

Here are the differences between behavioral specialists' and behavioral technicians' demographics:

Behavioral SpecialistBehavioral Technician
Average age3934
Gender ratioMale, 33.3% Female, 66.7%Male, 32.7% Female, 67.3%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 15.4% Asian, 4.6% White, 63.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%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%
LGBT Percentage12%15%

Differences between behavioral specialist and behavioral technician duties and responsibilities

Behavioral specialist example responsibilities.

  • Observe patients and strategically prepare and manage clinical analysis of individuals and their progress in conjunction with formulate behavior goals.
  • Implement a CPR training program for 20 staff serving 50 clients with mental illness.
  • Guide student achievement according to district's math content standards, utilizing identify needs information.
  • Assist children with autism or other developmental disabilities with activities and therapeutic socialization to improve social skills and academic performance.
  • Attend ETR meetings and provide input on students.
  • Sanitize toys and play equipment each day to maintain safety and cleanliness.
  • Show more

Behavioral technician example responsibilities.

  • Manage the behavior of students using the CPI training skills when necessary.
  • Train in CPR and restraint techniques, as well as behavioral training to detect the precursors to behavioral issues.
  • Experience with individuals of all ages affect by autism and other behavioral, developmental or communication disorders
  • Implement behavioral support plans provide and produce by apply behavior analysts for individual consumers diagnose with autism spectrum disorder.
  • Facilitate psycho-social education groups with interventions used but not limit to motivational interviewing, mental rehabilitation and think processes.
  • Provide observation, documentation and communication of patient behavioral and verbal responses /reactions between patients and between patients and staff.
  • Show more

Behavioral specialist vs behavioral technician skills

Common behavioral specialist skills
  • Mental Health, 10%
  • Autism, 10%
  • Applied Behavior Analysis, 7%
  • Crisis Intervention, 7%
  • Rehabilitation, 6%
  • Social Work, 6%
Common behavioral technician skills
  • Autism, 18%
  • Applied Behavior Analysis, 13%
  • Behavior Analysis, 12%
  • CPR, 7%
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder, 5%
  • Patients, 4%

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