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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 | Behavioral Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $42,029 | $33,282 |
| Hourly rate | $20.21 | $16.00 |
| Growth rate | 12% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 74,968 | 45,287 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Average age | 39 | 34 |
| Years of experience | 6 | - |
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.
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 specialists and behavioral technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Behavioral Specialist | Behavioral Technician | |
| Average salary | $42,029 | $33,282 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $61,000 | Between $24,000 And $44,000 |
| Highest paying City | Anchorage, AK | Somerville, MA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Barbarian | Missouri State University |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Education |
There are a few differences between a behavioral specialist and a behavioral technician in terms of educational background:
| Behavioral Specialist | Behavioral Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | Johns Hopkins University |
Here are the differences between behavioral specialists' and behavioral technicians' demographics:
| Behavioral Specialist | Behavioral Technician | |
| Average age | 39 | 34 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 33.3% Female, 66.7% | Male, 32.7% Female, 67.3% |
| Race ratio | Black 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 Percentage | 12% | 15% |