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The differences between behavioral specialists and living specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a behavioral specialist, becoming a living specialist takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a behavioral specialist has an average salary of $42,029, which is higher than the $36,759 average annual salary of a living specialist.
The top three skills for a behavioral specialist include mental health, autism and applied behavior analysis. The most important skills for a living specialist are independent living, community resources, and autism.
| Behavioral Specialist | Living Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $42,029 | $36,759 |
| Hourly rate | $20.21 | $17.67 |
| Growth rate | 12% | 12% |
| Number of jobs | 74,968 | 49,916 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 54% |
| Average age | 39 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 12 |
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 living specialist is a person who is responsible for assisting and guiding individuals that have difficulties caring for themselves. They are the person who helps them in doing household chores and guiding them throughout the cleaning process. This career is an important position in society because it provides care for those who are in need.
Behavioral specialists and living specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Behavioral Specialist | Living Specialist | |
| Average salary | $42,029 | $36,759 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $61,000 | Between $28,000 And $47,000 |
| Highest paying City | Anchorage, AK | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | New York |
| Best paying company | Barbarian | Terros Health |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Non Profits |
There are a few differences between a behavioral specialist and a living specialist in terms of educational background:
| Behavioral Specialist | Living Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 54% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | SUNY at Binghamton |
Here are the differences between behavioral specialists' and living specialists' demographics:
| Behavioral Specialist | Living Specialist | |
| Average age | 39 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 33.3% Female, 66.7% | Male, 29.5% Female, 70.5% |
| 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, 10.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 16.1% Asian, 6.8% White, 60.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 11% |