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The differences between behavioral specialists and program counselors 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 program counselor takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a program counselor has an average salary of $43,820, which is higher than the $42,029 average annual salary of a behavioral specialist.
The top three skills for a behavioral specialist include mental health, autism and applied behavior analysis. The most important skills for a program counselor are developmental disabilities, patients, and community integration.
| Behavioral Specialist | Program Counselor | |
| Yearly salary | $42,029 | $43,820 |
| Hourly rate | $20.21 | $21.07 |
| Growth rate | 12% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 74,968 | 133,491 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Average age | 39 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 4 |
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 Program Counselor is an essential part of a school's faculty. It's the counselor's responsibility to ensure that students are benefiting from the school's educational curriculum. This person is also tasked to help students resolve issues and problems that may hinder any educational progress. They are also part of the disciplinary team intended to instill good morals, ethics, and decency in students. The Program Counselor is one of the teacher or professor who has expertise or has a high educational degree in a particular subject or field.
Behavioral specialists and program counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Behavioral Specialist | Program Counselor | |
| Average salary | $42,029 | $43,820 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $61,000 | Between $33,000 And $58,000 |
| Highest paying City | Anchorage, AK | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | New York |
| Best paying company | Barbarian | Russell Sage College |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a behavioral specialist and a program counselor in terms of educational background:
| Behavioral Specialist | Program Counselor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between behavioral specialists' and program counselors' demographics:
| Behavioral Specialist | Program Counselor | |
| Average age | 39 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 33.3% Female, 66.7% | Male, 35.9% Female, 64.1% |
| 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, 11.3% Unknown, 5.9% Hispanic or Latino, 12.2% Asian, 3.2% White, 67.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 15% |