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The differences between behavioral specialists and youth advocates 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 youth advocate takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a behavioral specialist has an average salary of $42,029, which is higher than the $33,924 average annual salary of a youth advocate.
The top three skills for a behavioral specialist include mental health, autism and applied behavior analysis. The most important skills for a youth advocate are mental health, social work, and foster care.
| Behavioral Specialist | Youth Advocate | |
| Yearly salary | $42,029 | $33,924 |
| Hourly rate | $20.21 | $16.31 |
| Growth rate | 12% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 74,968 | 78,437 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Average age | 39 | 42 |
| 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.
Youth advocates are individuals who responsible for maintaining the human rights of youth while assisting them in developing their skills in all areas of life, such as education, health, employment, and relationships. These advocates are required to discuss youth development and involvement with various leaders in the community. They must provide crisis interventions by performing one-on-one and group meetings with young adults. Youth advocates must also work with mental health professionals within the community so that they can guide teenagers with drug or alcohol problems and mental health issues.
Behavioral specialists and youth advocates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Behavioral Specialist | Youth Advocate | |
| Average salary | $42,029 | $33,924 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $61,000 | Between $27,000 And $41,000 |
| Highest paying City | Anchorage, AK | Syracuse, NY |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Barbarian | First Place for Youth |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a behavioral specialist and a youth advocate in terms of educational background:
| Behavioral Specialist | Youth Advocate | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between behavioral specialists' and youth advocates' demographics:
| Behavioral Specialist | Youth Advocate | |
| Average age | 39 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 33.3% Female, 66.7% | Male, 38.6% Female, 61.4% |
| 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, 13.4% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 15.1% Asian, 2.7% White, 63.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 10% |