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The differences between behavioral specialists and youth care 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 youth care specialist takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a behavioral specialist has an average salary of $42,029, which is higher than the $38,955 average annual salary of a youth care specialist.
The top three skills for a behavioral specialist include mental health, autism and applied behavior analysis. The most important skills for a youth care specialist are customer service, patients, and CPR.
| Behavioral Specialist | Youth Care Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $42,029 | $38,955 |
| Hourly rate | $20.21 | $18.73 |
| Growth rate | 12% | 12% |
| Number of jobs | 74,968 | 133,042 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 55% |
| 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.
Youth care specialists are social experts who coordinate programs for children and young people who need care while being away from their own families for some reason. These specialists are required to maintain a safe environment in the community so that children will feel safe, cared for, and nurture. They must lead various seminars for youths about topics such as job readiness, financial literacy, and higher education. They must also communicate the concerns and other important information to a child's assigned social worker and provide back-up support to case managers if needed.
Behavioral specialists and youth care specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Behavioral Specialist | Youth Care Specialist | |
| Average salary | $42,029 | $38,955 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $61,000 | Between $24,000 And $62,000 |
| Highest paying City | Anchorage, AK | Annapolis, MD |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Maryland |
| Best paying company | Barbarian | Delaware State Government |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Government |
There are a few differences between a behavioral specialist and a youth care specialist in terms of educational background:
| Behavioral Specialist | Youth Care Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 55% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | SUNY at Binghamton |
Here are the differences between behavioral specialists' and youth care specialists' demographics:
| Behavioral Specialist | Youth Care Specialist | |
| Average age | 39 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 33.3% Female, 66.7% | Male, 37.4% Female, 62.6% |
| 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, 10.4% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 6.0% White, 60.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 11% |