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The differences between behavioral technicians and clinical therapists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a clinical therapist has an average salary of $57,864, which is higher than the $33,282 average annual salary of a behavioral technician.
The top three skills for a behavioral technician include autism, applied behavior analysis and behavior analysis. The most important skills for a clinical therapist are social work, patients, and crisis intervention.
| Behavioral Technician | Clinical Therapist | |
| Yearly salary | $33,282 | $57,864 |
| Hourly rate | $16.00 | $27.82 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 45,287 | 136,898 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Master's Degree, 51% |
| Average age | 34 | 41 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
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.
A Clinical Therapist works with patients to help identify, examine, and treat mental health and emotional issues or disorders. They counsel individuals or groups regarding psychological or emotional problems, as well as observe clients to detect indications of abnormal physical or mental behavior.
Behavioral technicians and clinical therapists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Behavioral Technician | Clinical Therapist | |
| Average salary | $33,282 | $57,864 |
| Salary range | Between $24,000 And $44,000 | Between $42,000 And $77,000 |
| Highest paying City | Somerville, MA | Los Angeles, CA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | California |
| Best paying company | Missouri State University | CVS Health |
| Best paying industry | Education | Government |
There are a few differences between a behavioral technician and a clinical therapist in terms of educational background:
| Behavioral Technician | Clinical Therapist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Master's Degree, 51% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Social Work |
| Most common college | Johns Hopkins University | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between behavioral technicians' and clinical therapists' demographics:
| Behavioral Technician | Clinical Therapist | |
| Average age | 34 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 32.7% Female, 67.3% | Male, 23.4% Female, 76.6% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 4.0% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 11.2% White, 72.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 15% | 12% |