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Behavioral technician education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a behavioral technician. Behavioral technicians usually study psychology, criminal justice, or business. 61% of behavioral technicians hold a bachelor's degree, and 17% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 3,058 real behavioral technician resumes to see exactly what behavioral technician education sections show.
The most common colleges for behavioral technicians are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.
There are also many online behavioral technician courses to help get the education required to be a behavioral technician.
There are certain behavioral technician certifications that you should consider. These behavioral technician certifications include Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) and Emergency Medical Technician (EMT).
What education do you need to become a behavioral technician?
What degree do you need to be a behavioral technician?
- Bachelor's, 61%
- Associate, 17%
- High School Diploma, 9%
- Master's, 8%
- Other Degrees, 5%
What should I major in to become a behavioral technician?
- Psychology, 40%
- Criminal Justice, 7%
- Business, 5%
- Social Work, 5%
- Other Majors, 43%
Most common colleges for behavioral technicians
| Behavioral technician common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Phoenix | 9.58% |
| Missouri State University | 9.58% |
| Western Michigan University | 7.99% |
| University of Wisconsin Colleges | 6.71% |
| California State University - San Bernardino | 6.07% |
Best majors for behavioral technicians
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psychology | 40.4% |
| 2 | Criminal Justice | 7.1% |
| 3 | Business | 5.4% |
| 4 | Social Work | 5.2% |
| 5 | Human Services | 5.0% |
Best colleges for behavioral technicians
The best colleges for behavioral technicians are Johns Hopkins University, Northwestern University, and Duke University.
A behavioral technician with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for behavioral technicians. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become behavioral technicians.
1. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$53,740
Enrollment
5,567
2. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Enrollment
31,503
3. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Enrollment
16,205
4. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
5. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
6. University of Holy Cross
New Orleans, LA • Private
In-state tuition
$14,180
Enrollment
863
7. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
8. San Jose State University
San Jose, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,796
Enrollment
27,125
9. Fairfield University
Fairfield, CT • Private
In-state tuition
$48,350
Enrollment
4,103
10. Coppin State University
Baltimore, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$8,873
Enrollment
2,326
20 best online courses for behavioral technicians
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16. Addiction & Mental Health (Dual Diagnosis) Integrative 12hrs
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18. CBT Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (Human Mind Owner's Manual)
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19. Addiction & Mental Health - Chemically Speaking Two (2hrs)
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20. Simple Solutions for Common Dog Behavior & Training Problems
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Top 10 most affordable universities for behavioral technicians
The most affordable schools for behavioral technicians are Hunter College of the City University of New York, california state university - long beach, and baruch college of the city university of new york.
If the best universities for behavioral technicians are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for behavioral technicians.
1. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
2. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
3. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
4. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
5. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
6. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
7. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
8. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
9. California State University - Fullerton
Fullerton, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,886
Cost of attendance
17,645
10. Minot State University
Minot, ND • Private
In-state tuition
$7,064
Cost of attendance
15,576
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for behavioral technicians
The hardest universities for behavioral technicians to get into are Johns Hopkins University, Northwestern University, and Duke University.
Some great schools for behavioral technicians are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for behavioral technicians based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
2. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
3. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,516
4. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
5. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
6. Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA • Private
Admissions rate
28%
SAT average
1,429
7. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
8. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
9. University of Rochester
Rochester, NY • Private
Admissions rate
29%
SAT average
1,422
10. Case Western Reserve University
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
29%
SAT average
1,443
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for behavioral technicians
The easiest schools for behavioral technicians to get into are Nyack College, notre dame de namur university, and d'youville college.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a behavioral technician without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for behavioral technicians.
1. Nyack College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
999
2. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
3. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,072
4. Bluefield College
Bluefield, VA • Private
Admissions rate
95%
SAT average
980
5. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
6. Ottawa University
Ottawa, KS • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,024
7. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
8. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
9. Curry College
Milton, MA • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,026
10. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
Average behavioral technician salary by education level
| Behavioral technician education level | Behavioral technician salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $36,439 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $33,025 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $33,778 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $33,112 |
Behavioral technician education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common healthcare practitioner and technical questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025