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The differences between behavioral therapists and family therapists 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 therapist, becoming a family therapist takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a family therapist has an average salary of $50,774, which is higher than the $37,881 average annual salary of a behavioral therapist.
The top three skills for a behavioral therapist include autism, social work and behavior analysis. The most important skills for a family therapist are social work, patients, and rehabilitation.
| Behavioral Therapist | Family Therapist | |
| Yearly salary | $37,881 | $50,774 |
| Hourly rate | $18.21 | $24.41 |
| Growth rate | 14% | 14% |
| Number of jobs | 91,976 | 106,982 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Average age | 39 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 4 |
A behavioral therapist is responsible for supporting patients with various developmental disorders and behavioral difficulties. Behavioral therapists conduct counseling to the patients, identifying their personal and social challenges, and administering treatment plans to modify unusual behaviors. They also coordinate with other medical professionals to plan activities and therapy sessions for patients' needs. A behavioral therapist maintains a record of the patients' progress, help them on developing social engagement, and adjust treatment strategies depending on the patients' noticeable changes.
A Family Therapist works with couples and families to help ameliorate marital and family issues. They can work in hospitals, treatment programs, government agencies, health organizations, and private practices.
Behavioral therapists and family therapists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Behavioral Therapist | Family Therapist | |
| Average salary | $37,881 | $50,774 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $51,000 | Between $37,000 And $67,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Rochester, NY |
| Highest paying state | New York | Oregon |
| Best paying company | George C. Grape Community Hospital | Dignity Health |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a behavioral therapist and a family therapist in terms of educational background:
| Behavioral Therapist | Family Therapist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between behavioral therapists' and family therapists' demographics:
| Behavioral Therapist | Family Therapist | |
| Average age | 39 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 23.6% Female, 76.4% | Male, 25.8% Female, 74.2% |
| 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, 7.0% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 13.9% Asian, 4.6% White, 68.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 6% |