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The differences between behavioral therapists and psychiatric social workers 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 psychiatric social worker takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a psychiatric social worker has an average salary of $59,144, 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 psychiatric social worker are social work, patients, and crisis intervention.
| Behavioral Therapist | Psychiatric Social Worker | |
| Yearly salary | $37,881 | $59,144 |
| Hourly rate | $18.21 | $28.43 |
| Growth rate | 14% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 91,976 | 57,284 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Master's Degree, 51% |
| Average age | 39 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 2 |
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 psychiatric social worker specializes in providing mental health treatments and other services to patients and their families, referring them to other agencies and programs as needed. They conduct assessments and interviews to determine the condition of patients, devise specific treatment and care plans, update and maintain patient records, conduct regular counseling sessions, and monitor the progress of every patient to ensure their health and welfare. They may also provide interventions, train junior psychiatric social workers, and conduct reviews and evaluations on existing care plans.
Behavioral therapists and psychiatric social workers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Behavioral Therapist | Psychiatric Social Worker | |
| Average salary | $37,881 | $59,144 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $51,000 | Between $43,000 And $79,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | San Mateo, CA |
| Highest paying state | New York | California |
| Best paying company | George C. Grape Community Hospital | Highmark |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Government |
There are a few differences between a behavioral therapist and a psychiatric social worker in terms of educational background:
| Behavioral Therapist | Psychiatric Social Worker | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Master's Degree, 51% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Social Work |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between behavioral therapists' and psychiatric social workers' demographics:
| Behavioral Therapist | Psychiatric Social Worker | |
| Average age | 39 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 23.6% Female, 76.4% | Male, 24.8% Female, 75.2% |
| 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, 19.9% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.3% Asian, 3.3% White, 58.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 13% |