Behavioral therapist demographics and statistics in the US
Behavioral therapist demographics research summary. Zippia estimates behavioral therapist demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our behavioral therapist estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about behavioral therapists after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 34,587 behavioral therapists currently employed in the United States.
- 76.4% of all behavioral therapists are women, while 23.6% are men.
- The average behavioral therapist age is 39 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of behavioral therapists is White (63.2%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (15.4%), Black or African American (11.4%) and Unknown (4.6%).
- Behavioral therapists are most in-demand in Little Rock, AR.
- New York, NY pays an annual average wage of $44,529, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women behavioral therapists earned 101% of what men earned.
- Pennsylvania is the best state for behavioral therapists to live.
- Behavioral therapists are 74% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to education companies.
On this page
Behavioral therapist demographics by:
Behavioral therapist gender statistics
76.4% of behavioral therapists are women and 23.6% of behavioral therapists are men.
- Female, 76.4%
- Male, 23.6%
Behavioral therapist gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 76.4% |
| Male | 23.6% |
Behavioral therapist gender pay gap
Women earn $1.01 for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$34,442
Female income
$34,886
Behavioral therapist gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in behavioral therapist positions over time. Currently, 76.4% of behavioral therapists are female.
Behavioral therapist gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 26.95% | 73.05% |
| 2011 | 25.53% | 74.47% |
| 2012 | 25.34% | 74.66% |
| 2013 | 25.14% | 74.86% |
| 2014 | 24.27% | 75.73% |
| 2015 | 24.34% | 75.66% |
| 2016 | 23.37% | 76.63% |
| 2017 | 22.74% | 77.26% |
| 2018 | 25.85% | 74.15% |
| 2019 | 23.63% | 76.37% |
| 2020 | 24.76% | 75.24% |
| 2021 | 23.58% | 76.42% |
Behavioral therapist related jobs gender ratio
We compared behavioral therapists with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, public health worker and rehabilitation engineer have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Breastfeeding Educator | 2% | 98% |
| Certified Lactation Counselor | 3% | 97% |
| Lactation Specialist | 5% | 95% |
| Behavioral Therapist | 24% | 76% |
| Donation Worker | 70% | 30% |
| Rehabilitation Engineer | 70% | 30% |
| Public Health Worker | 81% | 19% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Behavioral therapist demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among behavioral therapists is White, which makes up 63.2% of all behavioral therapists. Comparatively, 15.4% of behavioral therapists are Hispanic or Latino and 11.4% of behavioral therapists are Black or African American.
- White, 63.2%
- Hispanic or Latino, 15.4%
- Black or African American, 11.4%
- Unknown, 4.6%
- Asian, 4.6%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
Behavioral therapist race
| Behavioral therapist race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 63.2% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 15.4% |
| Black or African American | 11.4% |
| Unknown | 4.6% |
| Asian | 4.6% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.8% |
Behavioral therapist race and ethnicity over time
See how behavioral therapist racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Behavioral therapist race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 70.45% | 15.69% | 2.72% | 8.31% |
| 2011 | 69.57% | 15.56% | 2.82% | 8.79% |
| 2012 | 68.76% | 15.46% | 2.62% | 9.65% |
| 2013 | 69.18% | 15.73% | 2.66% | 9.33% |
| 2014 | 68.78% | 15.39% | 2.79% | 9.76% |
| 2015 | 69.46% | 14.13% | 3.09% | 10.11% |
| 2016 | 68.87% | 14.04% | 2.98% | 10.56% |
| 2017 | 69.66% | 14.06% | 2.85% | 10.41% |
| 2018 | 65.94% | 14.41% | 3.75% | 11.65% |
| 2019 | 64.53% | 13.07% | 4.01% | 14.60% |
| 2020 | 64.98% | 13.64% | 3.66% | 11.40% |
| 2021 | 63.21% | 11.43% | 4.56% | 15.39% |
Behavioral therapist wage gap by race
According to our data, hispanic or latino behavioral therapists have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american behavioral therapists have the lowest average salary at $32,603.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $35,000 |
| White | $33,850 |
| Black or African American | $32,603 |
| Asian | $35,029 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $35,820 |
Average behavioral therapist age
See how the average age of behavioral therapists varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Behavioral therapist age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 37 | 36.5 |
| White | 41 | 36 |
| Black or African American | 42 | 42 |
| Asian | 32 | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 44 | 31 |
Behavioral therapist age breakdown
The average age of behavioral therapists is 40+ years years old, representing 43% of the behavioral therapist population.
Behavioral therapist age breakdown
| Behavioral Therapist Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 43% |
| 30-40 years | 34% |
| 20-30 years | 23% |
Behavioral therapist educational attainment
The most common degree for behavioral therapists is bachelor's degree, with 70% of behavioral therapists earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 15% and master's degree degree at 11%.
- Bachelor's, 70%
- Master's, 15%
- Associate, 11%
- High School Diploma, 3%
- Other Degrees, 1%
Behavioral therapists by degree level
| Behavioral therapist degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 70% |
| Master's | 15% |
| Associate | 11% |
| High School Diploma | 3% |
| Other Degrees | 1% |
Behavioral therapist jobs you might like
Behavioral therapist wage gap by degree level
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $42,573 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $35,450 |
Behavioral therapist employment statistics
Most behavioral therapists work for a private in the health care industry.
Company size where behavioral therapists work
Below, you can see the size of companies where behavioral therapists work.
Behavioral therapist jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 6% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 25% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 37% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 9% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 17% |
| > 10,000 employees | 5% |
Behavioral therapist jobs by company type
Employees with the behavioral therapist job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most behavioral therapists prefer to work at private companies over education companies.
Behavioral therapist jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 19% |
| Public | 3% |
| Private | 74% |
| Government | 4% |
Behavioral therapist jobs by industry
The most common industries for behavioral therapists are health care, professional and education.
Behavioral therapist industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Health Care | 37% |
| Professional | 15% |
| Education | 15% |
| Non Profits | 8% |
| Technology | 4% |
| Retail | 3% |
| Government | 3% |
| Media | 2% |
| Start-up | 2% |
| Hospitality | 2% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Manufacturing | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
Behavioral therapist turnover and employment statistics
Behavioral therapist unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for behavioral therapists between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Behavioral therapist unemployment rate by year
| Year | Behavioral therapist unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 5.18% |
| 2011 | 5.42% |
| 2012 | 4.84% |
| 2013 | 4.91% |
| 2014 | 3.67% |
| 2015 | 3.13% |
| 2016 | 3.01% |
| 2017 | 2.42% |
| 2018 | 3.06% |
| 2019 | 2.95% |
| 2020 | 4.12% |
| 2021 | 3.51% |
Average behavioral therapist tenure
The average behavioral therapist stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 6,149 behavioral therapists resumes in Zippia's database.
Behavioral therapist tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 29% |
| 1-2 years | 32% |
| 3-4 years | 14% |
| 5-7 years | 18% |
| 8-10 years | 4% |
| 11+ years | 3% |
Behavioral therapist LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of behavioral therapists that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| HIV Counselor | 8.96% | 34,058 |
| Parole Director | 9.50% | 4,577 |
| Social Insurance Analyst | 11.25% | 60,694 |
| Targeted Case Manager | 11.48% | 78,607 |
| Behavioral Therapist | 12.13% | - |
| Intensive In-Home Counselor | 15.06% | 122,300 |
| Mental Health Clinician | 15.06% | 91,347 |
Similar behavioral therapist jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| HIV Counselor | 8.96% | 34,058 |
| Parole Director | 9.50% | 4,577 |
| Social Insurance Analyst | 11.25% | 60,694 |
| Targeted Case Manager | 11.48% | 78,607 |
| Intensive In-Home Counselor | 15.06% | 122,300 |
| Mental Health Clinician | 15.06% | 91,347 |
Foreign languages spoken by behavioral therapists
The most common foreign language among behavioral therapists is Spanish at 66.7%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 4.8% and Vietnamese is the third-most popular at 2.6%.
- Spanish, 66.7%
- French, 4.8%
- Vietnamese, 2.6%
- German, 2.4%
- Russian, 2.2%
- Other, 21.3%
Behavioral therapist languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 66.7% |
| French | 4.8% |
| Vietnamese | 2.6% |
| German | 2.4% |
| Russian | 2.2% |
| Other | 21.3% |
