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The differences between child and family therapists and aba therapists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a child and family therapist and an aba therapist. Additionally, a child and family therapist has an average salary of $55,339, which is higher than the $35,938 average annual salary of an aba therapist.
The top three skills for a child and family therapist include social work, diagnosis and mental health. The most important skills for an aba therapist are autism, applied behavior analysis, and BCBA.
| Child And Family Therapist | ABA Therapist | |
| Yearly salary | $55,339 | $35,938 |
| Hourly rate | $26.61 | $17.28 |
| Growth rate | 14% | 14% |
| Number of jobs | 120,152 | 90,516 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Master's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Child and family therapists are therapists who specialize in treating traumatized children due to neglect or abuse. They always formulate various techniques and activities to treat their patients and help improve the affected family's quality of living while maintaining confidentiality and following HIPAA laws and agency policies and procedures. During treatment, they monitor the progress of their patients and adjust the treatment accordingly. They also train youth counselors to maintain open communication with their families to know the cause and resolve problems faster.
An ABA therapist is responsible for administering treatment plans to patients with behavioral disabilities and intellectual disorders, supporting them through systematic processes, and recording their developmental progress throughout therapy sessions. ABA therapists develop engaging activities for the children, observing their personal and social behaviors, and adjust approach as needed. They also coordinate with other behavior therapists and other medical health professionals for refined strategies that adhere to the child's progress. An ABA therapist must have excellent communication and organizational skills to assist patients with different behavioral problems and attend to their needs efficiently.
Child and family therapists and aba therapists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Child And Family Therapist | ABA Therapist | |
| Average salary | $55,339 | $35,938 |
| Salary range | Between $37,000 And $81,000 | Between $27,000 And $47,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Rafael, CA | Jersey City, NJ |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Everymind (formerly Mental Health Association Of Montgomery County) | Cook Children's Medical Center |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Education |
There are a few differences between a child and family therapist and an aba therapist in terms of educational background:
| Child And Family Therapist | ABA Therapist | |
| Most common degree | Master's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between child and family therapists' and aba therapists' demographics:
| Child And Family Therapist | ABA Therapist | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 19.2% Female, 80.8% | Male, 15.4% Female, 84.6% |
| Race ratio | 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% | 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 | 6% | 6% |