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What is a developmental technician and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a developmental technician. For example, did you know that they make an average of $14.99 an hour? That's $31,175 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 9% and produce 12,500 job opportunities across the U.S.
ScoreDevelopmental TechnicianUS Average
Salary
2.4

Avg. Salary $31,175

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
10.0

Growth rate 9%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
3.4
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.13%

Asian 6.43%

Black or African American 14.26%

Hispanic or Latino 20.09%

Unknown 6.17%

White 51.91%

Gender

female 72.45%

male 27.55%

Age - 30
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 30
Stress level
10.0

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
6.7

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance
5.9

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Developmental technician career paths

Key steps to become a developmental technician

  1. Explore developmental technician education requirements

    Most common developmental technician degrees

    Bachelor's

    33.5 %

    High School Diploma

    29.5 %

    Associate

    19.6 %
  2. Start to develop specific developmental technician skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Developmental Disabilities15.88%
    Direct Care12.96%
    Autism9.11%
    Food Preparation8.97%
    Behavioral Training8.24%
  3. Complete relevant developmental technician training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New developmental technicians learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a developmental technician based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real developmental technician resumes.
  4. Research developmental technician duties and responsibilities

    • Manage the behavior of students using the CPI training skills when necessary.
    • Assist individuals with their ADL's yet allowing and encouraging independence.
    • Develop, plan, and run vocational and safety goals for individuals.
    • Assist with ADL's, supervise meals, activities daily, provide a safe and structure environment.
  5. Prepare your developmental technician resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your developmental technician resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a developmental technician resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable developmental technician resume templates

    Build a professional developmental technician resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your developmental technician resume.
    Developmental Technician Resume
    Developmental Technician Resume
    Developmental Technician Resume
    Developmental Technician Resume
    Developmental Technician Resume
    Developmental Technician Resume
    Developmental Technician Resume
    Developmental Technician Resume
    Developmental Technician Resume
  6. Apply for developmental technician jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a developmental technician job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first developmental technician job

Zippi

Are you a developmental technician?

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Average developmental technician salary

The average developmental technician salary in the United States is $31,175 per year or $15 per hour. Developmental technician salaries range between $24,000 and $39,000 per year.

Average developmental technician salary
$31,175 Yearly
$14.99 hourly

What am I worth?

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How do developmental technicians rate their job?

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Developmental technician reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2022
Cons

Nothing


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2019
Pros

Working as a Direct Care Professional, * I like most helping others with different disabilities. * I like most seeing each individual achieve their highest level of achievement. * I like most listing and learning different things from each individual. * I like most hearing the individuals say when they TRUST you, “ hey momma “ * I like most seeing each individual including staff happy; however, if not working together as a team in a positive way to improve the current situation to create a happier and healthier work environment.

Cons

Working as a Direct Care Professional, * I don’t like when individuals come to work just for a paycheck. * I don’t like when Individuals can’t be trusted. * I do not like when individuals are not honest * I do not like conflict, confusion, animosity


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Jun 2019
Pros

My clients are awesome

Cons

My company is more worried about filling beds and money than any of the clients


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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