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Job outlook for habilitation specialists in the United States
Habilitation specialist job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected habilitation specialist job growth rate is 12% from 2018-2028.
About 52,400 new jobs for habilitation specialists are projected over the next decade.
Habilitation specialist salaries have increased 13% for habilitation specialists in the last 5 years.
There are over 3,635 habilitation specialists currently employed in the United States.
There are 82,124 active habilitation specialist job openings in the US.
The average habilitation specialist salary is $34,597.
Are habilitation specialist jobs in demand?
Habilitation specialist job and salary trends over time
Habilitation specialist jobs over time
Habilitation specialist job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3,635 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 3,614 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 1,906 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 12,402 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 11,493 | 0.00% |
Average habilitation specialist salary over time
Habilitation specialist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $34,597 | $16.63 | +2.6% |
| 2024 | $33,732 | $16.22 | +3.9% |
| 2023 | $32,471 | $15.61 | +1.9% |
| 2022 | $31,865 | $15.32 | +4.1% |
| 2021 | $30,605 | $14.71 | +3.2% |
Habilitation specialist jobs by state
Most common states for habilitation specialists
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Delaware | 961,939 | 156 | 16% |
| 2 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 106 | 15% |
| 3 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 982 | 14% |
| 4 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 751 | 13% |
| 5 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 402 | 13% |
| 6 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 84 | 11% |
| 7 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 667 | 10% |
| 8 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 538 | 9% |
| 9 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 174 | 9% |
| 10 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 119 | 9% |
| 11 | Alaska | 739,795 | 67 | 9% |
| 12 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 52 | 9% |
| 13 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 1,034 | 8% |
| 14 | West Virginia | 1,815,857 | 150 | 8% |
| 15 | New York | 19,849,399 | 1,483 | 7% |
| 16 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 608 | 7% |
| 17 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 561 | 7% |
| 18 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 422 | 7% |
| 19 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 211 | 7% |
| 20 | Vermont | 623,657 | 41 | 7% |
Habilitation Specialist job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of habilitation specialist experts
Adelphi University
Husson University
University of Arkansas at Little Rock
Hope College
Brown University
Brenau University
East Tennessee State University
University of Oregon
Rowan University
North Carolina Central University
Forsyth County, Georgia
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Vanguard University
Elsa Drevyn PT, DPT
Clinical Assistant Professor and Director of Clinical Education and Vice Chair for Clinical EducationWhat general advice would you give to a Habilitation Specialist?
Elsa Drevyn PT, DPT: It brings a lot of satisfaction to help someone recover or achieve the greatest potential that they possibly can after an injury, accident, illness, etc. This profession probably offers more flexibility than many as far as job sharing, hours, settings, etc. There is also flexibility in the types of settings that we can work in and the opportunity to change settings throughout our careers. We deal with a lot of emotional situations, patients in pain and distressed, that does take a toll. There is pressure from administrators for increased productivity and that also gets taxing.
What Habilitation Specialist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Elsa Drevyn PT, DPT: This would totally depend on the setting. Generally speaking, in an acute setting, the PT would be working on early mobilization of the patient to prevent complications from prolonged positioning. If the patient is stable, the PT would most likely be working on bed mobility, transfers, gait training, exercises, while at the same time monitoring the pt’s reaction to the intervention. In an inpatient rehabilitation setting, the PT would be working with the patient for close to an hour or so, two times per day to help them achieve the highest level of function possible. In an OP setting, the PT would be working on the specific issue/impairment, to help the patient attain ROM, strength, function, decrease pain, etc.
What will help Habilitation Specialists increase their earning potential?
Elsa Drevyn PT, DPT: There is increased awareness of what we do and how we can assist an individual. There is also increased autonomy and the push for even more autonomy. There is high demand in the different settings and salaries have improved over the years.
Errol Rodriguez Ph.D., MAC, CRC
Assistant Dean & Program Director, Master's programs in General Psychology and Mental Health CounselingAdelphi University
Mental And Social Health Services And Allied Professions
What Habilitation Specialist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Errol Rodriguez Ph.D., MAC, CRC: Given the complexities of the world today, emerging counseling professionals must be flexible in their treatment approach, inclusive in their understanding of diverse cultures and sub-cultures, and mature professionally through humility, self-reflection, and self-care.
What will help Habilitation Specialists increase their earning potential?
Emily Yowell Ph.D.: Psychologists should be aware of what others in their field are making for similar positions. It is important to ask for what your work is worth in an initial position to assure raises are based on a solid starting salary. Newer psychologists may also consider asking for an early review that prompts an early conversation around potential raises, bonus, or other job benefits.
What soft skills should all Habilitation Specialists possess?
Chad Howland: As outlined previously, a rehabilitation specialist needs to be an active listener and form a partnership with their patient/client. Expanding upon this point, they need to be effective communicators with other healthcare professionals. Establishing trust between various stakeholders is essential.
Dr. Raymond Ortega Ph.D.
Associate ProfessorUniversity of Arkansas at Little Rock
Rehabilitation Counseling Program
What skills stand out on Habilitation Specialist resumes?
Dr. Raymond Ortega Ph.D.: The job market for rehabilitation counselors has changed substantially over the years. Initially, it was limited to public sector agencies but now includes several private and non-profit opportunities. As a result, the requisite skillset has also increased. The essential skills that "stand out" include knowledge of career and occupational standards and requirements, legal and regulatory standards, physical and psychological disability, and counseling skills.
What skills will help Habilitation Specialists earn the most?
Dr. Raymond Ortega Ph.D.: Specialization in Life Care Planning, Psychiatric Rehabilitation, or Worker's Compensation.
What skills stand out on Habilitation Specialist resumes?
Dawn DeWitt-Brinks: When I look at a resume, I am not just looking for a list of skills. I am looking for the application of skills. I am looking for internship experiences or past job experiences that demonstrate hard and soft skill development and application. I believe that the best predictor of future performance is past performance. If you want to be a Communication Skills Instructor, I would recommend starting as an intern - which will help build your skillset under the guidance of someone already working in the profession.
What soft skills should all Habilitation Specialists possess?
Dawn DeWitt-Brinks: The most important soft skill that a Communication Skills Instructor can possess is the skill of coaching. A Communication Skills Instructor is basically a skills coach. You need to walk alongside your students/clients to help them grow their communication skill set. You need to be able to assess where their skills are currently, set a plan in place, and put that plan into action - while encouraging your student/client every step of the way.
J. Brian Atwood
Visiting Scholar in International and Public AffairsBrown University
International and Public Affairs
What soft skills should all Habilitation Specialists possess?
J. Brian Atwood: The most important "soft" skills are empathy, listening carefully, and interpreting what is presented accurately.
What skills will help Habilitation Specialists earn the most?
J. Brian Atwood: Focusing on the job at hand and doing it as well as one can. Money should never be the most important motivator. Do the job well, and you will be well compensated.
Dr. Robert Cantu
Associate ProfessorBrenau University
Physical therapy Department
What soft skills should all Habilitation Specialists possess?
Dr. Robert Cantu: People skills: For the workgroup: ability and willingness to work in groups and manage conflict. Flexibility: Willingness to occasionally work late or come in early to accommodate the patient load. Team player attitude. Willingness to play their assigned part on the team. Strong commitment and discipline for timely completion of tasks such as daily paperwork. This shows "discipline in the drudgery," which is critical for the smooth operation of the clinic and results in better customer service.
People skills: For patient management: Empathy, the warmth of personality, a caring demeanor, and express kindness. And absolutely, a willingness to always put the patient first. Good eye contact, firm but kind, reassuring handshake (or a kind elbow bump). The understanding is that even though they work for a company, ultimately, the clinician works for the patient.
Jamie Brown Ph.D.
ProfessorEast Tennessee State University
Department of Counseling and Human Services
What experience really stands out on Habilitation Specialist resumes?
Jamie Brown Ph.D.: Community involvement and activism can set a potential candidate apart from other applicants.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Habilitation Specialists?
Jamie Brown Ph.D.: We know that many of our graduates are drawn to the field of Human Services due to the issues they have faced in their own lives. We have seen an uptick in students sharing the fact they have struggled with Adverse Childhood Experiences during our remote teaching and advising. We need to be aware of Trauma-Informed teaching and outreach as a program and as a university.
What Habilitation Specialist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Julie Alonzo Ph.D.: Cultural competency, knowledge of social emotional learning, and familiarity with the tenets of Response to Intervention (RTI) are all skills that will help enhance educators' competitiveness. If a graduate needs to take a gap year, there are many ways to ensure that they continue to develop these skills. They might serve as a mentor to an at-risk student (many schools have active mentor programs), teach in an after-school tutoring program (these can be set up for remote or in-person instruction), or work on improving their knowledge of the different languages spoken by families in the community where they are hoping to work. Enhancing one's knowledge of anti-racism teaching practices will help make a graduate more effective as an educator as well as more competitive in the job market.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Habilitation Specialist job market given the pandemic?
Dr. Julie Alonzo Ph.D.: With so much uncertainty about the future, many school districts and institutes of higher education imposed hiring freezes in the spring of 2020 and started the 2020-2021 academic year without the influx of new hires that we would typically see at the start of a new school year. The approval of vaccines with demonstrated efficacy against COVID-19 should, hopefully, prompt a return to a more normal job market in the coming spring. The job market will likely be quite competitive, with new graduates vying for open positions with those who were not offered positions in education last spring.
Given the challenges that schools have faced during the pandemic, I believe we will see an increasing need for culturally-competent, highly-skilled educators who can think critically and allocate limited resources creatively. Schools across the country are likely to struggle with budget shortfalls, as high unemployment rates reduce states' tax bases and as other high-priority needs compete for the limited money available. Thus, finding jobs might be more challenging than in the past.
In terms of the skills that will be needed to be competitive in the job market, the pandemic and resulting move to remote instruction for many in education will increase the demand for educators with expertise in developing literacy and numeracy, particularly in the early grades (K-5). Those with an understanding of how to use student performance data to screen for students at risk, to identify their areas of need, to provide instructional supports to meet those needs, and to monitor the progress being made so that instruction can be adjusted on a regular basis will be in high demand.
In addition, disparities in access to educational technology and the resulting disproportionality in "learning loss" as a result of the move to remote instruction for students from different demographic backgrounds will increase the demand for educators who have experience working with students from low-income families and those experiencing homelessness, as well as demand for educators who have demonstrated their ability to work effectively with students from different ethnicities.
With the continued focus on increasing the diversity of the educator workforce to better match demographics in the United States, Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and Southeast Asian educators will continue to be in high demand.
Dr. Kate Seltzer Ph.D.
Assistant ProfessorRowan University
Department of Language, Literacy and Sociocultural education
How would you rate the starting salaries for Habilitation Specialists, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Dr. Kate Seltzer Ph.D.: Educators are not paid nearly enough. However, working in a state with strong teachers' unions helps to ensure a starting salary that recent graduates can live off of and growth opportunities, albeit modest, over their careers.
Elisha Blankson
Program Director NCCU, Assistant ProfessorNorth Carolina Central University
Communication Disorders Department
What type of skills will young Habilitation Specialists need?
Elisha Blankson: Graduates will need a skill set about the field in which they received training and additional skills useful to the job market. For example, with the changing demographics in the United States, extra skills in information technology and foreign languages will be a plus when entering the job market.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Habilitation Specialists to find work opportunities?
Donna Kukarola: This one, not so sure of, the southeast continues to see options as well as mid-western states.
What type of skills will young Habilitation Specialists need?
Dr. Thomas Dearden Ph.D.: Indeed, the way we work is changing. The skills that young graduates will need are diverse. Transferable skills and soft skills will certainly be marketable. These include traditional crafts such as communication, but I also think the world expects more empathy from its employees. Young graduates with an understanding of racism, sexism, and environmental responsibility will become increasingly important.
Dr. Tommy Casarez Ph.D.
Dr., Assistant Professor of Historical and Systematic TheologyVanguard University
Religion, Undergraduate Religion
What general advice would you give to a Habilitation Specialist?
Dr. Tommy Casarez Ph.D.: Opportunities come in many different shapes and sizes, but they are still out there. Whether you are seeking to land a job in education or the non-profit sector, you will need to familiarize yourself and get used to all things digital, for the sake of communicating effectively. The younger your student or service partner's mindset, the more digitally savvy you will need to be, especially in the classroom and in the non-profit world.