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The differences between health program specialists and behavioral health specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a health program specialist, becoming a behavioral health specialist takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a health program specialist has an average salary of $48,114, which is higher than the $44,808 average annual salary of a behavioral health specialist.
The top three skills for a health program specialist include health education, data collection and patients. The most important skills for a behavioral health specialist are patients, social work, and substance abuse.
| Health Program Specialist | Behavioral Health Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $48,114 | $44,808 |
| Hourly rate | $23.13 | $21.54 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 114,825 | 130,222 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 58% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 4 |
A health program specialist is in charge of planning and developing health programs in communities or facilities. Their responsibilities include performing research and analysis to identify client needs, gathering and analyzing data, spearheading different activities that promote healthy lifestyles, assessing existing programs to determine areas needing improvement, and coordinating with health care experts. Furthermore, as a health program specialist, it is essential to lead and encourage the workforce to reach goals, all while adhering to the vision and mission of the organization or community.
Typically working for clinics and learning institutions, a behavioral health specialist is in charge of counseling and treating patients with behavioral issues. Their responsibilities revolve around conducting initial assessment through interview and observation, maintaining records and data, developing treatment plans, and referring patients to other support services when necessary. Moreover, a behavioral health specialist must communicate with the patient's families or guardians, discuss conditions, and provide advice on taking care of them. Aside from treating patients, it is also essential to continuously monitor their behavior while building positive relationships with them.
Health program specialists and behavioral health specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Health Program Specialist | Behavioral Health Specialist | |
| Average salary | $48,114 | $44,808 |
| Salary range | Between $33,000 And $69,000 | Between $29,000 And $66,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Rafael, CA | Anchorage, AK |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Apple | Maxim Healthcare Group |
| Best paying industry | Government | Insurance |
There are a few differences between a health program specialist and a behavioral health specialist in terms of educational background:
| Health Program Specialist | Behavioral Health Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 58% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between health program specialists' and behavioral health specialists' demographics:
| Health Program Specialist | Behavioral Health Specialist | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 30.6% Female, 69.4% | Male, 29.2% Female, 70.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.2% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 14.4% Asian, 5.7% White, 62.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% | Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 3.1% White, 74.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 15% |