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The differences between health specialists and behavioral therapists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a health specialist and a behavioral therapist. Additionally, a health specialist has an average salary of $47,740, which is higher than the $37,881 average annual salary of a behavioral therapist.
The top three skills for a health specialist include patients, health education and public health. The most important skills for a behavioral therapist are autism, social work, and behavior analysis.
| Health Specialist | Behavioral Therapist | |
| Yearly salary | $47,740 | $37,881 |
| Hourly rate | $22.95 | $18.21 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 14% |
| Number of jobs | 72,463 | 91,976 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 45 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A health specialist is primarily responsible for the health and welfare care of patients in a community or medical facility. They are also responsible for providing consultations, conducting assessments and examinations, providing prescriptions, and recommending care methods. A health specialist may also diagnose and treat ailments and injuries, coordinate with other health experts, and discuss conditions with patients and their families. Furthermore, a health specialist may participate in public discussions to raise awareness of health issues and lifestyles.
A behavioral therapist is responsible for supporting patients with various developmental disorders and behavioral difficulties. Behavioral therapists conduct counseling to the patients, identifying their personal and social challenges, and administering treatment plans to modify unusual behaviors. They also coordinate with other medical professionals to plan activities and therapy sessions for patients' needs. A behavioral therapist maintains a record of the patients' progress, help them on developing social engagement, and adjust treatment strategies depending on the patients' noticeable changes.
Health specialists and behavioral therapists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Health Specialist | Behavioral Therapist | |
| Average salary | $47,740 | $37,881 |
| Salary range | Between $31,000 And $72,000 | Between $27,000 And $51,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | New York |
| Best paying company | City of Seattle | George C. Grape Community Hospital |
| Best paying industry | Government | Energy |
There are a few differences between a health specialist and a behavioral therapist in terms of educational background:
| Health Specialist | Behavioral Therapist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between health specialists' and behavioral therapists' demographics:
| Health Specialist | Behavioral Therapist | |
| Average age | 45 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 33.3% Female, 66.7% | Male, 23.6% Female, 76.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.0% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 14.6% Asian, 5.7% White, 62.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% | Black or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 15.4% Asian, 4.6% White, 63.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 12% |