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The differences between health support specialists and behavioral specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a health support specialist, becoming a behavioral specialist takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a behavioral specialist has an average salary of $42,029, which is higher than the $31,552 average annual salary of a health support specialist.
The top three skills for a health support specialist include patients, social work and CPR. The most important skills for a behavioral specialist are mental health, autism, and applied behavior analysis.
| Health Support Specialist | Behavioral Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $31,552 | $42,029 |
| Hourly rate | $15.17 | $20.21 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 12% |
| Number of jobs | 152,897 | 74,968 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Average age | 42 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 6 |
Health Support Specialists are professionals who assist medical professionals in providing health care to improve or restore the mental or physical well-being of their patients. These specialists must create health plans for families while accompanying children with their appointments to receive the necessary health care that is mandated by the federal government. They are required to provide mental health support services by conducting community outreach programs with local vendors and organizations. Health Support Specialists must also conduct counseling sessions for adolescents about substance abuse.
A behavioral specialist is a psychological expert providing guidance and counseling to people who have behavioral issues affecting their abilities to learn and socialize with other people. Behavioral specialists assess the level of patients' behavior and make treatment plans to help them cope. They monitor the patient's progress and keep treatment reports, improving or adjusting treatment plans as needed. They also communicate with the patients' family and friends for treatment support, as well as coordinate with other health professionals for additional assistance.
Health support specialists and behavioral specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Health Support Specialist | Behavioral Specialist | |
| Average salary | $31,552 | $42,029 |
| Salary range | Between $23,000 And $42,000 | Between $28,000 And $61,000 |
| Highest paying City | Oakland, CA | Anchorage, AK |
| Highest paying state | California | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Medtronic | Barbarian |
| Best paying industry | Utilities | Professional |
There are a few differences between a health support specialist and a behavioral specialist in terms of educational background:
| Health Support Specialist | Behavioral Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between health support specialists' and behavioral specialists' demographics:
| Health Support Specialist | Behavioral Specialist | |
| Average age | 42 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 26.8% Female, 73.2% | Male, 33.3% Female, 66.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.2% Unknown, 5.8% Hispanic or Latino, 14.7% Asian, 9.4% White, 58.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | 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 | 11% | 12% |