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The differences between marriage and family therapists and aba therapists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a marriage and family therapist and an aba therapist. Additionally, a marriage and family therapist has an average salary of $57,856, which is higher than the $35,938 average annual salary of an aba therapist.
The top three skills for a marriage and family therapist include social work, patients and crisis intervention. The most important skills for an aba therapist are autism, applied behavior analysis, and BCBA.
| Marriage And Family Therapist | ABA Therapist | |
| Yearly salary | $57,856 | $35,938 |
| Hourly rate | $27.82 | $17.28 |
| Growth rate | 14% | 14% |
| Number of jobs | 114,361 | 90,516 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Marriage and family therapists are health professionals who are licensed to diagnose and treat mental and emotional disorders of married couples and families. These therapists are required to treat patients with issues such as child and adolescent behavioral problems, depression and anxiety, and marital conflicts. They must observe the interaction of people within units while evaluating and resolving their issues with relationships. Marriage and family therapists must also guide their clients to go through transitional crises such as divorce or death.
An ABA therapist is responsible for administering treatment plans to patients with behavioral disabilities and intellectual disorders, supporting them through systematic processes, and recording their developmental progress throughout therapy sessions. ABA therapists develop engaging activities for the children, observing their personal and social behaviors, and adjust approach as needed. They also coordinate with other behavior therapists and other medical health professionals for refined strategies that adhere to the child's progress. An ABA therapist must have excellent communication and organizational skills to assist patients with different behavioral problems and attend to their needs efficiently.
Marriage and family therapists and aba therapists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Marriage And Family Therapist | ABA Therapist | |
| Average salary | $57,856 | $35,938 |
| Salary range | Between $41,000 And $80,000 | Between $27,000 And $47,000 |
| Highest paying City | Bensalem, PA | Jersey City, NJ |
| Highest paying state | Pennsylvania | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Henderson Behavioral Health | Cook Children's Medical Center |
| Best paying industry | Government | Education |
There are a few differences between a marriage and family therapist and an aba therapist in terms of educational background:
| Marriage And Family Therapist | ABA Therapist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between marriage and family therapists' and aba therapists' demographics:
| Marriage And Family Therapist | ABA Therapist | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 24.3% Female, 75.7% | Male, 15.4% Female, 84.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.0% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 13.9% Asian, 4.6% White, 68.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 7.0% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 13.9% Asian, 4.6% White, 68.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |