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The differences between substance abuse technicians and behavioral health technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a substance abuse technician has an average salary of $35,408, which is higher than the $34,611 average annual salary of a behavioral health technician.
The top three skills for a substance abuse technician include substance abuse treatment, patients and mental health. The most important skills for a behavioral health technician are patients, behavioral health, and crisis intervention.
| Substance Abuse Technician | Behavioral Health Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $35,408 | $34,611 |
| Hourly rate | $17.02 | $16.64 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 90,710 | 99,503 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 46% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Average age | 39 | 34 |
| Years of experience | 6 | - |
A substance abuse technician works at facilities that aim to support the treatment of clients suffering from alcoholism, drug addiction, and other interfering behavior. They work alongside counselors and fellow technicians in the joint effort to implement rehabilitation programs and help patients reach their journey to sobriety. Moreover, a substance abuse technician develops and coordinates treatment plans with health care professionals, conducts research and assessments, administers medications according to protocols, and monitors the patients' progress throughout the rehabilitation processes.
A behavioral health technician participates in treating patients with behavioral problems caused by mental health issues. They are primarily responsible for monitoring the behavior of the patient, following the guidelines of treatment from a mental health professional, and regularly reporting any progress or problems. Moreover, a behavioral health technician must also carry out administrative tasks, which include producing reports and assessments, answering inquiries and correspondence, maintaining schedules, and keeping records. Furthermore, it is essential to give emotional support to a patient, providing them with a safe and healthy environment at all times.
Substance abuse technicians and behavioral health technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Substance Abuse Technician | Behavioral Health Technician | |
| Average salary | $35,408 | $34,611 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $49,000 | Between $25,000 And $47,000 |
| Highest paying City | Kingman, AZ | Rochester, NY |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | California |
| Best paying company | Sea Mar Community Health Centers | University of California, Berkeley |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Non Profits |
There are a few differences between a substance abuse technician and a behavioral health technician in terms of educational background:
| Substance Abuse Technician | Behavioral Health Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 46% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | Johns Hopkins University |
Here are the differences between substance abuse technicians' and behavioral health technicians' demographics:
| Substance Abuse Technician | Behavioral Health Technician | |
| Average age | 39 | 34 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 33.7% Female, 66.3% | Male, 36.4% Female, 63.6% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 14.3% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 20.1% Asian, 6.4% White, 51.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 15% |