Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between substance abuse technicians 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 substance abuse technician and a behavioral therapist. Additionally, a behavioral therapist has an average salary of $37,881, which is higher than the $35,408 average annual salary of a substance abuse 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 therapist are autism, social work, and behavior analysis.
| Substance Abuse Technician | Behavioral Therapist | |
| Yearly salary | $35,408 | $37,881 |
| Hourly rate | $17.02 | $18.21 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 14% |
| Number of jobs | 90,710 | 91,976 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 46% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 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 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.
Substance abuse technicians and behavioral therapists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Substance Abuse Technician | Behavioral Therapist | |
| Average salary | $35,408 | $37,881 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $49,000 | Between $27,000 And $51,000 |
| Highest paying City | Kingman, AZ | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | New York |
| Best paying company | Sea Mar Community Health Centers | George C. Grape Community Hospital |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Energy |
There are a few differences between a substance abuse technician and a behavioral therapist in terms of educational background:
| Substance Abuse Technician | Behavioral Therapist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 46% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between substance abuse technicians' and behavioral therapists' demographics:
| Substance Abuse Technician | Behavioral Therapist | |
| Average age | 39 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 33.7% Female, 66.3% | Male, 23.6% Female, 76.4% |
| 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, 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 | 12% | 12% |