Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between vocational specialists and behavioral specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a behavioral specialist has an average salary of $42,029, which is higher than the $37,486 average annual salary of a vocational specialist.
The top three skills for a vocational specialist include rehabilitation, social work and crisis intervention. The most important skills for a behavioral specialist are mental health, autism, and applied behavior analysis.
| Vocational Specialist | Behavioral Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $37,486 | $42,029 |
| Hourly rate | $18.02 | $20.21 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 12% |
| Number of jobs | 33,643 | 74,968 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Average age | 42 | 39 |
| Years of experience | - | 6 |
Vocational Specialists are responsible for assisting individuals in finding out their career choices. They interview clients to assess their skills, job history, and personality. Their duties include matching a client's education, training, interests, and experiences to an available job position. They organize aptitude tests to assist the client make career options. They also help with résumé preparation or modification, maintaining client records, arranging reports, and correspondence. Vocal Specialists give support for individuals in times of layoffs or job losses.
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.
Vocational specialists and behavioral specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Vocational Specialist | Behavioral Specialist | |
| Average salary | $37,486 | $42,029 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $46,000 | Between $28,000 And $61,000 |
| Highest paying City | Pittsburg, CA | Anchorage, AK |
| Highest paying state | California | Alaska |
| Best paying company | New York State Restaurant Association | Barbarian |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Professional |
There are a few differences between a vocational specialist and a behavioral specialist in terms of educational background:
| Vocational Specialist | Behavioral Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between vocational specialists' and behavioral specialists' demographics:
| Vocational Specialist | Behavioral Specialist | |
| Average age | 42 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 31.7% Female, 68.3% | Male, 33.3% Female, 66.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.6% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 14.2% Asian, 3.7% White, 67.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | 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% |