Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between youth specialists and behavioral specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a youth 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 $35,180 average annual salary of a youth specialist.
The top three skills for a youth specialist include crisis intervention, direct care and mental health. The most important skills for a behavioral specialist are mental health, autism, and applied behavior analysis.
| Youth Specialist | Behavioral Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $35,180 | $42,029 |
| Hourly rate | $16.91 | $20.21 |
| Growth rate | 12% | 12% |
| Number of jobs | 71,303 | 74,968 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Average age | 43 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 6 |
A youth specialist's role is to oversee the safety and welfare of children and young adults, ensuring that they get the necessary support and guidance. Their responsibilities include performing initial assessments and interviews to identify needs, conducting home inspections and evaluations, providing essential advice, and spearheading programs and projects that cater to the disadvantaged youth. Furthermore, there are instances when a youth specialist may execute interventions or refer families to other services. Should there be any signs of neglect or abuse, it is essential to coordinate with the authorities right away.
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.
Youth specialists and behavioral specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Youth Specialist | Behavioral Specialist | |
| Average salary | $35,180 | $42,029 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $45,000 | Between $28,000 And $61,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Anchorage, AK |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Outside In | Barbarian |
| Best paying industry | Government | Professional |
There are a few differences between a youth specialist and a behavioral specialist in terms of educational background:
| Youth Specialist | Behavioral Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Psychology |
| Most common college | SUNY at Binghamton | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between youth specialists' and behavioral specialists' demographics:
| Youth Specialist | Behavioral Specialist | |
| Average age | 43 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 42.3% Female, 57.7% | Male, 33.3% Female, 66.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 15.3% Asian, 6.4% White, 62.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6% | 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% |