Career Outcomes
Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA®)
A Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) is a certification in applied behavior analysis (ABA) received by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB®). With a focus on socially significant behaviors, BCBAs® support individuals from diverse backgrounds in a variety of settings, including classrooms, clinics, hospitals, and nonprofits, and often specialize in areas such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), developmental disabilities, or organizational behavior management (OBM).
Clinical Supervisor/Manager of ABA Services
Clinical Supervisors manage a caseload at organizations who provide behavioral clinical services. This involves conducting initial and ongoing assessments and designing behavioral intervention programs for clients. It also involves providing training and oversight to behavior technicians who provide direct intervention services to clients. In addition to providing clinical supervision, Clinical Managers may oversee other Clinical Supervisors within the organization. Clinical Managers may manage one single office for an organization or multiple office locations.
Clinical Director of ABA Services
Clinical Directors oversee and manage the clinical operations of organizations that provide behavioral clinical services. This role varies depending on the facility but often includes developing the organization’s clinical processes and procedures and overseeing the various levels of clinicians from direct care clinicians to Clinical Supervisors and Managers. Clinical Directors may manage one single office for an organization or multiple office locations.
Supervisor of Fieldwork Experience
A Supervisor of Fieldwork Experience provides clinical supervision to those seeking to become a BCBA®. They may provide group or individual supervision and can be hired directly by the individual seeking supervision or be part of an organization. In order to provide supervision to aspiring behavior analysts, the supervisor must meet all the qualifications laid out by the BACB®.
Care Manager
Care Managers are hired by insurance companies to review intervention plans submitted by ABA providers who work with individuals with ASD. Care Managers examine clinical outcome measures to ensure they are aligned with funder policies and criteria. They also review intervention plans to determine the appropriateness of clinical recommendations and treatment dosages. Care Managers consult with BCBAs® regarding intervention goals to meet client needs and funding source policies. Finally, they consult with diagnosis providers (e.g., medical physicians, licensed psychologists, nurse practitioners) regarding diagnostic tools and documentation that meets funding source policies.
Behavior Consultant
Behavior Consultants contract with individuals and organizations to provide their clinical expertise in various sectors of ABA. The types of services they provide could include project-based tasks such as creating a curriculum, program, or process for an individual or organization, assisting an organization with developing a new program or service, training staff, and providing a clinical opinion or recommendation.
Behavior Specialist
A Behavior Specialist works with individuals from a variety of diagnoses and needs (e.g., developmental disabilities, emotional challenges, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) to help them meet their goals in the home, school or community environments. Behavior Specialists work with clients to create an intervention plan and implement an effective strategy to assist the client. Responsibilities include: assessment, behavior intervention plan creation and implementation, oversight of Behavior Technicians, and caregiver education.
Autism Specialist
An Autism Specialist is a type of behavior analyst primarily focused on individuals diagnosed with ASD. This career path works with both adults and children who have been diagnosed with ASD and works to develop intervention plans and supportive resources to help the individual in daily life tasks or milestones. This role often works in educational settings, private practices, and community organizations.
Employment and Earning Potential
According to the BACB’s® U.S. Employment Demand for Behavior Analysts: 2010-2022, there has been a 23% increase in the demand for BCBAs® from 2021 to 2022. There are five states which account for 48% of the recent demand for behavior analysts: California, Massachusetts, Texas, Florida, and New Jersey. California alone accounts for 23% of the 2022 demand.
Glassdoor reports that the average salary of a BCBA® in the United States is $80,951 per year. Pay Scale states that the average salary for a person with their master’s degree in ABA is $69,000 per year.