Behavioral Health Specialists: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of behavioral health specialists about how they arrived at their current job, there's a good chance you would get several different answers about the paths and steps that each person took.
That said, there are still ways that you can develop a baseline understanding of the preparation that is necessary to become one.
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has gathered data to provide you with insight into the type of education that's commonly required for behavioral health specialists to land a job. This page contains information, sourced from real job postings, that describes the experience levels and specific skills that employers of behavioral health specialists expect candidates to have. In the end, this information will help you create an education or professional development plan that aligns with your career aspirations.
Keep reading to learn more about career steps for behavioral health specialists.
What Education & Experience is Needed for Behavioral Health Specialists?
Do behavioral health specialists need a degree? What kind of experience do behavioral health specialists typically need? Thanks to data sourced from Lightcast™ from real job postings, we can get some clarity on those questions, as well as the level of education that is commonly required for behavioral health specialists to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for Behavioral Health Specialists
Jobs Postings for Behavioral Health Specialists By Education
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 21,949 (68%)
- No Education Listed: 6,139 (19%)
- Master's degree: 3,869 (12%)
- Bachelor's degree: 283 (1%)
- High School or GED: 15 (0%)
A ph.d. or professional degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of behavioral health specialists. According to job data, a ph.d. or professional degree was required for 68% of positions. In 19% of job listings no education level was listed and in 12% of postings a master's degree was required.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Behavioral Health Specialists
Jobs Postings for Behavioral Health Specialists By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 2,243 (34%)
- 2-3 Years: 3,518 (54%)
- 4-6 Years: 666 (10%)
- 7-9 Years: 43 (1%)
- 10+ Years: 83 (1%)
While the amount of required experience will vary based on the responsibility and seniority of the position, an aggregate view of job posting data can help paint a picture of the experience level sought for most job openings for behavioral health specialists. In 54% of job postings for Behavioral Health Specialists, employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience. In 34% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 0-1 years of experience, while 4-6 years of experience was sought in 10% of job postings for behavioral health specialists.
What Kind of Degree Do Behavioral Health Specialists Need?
So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for behavioral health specialists, but what type of education or degree will help prepare you for a career in the field?
According to occupational data obtained through Lightcast,™ there are 10 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective behavioral health specialists, and in 2023 a total of 174,124 of those programs were completed at institutions in the United States.
Check out the information below to learn more about the specific programs that should be considered by prospective behavioral health specialists.
Top Degree Programs for Behavioral Health Specialists
Top 5 Degree Programs for Behavioral Health Specialists (2023)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Psychology, General. | 143,660 |
| Counseling Psychology. | 10,826 |
| Applied Behavior Analysis. | 6,780 |
| Clinical Psychology. | 5,626 |
| Behavioral Sciences. | 4,777 |
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Psychology, General. | 143,660 |
| Counseling Psychology. | 10,826 |
| Applied Behavior Analysis. | 6,780 |
| Clinical Psychology. | 5,626 |
| Behavioral Sciences. | 4,777 |
| Developmental and Child Psychology. | 1,929 |
| Health/Medical Psychology. | 388 |
| Clinical Child Psychology. | 126 |
| Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy. | 12 |
| Geropsychology. | 0 |
What Skills Do Behavioral Health Specialists Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by behavioral health specialists to secure a job?
A good way to understand this is to examine actual job postings for skills commonly sought by employers. Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for behavioral health specialists, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Behavioral Health Specialists
Based on 29,656 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Behavioral Health Specialists
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Psychology | 23,182 | 78% |
| Clinical Psychology | 10,414 | 35% |
| Psychological Evaluations | 7,409 | 25% |
| Psychotherapy | 7,330 | 25% |
| Mental Health | 7,072 | 24% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Behavioral Health Specialists
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Planning | 4,042 | 14% |
| Communication | 3,406 | 11% |
| Report Writing | 3,345 | 11% |
| Leadership | 2,530 | 9% |
| Ethical Standards And Conduct | 2,510 | 8% |
Based on 29,656 job postings related to behavioral health specialists, psychology was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 78% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for clinical psychology, psychological evaluations, psychotherapy, mental health and treatment planning were also highly sought.
As for common skills, planning was the most desired skill found in job postings for behavioral health specialists, followed by communication, report writing, leadership, ethical standards and conduct and research.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Psychology | 23,182 | 78% |
| Clinical Psychology | 10,414 | 35% |
| Psychological Evaluations | 7,409 | 25% |
| Psychotherapy | 7,330 | 25% |
| Mental Health | 7,072 | 24% |
| Treatment Planning | 5,691 | 19% |
| Administrative Support | 5,685 | 19% |
| Digital Technology | 4,875 | 16% |
| Behavioral Health | 4,128 | 14% |
| Psychiatry | 3,336 | 11% |
| Telehealth | 3,333 | 11% |
| Billing | 2,884 | 10% |
| Crisis Intervention | 2,361 | 8% |
| Family Therapy | 2,319 | 8% |
| Group Therapy | 2,153 | 7% |
| Trauma Care | 1,949 | 7% |
| Mental Diseases | 1,853 | 6% |
| Social Work | 1,763 | 6% |
| Clinical Supervision | 1,717 | 6% |
| Case Management | 1,486 | 5% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Planning | 4,042 | 14% |
| Communication | 3,406 | 11% |
| Report Writing | 3,345 | 11% |
| Leadership | 2,530 | 9% |
| Ethical Standards And Conduct | 2,510 | 8% |
| Research | 2,247 | 8% |
| Management | 2,168 | 7% |
| Scheduling | 1,846 | 6% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 1,498 | 5% |
| Writing | 1,446 | 5% |
| Verbal Communication Skills | 1,180 | 4% |
| Presentations | 1,089 | 4% |
| Administrative Functions | 1,026 | 3% |
| Coordinating | 1,026 | 3% |
| Rapport Building | 988 | 3% |
| Teaching | 910 | 3% |
| Problem Solving | 894 | 3% |
| Teamwork | 843 | 3% |
| Computer Literacy | 835 | 3% |
| Customer Service | 745 | 3% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about behavioral health specialists? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for behavioral health specialists.
What do behavioral health specialists do?
How much do behavioral health specialists make?
All Occupations
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has compiled data for dozens of in-demand jobs. Explore our full catalog of occupation data by visiting the link below.