Behavioral Health Technicians: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of behavioral health technicians 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 technicians 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 technicians 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 technicians.
What Education & Experience is Needed for Behavioral Health Technicians?
Do behavioral health technicians need a degree? What kind of experience do behavioral health technicians 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 technicians to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for Behavioral Health Technicians
Jobs Postings for Behavioral Health Technicians By Education
- High School or GED: 44,402 (35%)
- Bachelor's degree: 29,606 (23%)
- No Education Listed: 28,210 (22%)
- Master's degree: 23,889 (19%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 2,458 (2%)
High School or GED is the level of education sought the most by employers of behavioral health technicians. According to job data, a High School diploma or GED was required for 35% of positions. In 23% of job listings a bachelor's degree was required and in 22% of postings no education level was listed.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Behavioral Health Technicians
Jobs Postings for Behavioral Health Technicians By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 20,604 (57%)
- 2-3 Years: 12,938 (36%)
- 4-6 Years: 1,651 (5%)
- 7-9 Years: 215 (1%)
- 10+ Years: 634 (2%)
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 technicians. In 57% of job postings for Behavioral Health Technicians, employers were looking for candidates with 0-1 years of experience. In 36% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience, while 4-6 years of experience was sought in 5% of job postings for behavioral health technicians.
What Kind of Degree Do Behavioral Health Technicians 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 technicians, 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 5 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective behavioral health technicians, and in 2023 a total of 201,936 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 technicians.
Top Degree Programs for Behavioral Health Technicians
Top 5 Degree Programs for Behavioral Health Technicians (2023)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Psychology, General. | 143,660 |
| Social Work. | 58,001 |
| Clinical Pastoral Counseling/Patient Counseling. | 177 |
| Executive/Career Coaching. | 90 |
| Thanatology. | 8 |
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Degree Options for Behavioral Health Technicians
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What Skills Do Behavioral Health Technicians Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by behavioral health technicians 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 technicians, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Behavioral Health Technicians
Based on 105,482 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Behavioral Health Technicians
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Autism Spectrum Disorders | 38,828 | 37% |
| Treatment Planning | 28,182 | 27% |
| Applied Behavior Analysis | 26,754 | 25% |
| Psychology | 22,817 | 22% |
| Working With Children | 20,303 | 19% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Behavioral Health Technicians
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 39,751 | 38% |
| Teaching | 19,915 | 19% |
| Social Skills | 9,173 | 9% |
| Writing | 9,087 | 9% |
| Problem Solving | 9,077 | 9% |
Based on 105,482 job postings related to behavioral health technicians, autism spectrum disorders was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 37% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for treatment planning, applied behavior analysis, psychology, working with children and data collection were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communication was the most desired skill found in job postings for behavioral health technicians, followed by teaching, social skills, writing, problem solving and management.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Autism Spectrum Disorders | 38,828 | 37% |
| Treatment Planning | 28,182 | 27% |
| Applied Behavior Analysis | 26,754 | 25% |
| Psychology | 22,817 | 22% |
| Working With Children | 20,303 | 19% |
| Data Collection | 19,207 | 18% |
| Intervention Plans | 13,791 | 13% |
| Special Education | 12,137 | 12% |
| Developmental Disabilities | 12,103 | 11% |
| Social Work | 9,447 | 9% |
| Mental Health | 9,162 | 9% |
| Behavioral Health | 8,940 | 8% |
| Behaviour Therapy | 8,170 | 8% |
| Caregiving | 7,991 | 8% |
| Individualized Education Programs (IEP) | 6,872 | 7% |
| Behavior Management | 6,264 | 6% |
| Functional Behavior Assessment | 5,959 | 6% |
| Disabilities | 5,940 | 6% |
| Crisis Intervention | 5,289 | 5% |
| Positive Behavior Support | 5,276 | 5% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 39,751 | 38% |
| Teaching | 19,915 | 19% |
| Social Skills | 9,173 | 9% |
| Writing | 9,087 | 9% |
| Problem Solving | 9,077 | 9% |
| Management | 8,542 | 8% |
| Leadership | 8,221 | 8% |
| Lifting Ability | 8,131 | 8% |
| Ethical Standards And Conduct | 7,981 | 8% |
| Research | 6,942 | 7% |
| Planning | 6,680 | 6% |
| Mentorship | 6,647 | 6% |
| Professionalism | 6,585 | 6% |
| Verbal Communication Skills | 6,144 | 6% |
| Compassion | 6,037 | 6% |
| Time Management | 5,972 | 6% |
| Organizational Skills | 5,321 | 5% |
| Detail Oriented | 5,299 | 5% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 5,013 | 5% |
| Patience | 4,813 | 5% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about behavioral health technicians? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for behavioral health technicians.
What do behavioral health technicians do?
How much do behavioral health technicians 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.