What Do Behavior Specialists Do?
Wondering what the job is really like for behavior specialists?
You've come to the right place.
Keep reading to find detailed information about what behavior specialists do, including the type of work they are tasked with on a daily basis, industries in which they work, and the specific skills needed for a successful career.
Behavior Specialists Overview & Description
Let's get started with the basics about behavior specialists by taking a look at a simple description and popular job titles.
Behavior Specialists all counselors not listed separately.
Popular Job Titles For Behavior Specialists
Sample of Reported Job Titles
- Behavior Technicians
- Board Certified Behavior Analysts
- Registered Behavior Technicians
- ABA Behavioral Technicians
- Youth Counselors
- Behavioral Technicians
- Behavior Analysts
- Autism Behavior Technicians
- Youth Care Workers
- Behavior Technicians/ABA Therapists
- Youth Workers
- Interventionists
Read on for insight into the industries where the highest concentration of jobs for behavior specialists can be found.
Best Industries for Behavior Specialists
Behavior Specialists Jobs By Industry
- Individual and Family Services: 21.6%
- Offices of Other Health Practitioners: 21%
- State Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals: 6.8%
- Outpatient Care Centers: 6.3%
- Local Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals: 5.4%
- Home Health Care Services: 3.3%
- Other: 35.6%
When it comes to jobs in the United States, the largest single category of behavior specialists can be found working in the Individual and Family Services sector. In 2023, about 21.6% of all jobs for behavior specialists were found there.
Other top industries by percentage include Offices of Other Health Practitioners (21%), State Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals (6.8%), Outpatient Care Centers (6.3%), Local Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals (5.4%) and Home Health Care Services (3.3%).
Top Online College For Working Adults
Franklin University is a top choice for adults who need to balance school with busy lives. Founded in 1902 in Columbus, Ohio, Franklin's main focus has been serving adult students and tailoring education to fit their needs. Nonprofit and accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org/800.621.7440), Franklin offers more than 50 affordable bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs — all available 100% online.
Degree Options for Behavior Specialists
Leverage advances in positive psychology and executive coaching to impact the development of individuals, teams, and communities.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Cost Per Credit: $398
What Do Behavior Specialists Do on a Daily Basis?
So you have a high-level understanding of what behavior specialists do and the types of industries in which they work - but what do they really do each day?
A great way to understand the type of work behavior specialists do is to examine actual job postings and focus on the specific skills that employers are seeking. That will help paint a clearer picture of the tasks that behavior specialists tackle each day.
Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for behavior specialists, as well as common skills - interpersonal qualities and attributes - that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Behavior Specialists
Based on 105,482 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Behavior Specialists
| 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 Behavior Specialists
| 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 behavior specialists, 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 behavior specialists, 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% |
Most In-Demand Jobs for Behavior Specialists
Top 5 Posted Job Titles
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Behavior Technicians | 97,728 | 21.3% |
| Board Certified Behavior Analysts | 225,856 | 49.2% |
| Registered Behavior Technicians | 85,537 | 18.6% |
| ABA Behavioral Technicians | 15,142 | 3.3% |
| Youth Counselors | 4,486 | 1% |
According to job postings that were published between September 2022 and August 2023, the top job sought by employers was behavior technicians, with 27,241 unique job postings. Board certified behavior analysts were second, with 20,937 postings, followed by registered behavior technicians, aba behavioral technicians and youth counselors.
Expand the section below to see unique job postings for all occupations related to behavior specialists.
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Behavior Technicians | 97,728 | 21.3% |
| Board Certified Behavior Analysts | 225,856 | 49.2% |
| Registered Behavior Technicians | 85,537 | 18.6% |
| ABA Behavioral Technicians | 15,142 | 3.3% |
| Youth Counselors | 4,486 | 1% |
| Behavioral Technicians | 5,158 | 1.1% |
| Behavior Analysts | 4,909 | 1.1% |
| Autism Behavior Technicians | 3,259 | 0.7% |
| Youth Care Workers | 2,698 | 0.6% |
| Behavior Technicians/ABA Therapists | 2,082 | 0.5% |
| Youth Workers | 1,468 | 0.3% |
| Interventionists | 1,779 | 0.4% |
| Residential Youth Counselors | 1,219 | 0.3% |
| Behavior Specialists | 890 | 0.2% |
| Youth Development Counselors | 890 | 0.2% |
| Behavior Interventionists | 1,511 | 0.3% |
| ABA Technicians | 1,124 | 0.2% |
| Applied Behavior Analysts | 970 | 0.2% |
| Behavioral Health Technicians | 887 | 0.2% |
| Adolescent Counselors | 1,223 | 0.3% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information for behavior specialists? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for behavior specialists.
How much do behavior specialists make?
Behavior Specialists: How do you become one?
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.