Qualified Developmental Disability Professionals: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of qualified developmental disability professionals 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 qualified developmental disability professionals to land a job. This page contains information, sourced from real job postings, that describes the experience levels and specific skills that employers of qualified developmental disability professionals 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 qualified developmental disability professionals.
What Education & Experience is Needed for Qualified Developmental Disability Professionals?
Do qualified developmental disability professionals need a degree? What kind of experience do qualified developmental disability professionals 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 qualified developmental disability professionals to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for Qualified Developmental Disability Professionals
Jobs Postings for Qualified Developmental Disability Professionals By Education
- Bachelor's degree: 3,182 (40%)
- Master's degree: 2,892 (36%)
- No Education Listed: 813 (10%)
- High School or GED: 621 (8%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 469 (6%)
A bachelor's degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of qualified developmental disability professionals. According to job data, a bachelor's degree was required for 40% of positions. In 36% of job listings a master's degree was required and in 10% of postings no education level was listed.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Qualified Developmental Disability Professionals
Jobs Postings for Qualified Developmental Disability Professionals By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 1,551 (44%)
- 2-3 Years: 1,390 (39%)
- 4-6 Years: 560 (16%)
- 7-9 Years: 35 (1%)
- 10+ Years: 26 (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 qualified developmental disability professionals. In 44% of job postings for Qualified Developmental Disability Professionals, employers were looking for candidates with 0-1 years of experience. In 39% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience, while 4-6 years of experience was sought in 16% of job postings for qualified developmental disability professionals.
What Kind of Degree Do Qualified Developmental Disability Professionals Need?
So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for qualified developmental disability professionals, 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 6 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective qualified developmental disability professionals, and in 2023 a total of 162,336 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 qualified developmental disability professionals.
Top Degree Programs for Qualified Developmental Disability Professionals
Top 5 Degree Programs for Qualified Developmental Disability Professionals (2023)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Psychology, General. | 143,660 |
| Human Services, General. | 11,590 |
| Behavioral Sciences. | 4,777 |
| Rehabilitation Science. | 1,239 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling/Counselor. | 914 |
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Psychology, General. | 143,660 |
| Human Services, General. | 11,590 |
| Behavioral Sciences. | 4,777 |
| Rehabilitation Science. | 1,239 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling/Counselor. | 914 |
| Assistive/Augmentative Technology and Rehabilitation Engineering. | 156 |
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What Skills Do Qualified Developmental Disability Professionals Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by qualified developmental disability professionals 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 qualified developmental disability professionals, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Qualified Developmental Disability Professionals
Based on 5,644 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Qualified Developmental Disability Professionals
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Rehabilitation | 3,497 | 62% |
| Vocational Rehabilitation | 2,992 | 53% |
| Psychology | 2,599 | 46% |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling | 2,363 | 42% |
| Rehabilitation Counseling | 2,343 | 42% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Qualified Developmental Disability Professionals
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 2,150 | 38% |
| Management | 1,320 | 23% |
| Coordinating | 1,054 | 19% |
| Writing | 974 | 17% |
| Planning | 828 | 15% |
Based on 5,644 job postings related to qualified developmental disability professionals, rehabilitation was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 62% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for vocational rehabilitation, psychology, vocational rehabilitation counseling, rehabilitation counseling and social work were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communication was the most desired skill found in job postings for qualified developmental disability professionals, followed by management, coordinating, writing, planning and problem solving.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Rehabilitation | 3,497 | 62% |
| Vocational Rehabilitation | 2,992 | 53% |
| Psychology | 2,599 | 46% |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling | 2,363 | 42% |
| Rehabilitation Counseling | 2,343 | 42% |
| Social Work | 2,027 | 36% |
| Disabilities | 1,933 | 34% |
| Case Management | 1,796 | 32% |
| Human Services | 1,554 | 28% |
| Special Education | 1,128 | 20% |
| Data Analysis | 714 | 13% |
| Mental Health | 707 | 13% |
| Sociology | 648 | 11% |
| Visual Impairment Education | 585 | 10% |
| Hearing Disorders | 550 | 10% |
| Treatment Planning | 535 | 9% |
| Purchasing | 532 | 9% |
| Occupational Therapy | 441 | 8% |
| Psychiatry | 439 | 8% |
| Medical Records | 414 | 7% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 2,150 | 38% |
| Management | 1,320 | 23% |
| Coordinating | 1,054 | 19% |
| Writing | 974 | 17% |
| Planning | 828 | 15% |
| Problem Solving | 784 | 14% |
| Advocacy | 759 | 13% |
| Customer Service | 688 | 12% |
| Decision Making | 686 | 12% |
| Time Management | 665 | 12% |
| Microsoft Office | 610 | 11% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 604 | 11% |
| Critical Thinking | 601 | 11% |
| Research | 598 | 11% |
| Coaching | 571 | 10% |
| Computer Literacy | 498 | 9% |
| Organizational Skills | 489 | 9% |
| Detail Oriented | 488 | 9% |
| Teaching | 471 | 8% |
| Leadership | 441 | 8% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about qualified developmental disability professionals? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for qualified developmental disability professionals.
What do qualified developmental disability professionals do?
How much do qualified developmental disability professionals 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.