Salary Outlook with a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA)
Many students and professionals in the field of psychology want to become a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). They are interested in applied behavior analysis as a career path because it uses advanced scientific and systematic processes to influence patient behavior. Having these skills means you can work in schools, hospitals, classrooms, and nonprofits. With the BCBA credential, you can even specialize in certain areas: autism, developmental disabilities, and advanced mental health problems.
If you want to become a BCBA, an important factor in your decision is what the potential salary could be. What your salary could be is important because the path to become a BCBA is rigorous, time-consuming and expensive.
To become a BCBA, it is necessary to earn a master’s degree or higher from an accredited institution in behavior analysis, psychology or education. You also need to pass the national certification examination for the BCBA credential and gain several hundred hours of real-world experience in a supervised practicum. Also, you must earn state licensure where you are working. At that point, you can work officially as a BCBA and earn a good salary.
Below is detailed information about the BCBA and the salary you can earn in various occupations.
BCBA Salary Outlook
Once you have earned the appropriate degree in psychology or related field and have earned the BCBA credential, you can earn a good salary in this growing field.
BCBAs work in a variety of job settings under a range of job titles. These are listed here as reported by the BLS:
| Median Salary | Top 25% Salary | Top 10% Salary | |
| Clinical and counseling psychologists | $96,100 | $129,020 | $168,870 |
| School psychologist | $84,940 | $107,400 | $131,470 |
| Operations research analyst | $83,640 | $115,190 | $148,920 |
| Psychology professor | $82,140 | $106,610 | $151,890 |
| Community and social service managers | $77,030 | $98,740 | $127,550 |
| Market research analyst and marketing specialist | $74,680 | $102,450 | $137,040 |
| Educational, guidance, and career counselors | $61,710 | $78,780 | $100,050 |
| Social science research assistant | $56,400 | $69,720 | $96,720 |
| Substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors | $53,710 | $70,130 | $89,920 |
| Community health workers | $48,200 | $60,740 | $75,980 |
The BLS doesn’t track salary data for BCBAs specifically. But it does track data for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors. These professionals generally require at least a master’s degree. BCBAs require at least a master’s degree and a professional credential on top of that, so consider looking at the higher-end salary range of substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors as an approximation for BCBA salaries.
Using these counselors as a proxy for BCBAs, we can estimate the following BCBA salaries:
- Bottom 25% – $44,600 and lower
- Median – $53,710
- Average – $60,080
- Top 25% – $70,130 and up
- Top 10% – $89,920 and up
BCBA salaries in some of the most popular cities include:
| Median | Average | Top 25% | Top 10% | |
| Boston | $57,550 | $60,080 | $65,510 | $80,880 |
| Chicago | $59,010 | $64,560 | $78,660 | $100,160 |
| Los Angeles | $55,570 | $64,930 | $79,390 | $98,210 |
| New York City | $62,050 | $71,180 | $78,730 | $103,290 |
| San Diego | $52,250 | $65,870 | $77,880 | $119,410 |
Psychology Salaries Overall
It also is important to understand the salary potential for the psychology field generally. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that nationally, psychologists in general earn a median salary of $92,740. And with more qualifications and education, like a BCBA credential, you can look towards the 90% salary range for psychologists, which begins at $151,880.
Median wages for psychologists in these BCBA-relevant industries are:
- Government – $115,400
- Hospitals – $102,660
- Ambulatory healthcare services – $98,380
- Elementary and secondary schools – $84,750
- Educational support services – $101,504
- Colleges, universities, and professional schools – $80,350
- Local government, excluding schools and hospitals – $95,826
- Childcare services – $156,000
- Employment services – $85,925
BCBA Job Outlook
Getting your graduate degree in psychology followed by your BCBA should provide you with plenty of job opportunities in psychology and related fields. The trend in jobs in this field is rising strongly for at least the next decade and possibly beyond.
The BLS reports the employment trend for psychologists between 2023 and 2033 is solid with 7% job growth anticipated. This job growth rate is faster than average when compared to other occupations, which is just 4% over that same time frame.
Employment for clinical and counseling psychologists should rise by 13.3% between 2023 and 2033. This is much faster than average, too. The thinking is that the greater demand for psychological services in schools, mental health centers, and social service agencies will increase the need for various types of psychologists.
Psychology Job Demand Reflects Rising Healthcare Occupation Increase
The rising demand for psychological professionals is occurring at the same time as the increased need for healthcare services across the board. In fact, the BLS reports that employment in all healthcare and social assistance occupations will rise by 10% between 2023 and 2033, much faster than average. In this time, 2.3 million new jobs will be added, including psychology jobs for those with BCBA credentials.
May 2023 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics salary and labor market information for Psychologists, Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors, Clinical and Counseling Psychologists, Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary, Operations Research Analysts, Social Science Research Assistants, Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists, Social and Community Service Managers, Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors, Community Health Workers, and School Psychologists is based on national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed February 2025.
Conclusion
In summary, earning an advanced degree in psychology and then your BCBA credential is a wise career move. Having advanced skills in applied behavior analysis will accelerate your career path as you will know advanced scientific and systematic processes to influence and improve the behavior of patients in many settings. You will be able to find high paying, steady work in hospitals, schools, classrooms, nonprofit organizations, and mental health centers.