Candidates
Behavioral health disciplines
What each role does, the credential behind it, the settings it works in and what we typically see it paying. Written for people deciding where to take a career, not for a job-board index.
Take a Seat People
ABA and autism services
BCBA, BCaBA, RBT and behavior technician roles across center, home and school programs.
- Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA)BCBAs design, supervise and adjust applied behavior analysis programs. They own clinical quality across a caseload of clients and the behavior technicians delivering the hours.$75k – $115k
- Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst (BCaBA)BCaBAs deliver and support ABA programming under BCBA supervision, often bridging the gap between technician delivery and full program ownership.$52k – $72k
- Registered Behavior Technician (RBT)RBTs deliver the direct therapy hours that make ABA work: running programs, collecting data and building rapport with clients session after session.$20/hr – $30/hr
- Behavior Technician (BT)Behavior technicians deliver ABA sessions while working toward RBT certification, usually with employer-funded training.$18/hr – $25/hr
Speech and allied therapies
SLP, SLPA, OT, COTA and PT roles in schools, pediatric clinics and rehab.
- Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP)SLPs assess and treat communication, language, feeding and swallowing across pediatric and adult caseloads, in schools, clinics and medical settings.$72k – $108k
- Speech-Language Pathology Assistant (SLPA)SLPAs deliver speech and language treatment to plan under SLP supervision, carrying much of the direct therapy load in schools and pediatric clinics.$25/hr – $40/hr
- Occupational Therapist (OT)OTs build the functional and sensory skills that let clients take part in daily life, from pediatric sensory integration to adult rehabilitation.$78k – $108k
- Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA)COTAs deliver occupational therapy interventions under OT supervision across pediatric, school and rehabilitation caseloads.$28/hr – $42/hr
- Physical Therapist (PT)PTs restore movement and function, working alongside OT and speech teams in pediatric, school and rehabilitation programs.$80k – $112k
Mental health and counseling
LCSW, LMFT, LPC/LMHC, psychologists and substance use counselors.
- Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)LCSWs provide diagnosis and psychotherapy across community mental health, integrated care, schools and private outpatient settings.$62k – $95k
- Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT)LMFTs treat individuals, couples and families using systemic models, frequently across child, adolescent and family services.$58k – $88k
- Licensed Professional Counselor / Mental Health Counselor (LPC / LMHC)LPCs and LMHCs deliver diagnosis and psychotherapy across outpatient, community and substance use settings. Title varies by state; the work does not.$55k – $85k
- Clinical Psychologist (PhD / PsyD)Psychologists carry the assessment and complex-case load: diagnostic evaluations, autism and ADHD assessment, psychological testing and specialist therapy.$92k – $145k
- School Psychologist (NCSP)School psychologists run special education evaluations, support behavior and mental health in schools, and drive eligibility and IEP decisions.$72k – $105k
- Substance Use Counselor (LCDC / CADC)Substance use counselors deliver assessment, individual and group treatment across outpatient, IOP, residential and MAT programs.$48k – $70k
Prescribers
PMHNPs and psychiatrists across outpatient, telepsychiatry and inpatient care.
- Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP)PMHNPs diagnose, prescribe and manage psychiatric medication across outpatient, inpatient and telepsychiatry settings.$125k – $175k
- Psychiatrist (MD / DO)Psychiatrists lead medical treatment of mental illness, including complex diagnosis, medication management and clinical oversight of prescriber teams.$250k – $360k
Clinical leadership
Clinical directors and multi-site leaders who own quality and outcomes.
Care and support roles
Case managers and direct support professionals across community and IDD services.
- Behavioral Health Case Manager (Case Manager)Case managers coordinate care, benefits and community supports so clinical treatment actually reaches the people who need it.$44k – $62k
- Direct Support Professional (DSP)DSPs support people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to live, work and take part in their communities.$17/hr – $24/hr
Ranges reflect what we typically see advertised on roles we recruit for in the US. They are a market guide, not a survey, and vary by setting, caseload and experience. Last reviewed August 2026.