Find your perfect college degree
In this article, we will be covering...
In the ever-evolving landscape of professional opportunities, you might find yourself at the crossroads of choosing a career that aligns with your expertise and passion. One such demanding option is a BCBA. You might be wondering whether it has the potential to lead to a successful career with a societal impact.
Well, worry not! We have done all the research for you, so you know, “Is becoming a BCBA worth it or not.” Let’s get into it.
Is Becoming a BCBA Worth It?
Becoming a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) is worth it as this status offers unparalleled professional recognition and provides an opportunity to create behavioral interventions that directly impact people’s lives. On top of that, this rewarding career will boom further in the coming years.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the BCBA job growth will see a 20% increase in the upcoming eight years. BCBA allows you to help people, oversee behavioral technicians, and interact with other disciplines, making it a well-versed career option.
Let’s walk through some of its key benefits so you can make an informed decision about your future.
Benefits of Becoming a BCBA
Every job comes with its own set of gains and drawbacks. However, in BCBA, you won’t just have a simple work contract. This status will give you all the professional and personal benefits that any person generally wants from a massively demanding work occupation. The BCBA job indeed demands extra effort; however, the benefits outweigh them.
Professional Recognition
With a BCBA, you stand out from other behavior analysts who simply graduate and go for jobs. This improves your professional recognition, making you a top candidate for collaborations with other organizations. It opens up chances to work beyond the workplace.
Career Growth Opportunities
After getting a BCBA, you will have additional opportunities to continuously advance in your careers:
- Allows you to become a director
- Allows you to shuffle your career to human resource management, consulting, and research
- Facilitate you to specialize further in BCBA like Giateric Care
- Opens paths for advanced certification like getting a BCBA – Doctorate
High Job Demand
The BCBA designation comes with the advantage of being in high demand. As organizations increasingly value behavior analysis expertise, BCBAs find themselves in demand across sectors. As discussed earlier, a 20% job growth rate is way faster than the average of other occupations. It means with a BCBA, you can expect more job stability in the coming years.
Competitive Salary
The major benefit of becoming a BCBA is the high salaries. The salary for a BCBA differs in every state of the US. The average pay ranges between $30 to $45 per hour. This is a very competitive pay rate; with the bonuses, the yearly pay can reach over $80000.
Ability To Help Others
Apart from the monetary gains, a BCBA allows you to help those in need. The satisfaction of impacting the people needing guidance makes becoming a BCBA worth it.
How to Become a BCBA
Getting a professional degree is always challenging. That’s why, you should be aware of all the nitty gritty details about your potential degrees and colleges before deciding.
Here’s how you can become a BCBA.
Academic Requirement
For a BCBA, you must gain a graduate degree with a major related to behavior analysis.
- First, choose a bachelor’s degree with sufficient knowledge of this field. A bachelor’s in psychology and behavior analysis with majors in education and human behavior studies will help you immensely.
- For the master’s level, the degree’s coursework must be approved by the Behavior Analyst Board. It generally includes the different psychology fields like child psychology and behavior therapy.
Work Experience
A few requirements of field experience include;
- You can choose to either do a supervised fieldwork that must be equal to 2,000 hours of work or a concentrated supervised fieldwork of 1,500 hours.
- The supervisor should be an experienced BCBA or an authorized course instructor.
- You will need supervision for 5% or 10% of your hours, depending on your chosen type. This hands-on experience is mandatory for taking the BCBA exam.
Exam and License
After these conditions are fulfilled, you can finally sit for the BCBA exam. The exam is four hours long and has 160 questions. The questions will be based on behavior analysis, and the board has set up a few resources that you can use to prepare for the exam. Some states also require a state license, which you must apply for if applicable.
The BCBAs That Are Worth It
A few BCBA’s are more valuable than others. Apart from school counselors and clinic analysts, you can work your way up to these positions for more benefits:
BCBA LBA
- To become a BCBA LBA, you must gain a state license and a BCBA certificate.
- This is one of the most prestigious options where top earners can make $132,000 annually.
VP BCBA
- This position is found in large organizations that need leaders to oversee the BCBA programs and make decisions at a higher level.
- The annual estimated salary for a Vice President BCBA in New York is $183,884, and qualification depends on the organization itself.
Travel BCBA
- This career option has the benefit of moving from one place to another. So, if you’re passionate about traveling, this role is perfect for you.
- The average estimated annual salary for a Travel BCBA is $89,075.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the Future of BCBA?
BCBAs are in high demand. According to BCBA, there are more than 65,000 practicing BACBs in the US, and the number has been growing for over a decade. With a 20% job growth rate, BCBA can be a lucrative career option in the coming years.
How Fast Can We Become a BCBA?
It will take six to eight years from an undergraduate degree to pass the BCBA exam. You must get a master’s degree and then fit all the field experience requirements to qualify for the exam.
Are BCBAs in Demand?
Yes, BCBAs are increasingly being demanded in almost every industry. It’s because autism, bipolar disorders, depression, and other disorders rates are increasing, which then requires a BCBA to work with such individuals.
Summary
Becoming a BCBA is worth it only if you are passionate about positively impacting those in need. It might seem stressful at first; however, the benefits provided, along with mental satisfaction, will outweigh all the initial hard work.
