The low down on BCABA.

[Merlin Coryell]

I have heard a little (very little) about this program and its certification, I was wondering if there is anyone out there who has experience with such a program, and can evaluate its realistic value in the real world job market.

The language on the site was a bit confusing to me, but it seems that I cannot get a license here in Texas, but since I am planning on moving to Oregon in 6 months or so, I could do so there. How common are jobs in this area and is it really worth it for someone with a B.S.?

Thanks, I hope this is the first of many posts as I work towards a PhD path.

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[Therapist4Chnge]

Can you spell out the college/university....as acronyms can mean multiple places.

 

[Merlin Coryell]

Its the Associate Behavior Analyst certification program, not a school.

 

[myelin]

Hey Merlin,

Currently, I am in a MA program with a focus on ABA, leading to a BCBA (Board Certified Behavior Analyst).

From the job posting board at my university regarding ABA jobs, I see quite a few of them. Salary ranges from 45-55k (BCBA, not BCABA). I'd expect the BCABA to pay somewhat less. I've seen job postings for private, in-home ABA therapists as well as program director/therapist positions with those salary numbers.

I'm not sure if you have seen this site, but here are the requirements for a BCABA certification:

http://www.bacb.com/pages/bcaba_stand.html

Here are the requirements for the BCBA (requires a MA/MS):

http://www.bacb.com/pages/bcba_stand.html

Keep in mind that you will need at least 1000 supervised hours in addition to your coursework to obtain the BCABA certification (1500 for the BCBA). This information is also listed on the websites I posted above under new experience standards.

Also, I've found this link to be helpful in determining how many BCBA/BCABAs there are in an area (click and go to certificant registry):

http://www.bacb.com/consum_frame.html

There is also a link under each person's name where you can contact them and ask them about their experiences. Maybe you could also find a place in OR to obtain supervised hours from them?

Best of luck to you.

 

[thepsychgeek]

hi,
Can you spell out the college/university....as acronyms can mean multiple places.

As noted above, it isn't a college or university, it's a method. ABA is Applied Behavior Analysis, BCBA is Board Certified Behavior Analyst.

 

[PSYCHNP]

I have heard a little (very little) about this program and its certification, I was wondering if there is anyone out there who has experience with such a program, and can evaluate its realistic value in the real world job market.

The language on the site was a bit confusing to me, but it seems that I cannot get a license here in Texas, but since I am planning on moving to Oregon in 6 months or so, I could do so there. How common are jobs in this area and is it really worth it for someone with a B.S.?

Thanks, I hope this is the first of many posts as I work towards a PhD path.

I was wondering about some of the employment prospects of this field. How easy is it to practice independently?

Also, some of the issues related to starting some sort of group practice?

What type of salary can top performers in this field expect to make?

 

[QuantumPrime]

I apologize in advance if it's frowned upon bringing up a old thread back. Though I didn't want to make a new thread about the same topic.

I'm just finishing up my undergrad in psychology now. One of my special-interests in this field was learning-disabilities which led me to find career oriented employment in BCBA or ABA. If I do decide to go this route, I plan on doing a masters in a education program specializing in ABA.

My central concern, whether this field of work is worth the education. Coming from a business oriented family, I cannot help but ask what are the mean salaries.

My second concern is the responsibilities. What I enjoy thoroughly about this line of work is the degree of problem solving and using science to back up the solutions to the presented problems. At the masters level with a BCBA certificate are your responsibilities over-seeing people who are doing the 1-1 therapy? Or do you actually do the 1-1 therapy yourself.

Lastly, I have heard some quotes going on that it's possible to reach roughly 75-90k salaries in this field as an ABA consultant. Can anyone briefly explain the role in working for an ABA firm? And whether it's a relatively good field to find employment?


Any answers to any question would be deeply appreciated.

Thank you

 

[mkkhb]

My second concern is the responsibilities. What I enjoy thoroughly about this line of work is the degree of problem solving and using science to back up the solutions to the presented problems. At the masters level with a BCBA certificate are your responsibilities over-seeing people who are doing the 1-1 therapy? Or do you actually do the 1-1 therapy yourself.

Lastly, I have heard some quotes going on that it's possible to reach roughly 75-90k salaries in this field as an ABA consultant. Can anyone briefly explain the role in working for an ABA firm? And whether it's a relatively good field to find employment?

Thank you

I currently work 1:1 with clients as a skills trainer doing ABA therapy. For many companies, you don't need a college degree to provide 1:1 services, so if you are interested in working with special needs children you might want to think about working as a skills trainer to see if its something you'd like to do. Usually if you have a BCBA certificate you wouldn't necessarily be the main person working with a client 1:1-usually it is the skills trainer who does that. Generally you will oversee skills trainers and help them with their client's.