How much does a Behavioral Caregiver make in the United States?
As of July 01, 2026, the average salary for a Behavioral Caregiver in the United States is $36,506 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $18.
However, a Behavioral Caregiver's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $41,443
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $33,995 to $39,090
Key Factors That Influence Behavioral Caregiver Salaries
A Behavioral Caregiver's salary isn't a fixed number.
It's shaped by several important factors.
Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location and company size can directly affect your earning potential.
How Experience Level Affects Behavioral Caregiver Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of a Behavioral Caregiver's salary.
As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases.
Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:
Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $36,316
Early Career (1-2 years): $32,769
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $39,391
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $43,962
Expert (over 8 years): $44,021
Levels
Salary
Behaviora... Level Behavioral Caregiver
$36,316
Home Care... Level Behavioral Caregiver
$32,769
Home Care... Level Behavioral Caregiver
$39,391
Home Care... Level Behavioral Caregiver
$43,962
Home Care... Level Behavioral Caregiver
$44,021
$36,3160 yr
$32,769< 2 yrs
$39,3912-4 yrs
$43,9625-8 yrs
$44,021> 8 yrs
View as Table
View as Graph
What Am I Worth?
How Do Behavioral Caregiver Salaries Vary from State to State?
Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work.
States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors
often pay more to attract Behavioral Caregivers.
For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
District of Columbia: $40,419.
California: $40,266.
Massachusetts: $39,729.
District of Columbia$40,419
California$40,266
Massachusetts$39,729
Washington$39,583
New Jersey$39,568
Alaska$39,517
Connecticut$39,014
New York$38,809
Hawaii$38,156
Rhode Island$37,849
Maryland$37,641
Minnesota$37,356
Colorado$37,247
Illinois$37,210
Oregon$37,071
Delaware$36,969
New Hampshire$36,905
Virginia$36,761
Pennsylvania$36,341
Nevada$36,130
North Dakota$36,060
Michigan$35,951
Wisconsin$35,911
Vermont$35,830
Texas$35,608
Maine$35,593
Arizona$35,571
Ohio$35,546
Georgia$35,210
Indiana$35,042
Wyoming$35,009
Utah$34,958
Iowa$34,936
Kansas$34,761
Louisiana$34,710
North Carolina$34,691
Missouri$34,684
Florida$34,542
Montana$34,465
Nebraska$34,392
Kentucky$34,352
South Carolina$34,206
Tennessee$34,114
Idaho$34,078
New Mexico$33,811
Oklahoma$33,753
Alabama$33,538
South Dakota$33,176
Arkansas$32,979
West Virginia$32,873
Mississippi$32,556
Top Paying Cities for Behavioral Caregivers
Salaries can also vary between different cities.
Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay.
Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:
San Jose: $46,045
San Francisco: $45,540
Oakland: $44,581
San Jose, CA$46,045
San Francisco, CA$45,540
Oakland, CA$44,581
New York, NY$42,032
Paramus, NJ$41,521
Queens Village, NY$41,519
Passaic, NJ$41,485
Bergenfield, NJ$41,481
Stamford, CT$41,401
Huntington, NY$41,386
Newark, NJ$41,116
Bridgeport, CT$41,039
Vallejo, CA$40,967
New Brunswick, NJ$40,952
Petaluma, CA$40,930
Middlesex, NJ$40,861
Somerset, NJ$40,835
Santa Cruz, CA$40,788
Boston, MA$40,565
Monterey, CA$40,437
Seattle, WA$40,353
Santa Rosa, CA$40,346
Los Angeles, CA$40,335
Juneau, AK$40,240
Washington, DC$40,200
Orange, CA$40,070
Santa Ana, CA$39,974
Long Beach, CA$39,937
Anaheim, CA$39,930
Anchorage, AK$39,912
Santa Maria, CA$39,802
Everett, WA$39,795
Danbury, CT$39,666
Bremerton, WA$39,616
Tacoma, WA$39,484
New Suffolk, NY$39,484
Sacramento, CA$39,474
Santa Barbara, CA$39,433
Trenton, NJ$39,393
San Diego, CA$39,393
Brockton, MA$39,353
Fairbanks, AK$39,264
Lompoc, CA$39,171
Lowell, MA$39,141
Ventura, CA$39,134
Nashua, NH$39,127
Stockton, CA$39,123
Modesto, CA$38,857
Poughkeepsie, NY$38,776
Olympia, WA$38,707
Kennewick, WA$38,707
New Haven, CT$38,692
Lawrence, MA$38,561
Hartford, CT$38,524
Riverside, CA$38,517
New Bedford, MA$38,481
Richland, WA$38,481
Bakersfield, CA$38,429
San Bernardino, CA$38,415
New Britain, CT$38,411
Atlantic City, NJ$38,411
New London, CT$38,397
Norwich, CT$38,386
Portsmouth, NH$38,378
Boulder, CO$38,301
Portland, OR$38,251
Worcester, MA$38,247
Minneapolis, MN$38,134
Philadelphia, PA$38,083
Honolulu, HI$37,962
Saint Paul, MN$37,945
Vineland, NJ$37,937
Providence, RI$37,831
Chicago, IL$37,725
Bellingham, WA$37,681
Springfield, MA$37,652
Baltimore, MD$37,641
Chico, CA$37,550
Pittsfield, MA$37,451
Manchester, NH$37,382
Spokane, WA$37,221
Denver, CO$37,217
Albany, NY$37,046
Troy, NY$37,031
Nassau, NY$36,992
Schenectady, NY$36,955
Wilmington, DE$36,925
Burlington, VT$36,874
Salem, OR$36,860
Portland, ME$36,747
Yakima, WA$36,710
Rochester, MN$36,597
Reno, NV$36,579
Fresno, CA$36,579
Milwaukee, WI$36,546
Detroit, MI$36,509
Ann Arbor, MI$36,503
Allentown, PA$36,498
Colorado Springs, CO$36,436
Syracuse, NY$36,418
Carson City, NV$36,418
Houston, TX$36,367
Eugene, OR$36,349
Gary, IN$36,305
Springfield, OR$36,276
Bismarck, ND$36,268
Galveston, TX$36,243
Medford, OR$36,188
Fort Collins, CO$36,173
Concord, NH$36,155
Austin, TX$36,144
Mesa, AZ$36,068
Reading, PA$36,064
Phoenix, AZ$36,060
Dallas, TX$36,049
Saint Cloud, MN$36,014
Madison, WI$35,965
Utica, NY$35,867
Rochester, NY$35,808
Des Moines, IA$35,805
Raleigh, NC$35,801
Atlanta, GA$35,746
Battle Creek, MI$35,735
Salt Lake City, UT$35,724
Lancaster, PA$35,670
Harrisburg, PA$35,619
Kansas City, MO$35,582
Champaign, IL$35,575
Kansas City, KS$35,575
Fort Worth, TX$35,571
Columbus, OH$35,565
Boca Raton, FL$35,556
Pittsburgh, PA$35,542
Richmond, VA$35,527
Indianapolis, IN$35,520
Cleveland, OH$35,516
Las Vegas, NV$35,472
Cincinnati, OH$35,472
Petersburg, VA$35,418
Huntsville, AL$35,363
Lansing, MI$35,339
Lebanon, PA$35,334
Pueblo, CO$35,330
Appleton, WI$35,319
Buffalo, NY$35,305
Dayton, OH$35,294
Racine, WI$35,286
Charlotte, NC$35,283
Saint Louis, MO$35,272
York, PA$35,250
Elkhart, IN$35,250
Gastonia, NC$35,243
Billings, MT$35,234
Beaumont, TX$35,224
Lorain, OH$35,217
Benton Harbor, MI$35,210
Toledo, OH$35,202
Binghamton, NY$35,184
Rock Hill, SC$35,180
Rockford, IL$35,162
Springfield, IL$35,148
Elyria, OH$35,144
Fargo, ND$35,144
Flagstaff, AZ$35,118
Fort Lauderdale, FL$35,096
Duluth, MN$35,075
Miami, FL$35,075
Cheyenne, WY$35,049
Grand Forks, ND$35,049
Bangor, ME$34,969
Cedar Rapids, IA$34,929
Durham, NC$34,913
Louisville, KY$34,910
Grand Rapids, MI$34,903
Hialeah, FL$34,899
Casper, WY$34,848
Scranton, PA$34,804
New Orleans, LA$34,793
Virginia Beach, VA$34,790
Akron, OH$34,772
Peoria, IL$34,724
Sarasota, FL$34,717
Nashville, TN$34,691
Omaha, NE$34,691
Green Bay, WI$34,691
Baton Rouge, LA$34,673
Charleston, SC$34,666
Jamestown, NY$34,647
Davenport, IA$34,647
Tucson, AZ$34,629
Saint Petersburg, FL$34,607
Tampa, FL$34,600
Evansville, IN$34,578
Port Arthur, TX$34,578
Bradenton, FL$34,564
Santa Fe, NM$34,498
Orlando, FL$34,432
Clearwater, FL$34,421
Canton, OH$34,344
La Crosse, WI$34,344
Albuquerque, NM$34,323
Newport News, VA$34,319
High Point, NC$34,308
Ogden, UT$34,293
Corpus Christi, TX$34,264
Norfolk, VA$34,242
Laramie, WY$34,242
Rock Island, IL$34,220
Saginaw, MI$34,213
Jacksonville, FL$34,209
Salisbury, NC$34,202
Boise, ID$34,195
Moline, IL$34,177
Fort Myers, FL$34,166
Memphis, TN$34,158
Tulsa, OK$34,140
Waterloo, IA$34,118
Spartanburg, SC$34,082
Lincoln, NE$34,063
Fort Wayne, IN$34,056
Provo, UT$34,052
Cedar Falls, IA$34,009
San Antonio, TX$33,994
Greensboro, NC$33,979
South Bend, IN$33,976
Savannah, GA$33,936
Muskegon, MI$33,921
Birmingham, AL$33,917
Winston Salem, NC$33,899
Lake Charles, LA$33,811
Anderson, IN$33,804
Lexington, KY$33,793
Augusta, GA$33,782
Greenville, SC$33,782
Lima, OH$33,753
Wichita, KS$33,749
Tuscaloosa, AL$33,749
Columbia, SC$33,717
Springfield, OH$33,709
Asheville, NC$33,651
Bloomington, IN$33,625
Knoxville, TN$33,494
Shreveport, LA$33,490
Wilmington, NC$33,443
Roanoke, VA$33,443
Topeka, KS$33,377
Frankfort, KY$33,373
Oklahoma City, OK$33,348
Chillicothe, OH$33,333
Longview, TX$33,330
Melbourne, FL$33,326
Sioux Falls, SD$33,268
Mobile, AL$33,264
Terre Haute, IN$33,249
Altoona, PA$33,227
Amarillo, TX$33,202
Killeen, TX$33,191
Fayetteville, AR$33,162
Chattanooga, TN$33,151
Sioux City, IA$33,118
Idaho Falls, ID$33,111
Lynchburg, VA$33,081
Gainesville, FL$33,034
Portsmouth, OH$33,016
Little Rock, AR$33,008
Lafayette, LA$32,994
Youngstown, OH$32,994
Daytona Beach, FL$32,972
Clarksville, TN$32,968
Pensacola, FL$32,965
Temple, TX$32,962
Hopkinsville, KY$32,855
Erie, PA$32,848
Florence, SC$32,833
Charleston, WV$32,775
Great Falls, MT$32,756
Macon, GA$32,705
Tallahassee, FL$32,702
Fayetteville, NC$32,694
Waco, TX$32,687
Helena, MT$32,662
Pine Bluff, AR$32,648
Vincennes, IN$32,603
Lubbock, TX$32,589
Alamogordo, NM$32,567
Twin Falls, ID$32,534
Rapid City, SD$32,523
Jackson, MS$32,457
Huntington, WV$32,455
Greenville, MS$32,453
Parkersburg, WV$32,416
Montgomery, AL$32,410
Wichita Falls, TX$32,373
Springfield, MO$32,373
Biloxi, MS$32,355
Monroe, LA$32,318
Johnstown, PA$32,293
Sumter, SC$32,278
Columbus, GA$32,275
Pascagoula, MS$32,205
Abilene, TX$32,205
Kingsport, TN$32,110
Albany, GA$32,110
Gulfport, MS$32,099
Alexandria, LA$31,979
Fort Smith, AR$31,888
El Paso, TX$31,789
Las Cruces, NM$31,625
Harlingen, TX$31,532
Pocatello, ID$31,526
Florence, AL$31,479
Brownsville, TX$31,471
Mcallen, TX$31,395
Dothan, AL$31,344
Columbus, MS$31,127
Altus, OK$30,957
Lawton, OK$30,887
Pierre, SD$30,756
What Skills Can Increase a Behavioral Caregiver's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Commitment (Mentioned in 5.83% Job Postings): An agreement or pledge to do something in the future a commitment to improve conditions at the prison especially : an engagement to assume a financial obligation at a future date.
Medication Administration (Mentioned in 5.59% Job Postings): Medication administration is the direct application of a prescribed medication whether by injection, inhalation, ingestion, or other means to the body of the individual by an individual legally authorized to do so.
Service Quality (Mentioned in 3.86% Job Postings): Service quality is a measure of how an organization delivers its services compared to the expectations of its customers.
See More Skills
Skills
Demand Percentage
Commitment
5.83%
Medication Administration
5.59%
Service Quality
3.86%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay.
Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Behavioral Caregiver's salary.
Social Work: Can increase your salary by up to 12%.
Leadership: Can increase your salary by up to 9%.
Analysis: Can increase your salary by up to 9%.
Skill
Salary
Salary % Increase
Social Work
$40,886
12%
Leadership
$39,791
9%
Analysis
$39,791
9%
Patient Care
$38,331
5%
Initiative
$37,966
4%
Written Communication
$37,966
4%
Get Latest Data
Behavioral Caregiver Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Behavioral Caregiver roles, the industry you choose can impact your earning potential
by as much as 40% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the highest-paying industry, Healthcare,
offers compensation 20% above the average. Conversely,
Behavioral Caregiver positions in Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay,
as this sector often view Behavioral Caregiver as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industry for a Behavioral Caregiver
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Healthcare
$43,807
$21.0
20%
Behavioral Caregiver Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay
Understanding how a Behavioral Caregiver's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting.
Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role.
Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.
Salaries for a Behavioral Caregiver can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary decreased from $41,172 in 2023
to around $41,014 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Behavioral Caregiver salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Behavioral Caregiver Over Time
2022
$???
2023
$41,172
2024
$41,385
2025
$41,014
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$41,172
2024
$41,385
2025
$41,014
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Behavioral Caregiver
Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
For Employers
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Common company salaries for Behavioral Caregiver
Here are companies hiring for Behavioral Caregiver and their salaries, click below for more details.
N
$97,099/per year
New York Police Department
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
S
$95,962/per year
State of New York - Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
U
$94,615/per year
US Department of Transportation
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
U
$93,141/per year
US General Services Administration
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
L
$92,342/per year
Los Angeles County
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
D
$92,011/per year
Department of Justice - Federal Bureau of Prisons
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
U
$91,967/per year
US Department of Commerce
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
U
$91,755/per year
US Department of Energy
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
F
$91,673/per year
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
N
$90,276/per year
Naval Sea Systems Command
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
T
$88,975/per year
The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
S
$88,721/per year
San Diego County
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
T
$88,664/per year
The TTB
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
L
$87,569/per year
Lutheran Services
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
M
$85,066/per year
Maryland Inc
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
S
$83,780/per year
State University of New York
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
N
$82,969/per year
New York State
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
P
$82,703/per year
Puerto Rico Department of Education
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
U
$80,526/per year
US Central Command
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
H
$80,286/per year
Health and Safety Executive Northern Ireland
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
A
$79,270/per year
Air Force Reserve
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
A
$78,505/per year
American Automobile Association (AAA)
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
S
$76,678/per year
State of Florida - Department of Health
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
N
$75,183/per year
New York State Department
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
S
$75,106/per year
State University System of Florida
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
the United States
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