Behavior Support Assistant Salary in the United States

How much does a Behavior Support Assistant make in the United States?

As of October 01, 2026, the average salary for a Behavior Support Assistant in the United States is $53,438 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $26.

However, a Behavior Support Assistant's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $65,868
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $44,599 to $59,945
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $36,552

Key Factors That Influence Behavior Support Assistant Salaries

A Behavior Support Assistant'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, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Behavior Support Assistant Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Behavior Support Assistant'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): $51,351
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $51,965
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $54,560
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $56,592
  • Expert (over 8 years): $57,100
Levels Salary
Entry Level Behavior Support Assistant$51,351
Intermediate Level Behavior Support Assistant$51,965
Senior Level Behavior Support Assistant$54,560
Specialist Level Behavior Support Assistant$56,592
Expert Level Behavior Support Assistant$57,100

How Do Behavior Support Assistant 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 Behavior Support Assistants. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $59,167.
  • California: $58,942.
  • Massachusetts: $58,157.

Top Paying Cities for Behavior Support Assistants

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: $67,402
  • San Francisco: $66,664
  • Oakland: $65,259

What Skills Can Increase a Behavior Support Assistant's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Analysis (Mentioned in 8.08% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
  • Child Development (Mentioned in 1.83% Job Postings): Child development refers to the sequence of physical, language, thought and emotional changes that occur in a child from birth to the beginning of adulthood.
  • Early Childhood Education (Mentioned in 1.59% Job Postings): Early childhood education, also known as nursery education, is a branch of education theory that relates to the teaching of children from birth up to the age of eight.
Skills Demand Percentage
Analysis 8.08%
Child Development 1.83%
Early Childhood Education 1.59%

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 Behavior Support Assistant's salary.

  • LMS: Can increase your salary by up to 9%.
  • Applied Behavior Analysis: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
  • Goal Oriented: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
LMS $58,248
9%
Applied Behavior Analysis $56,110
5%
Goal Oriented $55,576
4%

Behavior Support Assistant Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Behavior Support Assistant roles, the industry you choose can impact your earning potential by as much as 60% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the highest-paying industry, Healthcare, offers compensation 30% above the average. Conversely, Behavior Support Assistant positions in Business Services typically offer lower base pay, as this sector often view Behavior Support Assistant as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industry for a Behavior Support Assistant

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Healthcare$69,470$33.030%

How Education impacts a Behavior Support Assistant's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Behavior Support Assistants enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Behavior Support Assistant with a Bachelor's Degree is between $58,261 and $66,637).

Behavior Support Assistant Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Behavior Support Assistant
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 1.1%
High School 2.3%
Associates 3.8%
Bachelors 28.2%
Masters 63.4%
Doctorate 1.1%

Behavior Support Assistant Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Behavior Support Assistant'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.

Last Updated on October 01, 2026
$44,599
Average $53,438/year
$59,945
$3,717
Average $4,453/month
$4,995
$858
Average $1,028/week
$1,153
$21
Average $26/hour
$29
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $59,945 $4,995 $1,153 $29
Average $53,438 $4,453 $1,028 $26
25th Percentile $44,599 $3,717 $858 $21

Most common benefits for Behavior Support Assistant

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Behavior Support Assistant

Here are companies hiring for Behavior Support Assistant and their salaries, click below for more details.

Find Your Next Behavior Support Assistant Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Behavior Support Assistant job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

For Employees

Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.

Get a Salary Increase

Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.

Search Job Openings

For Employers

Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.

Adjust Employee Salary

Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.

Price My Industry Jobs

FAQ about Behavior Support Assistant

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Behavior Support Assistant?

The Healthcare industry offers the highest average compensation for Behavior Support Assistant roles, with salaries approximately 30% above the market median.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

Are you an HR manager or compensation specialist?

Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:

  • Detailed skills and competency reports for specific positions
  • Job and employee pricing reports
  • Compensation data tools, salary structures, surveys and benchmarks.
Learn about CompAnalyst