Behavioral Health Intake Specialist Salary in the United States

How much does a Behavioral Health Intake Specialist make in the United States?

As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for a Behavioral Health Intake Specialist in the United States is $56,915 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $27.

However, a Behavioral Health Intake Specialist's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $67,867
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $54,415 to $62,647
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $52,139
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View as table View as graph 25% $54,415 10% $52,139 90% $67,867 75% $62,647 $56,915 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Behavioral Health Intake Specialist Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $62,647 $5,221 $1,205 $30
Average $56,915 $4,743 $1,095 $27
25th Percentile $54,415 $4,535 $1,046 $26
Check out Behavioral Health Intake Specialist Job Openings in the United States
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Key Factors That Influence Behavioral Health Intake Specialist Salaries

A Behavioral Health Intake Specialist'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 Behavioral Health Intake Specialist Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Behavioral Health Intake Specialist'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): $56,915
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $57,280
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $58,718
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $59,005
  • Expert (over 8 years): $59,197
Levels Salary
Entry Level Behavioral Health Intake Specialist$56,915
Intermediate Level Behavioral Health Intake Specialist$57,280
Senior Level Behavioral Health Intake Specialist$58,718
Specialist Level Behavioral Health Intake Specialist$59,005
Expert Level Behavioral Health Intake Specialist$59,197
$56,915 0 yr
$57,280 < 2 yrs
$58,718 2-4 yrs
$59,005 5-8 yrs
$59,197 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Behavioral Health Intake Specialists

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: $71,786
  • San Francisco: $71,000
  • Oakland: $69,504

What Skills Can Increase a Behavioral Health Intake Specialist's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Storytelling (Mentioned in 5.61% Job Postings): Planning, creating and presenting stories or narratives to achieve diverse personal and business goals.
  • Photoshop (Mentioned in 2.21% Job Postings): Photoshop is an image creation, graphic design and photo editing software developed by Adobe. It is used to demonstrate knowledge of image resolution, image size, and image file format for web, video, and print.
  • Competitive Environment (Mentioned in 1.54% Job Postings): Ability to gather, analyze, and communicate information about the competitive business market.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Storytelling 5.61%
Photoshop 2.21%
Competitive Environment 1.54%
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 Health Intake Specialist's salary.
  • Economics: Can increase your salary by up to 11%.
  • Content Development: Can increase your salary by up to 10%.
  • Insight: Can increase your salary by up to 10%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Economics
$63,175
11%
Content Development
$62,606
10%
Insight
$62,606
10%
Content Management Systems
$62,606
10%
Analysis
$62,037
9%
Organizing
$61,468
8%
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Behavioral Health Intake Specialist Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Behavioral Health Intake Specialist roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 100% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Software & Networking and Aerospace & Defense sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 50% above the average. In contrast, Behavioral Health Intake Specialist positions in Telecom or Transportation typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Behavioral Health Intake Specialist as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industry for a Behavioral Health Intake Specialist

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Software & Networking$85,372$41.050%

How Education impacts a Behavioral Health Intake Specialist's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Behavioral Health Intake Specialists enter the field with a Associate'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 Behavioral Health Intake Specialist with a Associate's Degree is between $52,346 and $55,914).

Behavioral Health Intake Specialist Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Behavioral Health Intake Specialist
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 3.1%
High School 3.1%
Associates 3.1%
Bachelors 75.2%
Masters 18.1%
Doctorate 0.4%
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Behavioral Health Intake Specialist Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Behavioral Health Intake Specialist'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 August 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Behavioral Health Intake Specialist

Salaries for a Behavioral Health Intake Specialist can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $49,981 in 2023 to around $49,764 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Behavioral Health Intake Specialist salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Behavioral Health Intake Specialist Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$49,981
2024
$50,308
2025
$49,764
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $49,981
2024 $50,308
2025 $49,764
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Behavioral Health Intake Specialist

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Behavioral Health Intake Specialist

Here are companies hiring for Behavioral Health Intake Specialist and their salaries, click below for more details.

Find Your Next Behavioral Health Intake Specialist Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Behavioral Health Intake Specialist job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

United States
  • Aya Healthcare

    Columbus, OH

    Aya Healthcare | Columbus, OH

    Registered Nurse. Pay: $2,017.00 to $2,238.04 weekly. Assignment Length: 13 Weeks. Schedule: 3x12-Hour 19:00 - 07:30. Openings: 1. Start Date: 09/08/2026. ... more

    13 Days Ago

  • Confidential

    Columbus, OH

    Confidential | Columbus, OH

    Associate Vice President, Internal Communications. About the Company. National consulting & advisory services firm focused on the healthcare industry. Indu... more

    16 Days Ago

  • C.R. England

    Columbus, OH

    C.R. England | Columbus, OH

    Job Description. C.R. England is Now Urgently Hiring Local Dedicated CDL-A Truck Drivers. \n. Dedicated Local Fleet - Home Daily - Competitive Pay* - Full ... more

    21 Days Ago

  • Confidential

    Columbus, OH

    Confidential | Columbus, OH

    Vice President, Payments Engineering. About the Company. Globally-recognized provider of corporate payment solutions. Industry. Financial Services. Type. P... more

    23 Days Ago

  • Confidential

    Columbus, OH

    Confidential | Columbus, OH

    Senior Vice President of Project Delivery. About the Company. A multi-billion-dollar construction organization with collaborative, servant-minded leadershi... more

    23 Days Ago

  • USPS

    Columbus, OH

    USPS | Columbus, OH

    The United States Postal Service (USPS) is seeking Mail Carriers and City Carrier Assistants (CCA) to deliver mail and packages to residential and business... more

    29 Days Ago

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FAQ about Behavioral Health Intake Specialist

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Behavioral Health Intake Specialist?

The Software & Networking industry offers the highest average compensation for Behavioral Health Intake Specialist roles, with salaries approximately 50% 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.

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