Experienced board certified behavior analysts (BCBA®s) in Alabama can earn up to $87,000 a year. While Alabama’s Medicaid program recognized BCBA®s as qualified providers as far back as 2009, the state changed its licensing in 2014 to make formal certification of all applied behavior analysts a legal requirement.
The new requirement for board certification means that BCBA®s now command higher salaries. One of the requirements for this certification is that candidates must possess at least a master’s degree. In fact, Alabama’s reimbursement rates for services delivered by BCBA®s are now higher than for licensed doctoral-level psychologists according to the consulting firm Reinforcement Unlimited.
Salaries for Experienced BCBA®s in Alabama’s Major Cities
The range of salaries for board-certified behavior analysts with ten years of experience in the field are shown below (median to top 10% – current as of November 23, 2016):
Birmingham:
- Schools: $61,000 – $80,000
- Hospitals: $59,000 – $76,000
- Private Practice: $60,000 – $76,000
Mobile:
- Schools: $57,000 – $76,000
- Hospitals: $59,000 – $78,000
- Private Practice: $64,000 – $82,000
Montgomery:
- Schools: $61,000 – $81,000
- Hospitals: $60,000 – $78,000
- Private Practice: $62,000 – $79,000
Huntsville:
- Schools: $62,000 – $84,000
- Hospitals: $63,000 – $84,000
- Private Practice: $68,000 – $87,000
Tuscaloosa:
- Schools: $59,000 – $78,000
- Hospitals: $59,000 – $77,000
- Private Practice: $61,000 – $78,000
Hoover:
- Schools: $61,000 – $81,000
- Hospitals: $62,000 – $80,000
- Private Practice: $62,000 – $79,000
Dothan:
- Schools: $58,000 – $76,000
- Hospitals: $58,000 – $75,000
- Private Practice: $62,000 – $80,000
Salaries for New BCBA®s in the Major Cities of Alabama
Salary data shown below for entry-level ABAs is current as of November 2016 (median – 90th percentile):
Birmingham:
- Schools: $51,000 – $66,000
- Hospitals: $50,000 – $63,000
- Private Practice: $49,000 – $62,000
Mobile:
- Schools: $48,000 – $64,000
- Hospitals: $49,000 – $64,000
- Private Practice: $49,000 – $63,000
Montgomery:
- Schools: $49,000 – $65,000
- Hospitals: $49,000 – $64,000
- Private Practice: $49,000 – $63,000
Huntsville:
- Schools: $52,000 – $69,000
- Hospitals: $52,000 – $69,000
- Private Practice: $50,000 – $65,000
Tuscaloosa:
- Schools: $48,000 – $64,000
- Hospitals: $48,000 – $63,000
- Private Practice: $50,000 – $64,000
Hoover:
- Schools: $49,000 – $66,000
- Hospitals: $50,000 – $66,000
- Private Practice: $51,000 – $65,000
Dothan:
- Schools: $48,000 – $63,000
- Hospitals: $49,000 – $63,000
- Private Practice: $48,000 – $62,000
Behavior Analyst Certification in Alabama Permits Insurance Coverage for Autism Services
While BCBA®s can serve a number of functions, a large number of ABAs provide services specifically aimed at treating autistic children. These types of behavior analysts are instrumental in helping children and adults with autism learn to function in society. ABAs have worked with young children with autism since the 1960s and also refined techniques to help adults with autism.
In fact, experts consider applied behavior analysis to be a vital medical treatment for autism. The New York State Department of Health and the US Surgeon General are among the many organizations that endorse ABA treatment of the autistic.
The principles and techniques of ABA are used to foster basic skills to look, learn, and listen in addition to complex skills such as conversing, reading, and understanding other people’s perspective. The application of these techniques greatly increases the ability of autistic individuals to function in society.
However, insurance companies tightened up their regulations and limited ABA services to the autistic. They did so by requiring that the providers be licensed and certified. This posed a particular problem in Alabama where ABAs were not licensed prior to 2014.
The situation in Alabama was so dire that state Senators sponsored legislation to license and certify ABAs in the state. Senator Cam Ward chose Dr. Paige McKerchar to write the bill to require certification. The passage of SB13 in 2014 resulted in Alabama being the 15th state in the country to license behavior analysts.
PayScale.com provides detailed information on what applied behavior analysts in various employment settings and with various levels of experience can expect to earn in Alabama.