Becoming a licensed applied behavior analyst in Alaska requires a master’s degree, supervised fieldwork hours, passing the BCBA® exam, and applying through the state’s Corporations, Business & Professional Licensing Division. Alaska has required licensure for all ABA practitioners since September 2014. As of May 2024, behavior analysts in Alaska earn a median salary of $79,220.
Alaska has only regulated the practice of applied behavior analysis (ABA) since 2014, when the state legislature passed House Bill Number 361 (HB 361), amending Title 8 of the Alaska Statutes regulating businesses and professions. Incorporated as Title 8, Chapter 15, the bill had the strong support of the Alaska Association for Behavior Analysis (AKABA), a non-profit professional association that represents Alaska’s behavior analysts.
Citing important public interest matters such as consumer protection, encouraging professional development, and expediting billing for behavioral analysis services, AKABA helped spearhead lobbying efforts to push HB 361 through the legislative process. The bill passed the vote unopposed in April 2014 and was signed into law in September 2014.
Licenses became required for ABA practitioners in Alaska on September 16, 2014. The same bill imposed a similar licensing regime for assistant behavior analysts (AABAs) in the state.
The state effectively adopts the standards of the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB), a national non-profit organization that offers nationally recognized certification to qualified applicants and that assists states in establishing licensing standards and other laws governing the practice of applied behavior analysis. ABA and AABA licenses in Alaska are issued directly by the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development’s Corporations, Business & Professional Licensing Division.
Steps and Requirements To Becoming a Licensed ABA in Alaska
There are four steps to becoming a licensed ABA in the state of Alaska:
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Qualify to Sit for the National Applied Behavior Analyst Exam |
| 2 | Pass the National Applied Behavior Analyst Exam |
| 3 | Earn a Certification in Behavior Analysis |
| 4 | Apply for Licensure with the Alaska Corporations, Business & Professional Licensing Division |
Step 1. Qualify to Sit for the National Applied Behavior Analyst Exam (1–3 years)
To establish eligibility for the national applied behavior analyst exam, you’ll need to meet the minimum requirements for the primary certification the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) offers: the Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA®). This step covers two main requirements: your graduate degree and your supervised fieldwork hours.
The BACB requires exam candidates to hold a master’s or higher degree in Applied Behavior Analysis, Psychology, or Education that meets BACB acceptable degree definitions, with substantial coursework in applied behavior analysis. Today, that typically means completing the Verified Course Sequence (VCS) specified by ABAI (Association of Behavior Analysis International). All ABAI-accredited programs include the VCS and meet curriculum requirements, as do schools accredited by the Association of Professional Behavior Analysts (APBA).
Programs from other accredited schools may also meet BACB curriculum standards, but are subject to a syllabus review since they lack pre-approval. APBA and ABAI-accredited online master’s programs let you complete coursework from anywhere, avoiding expensive relocation costs and out-of-state tuition fees.
Alongside your degree, you’ll need to accumulate supervised practical experience before you can sit for the exam. The options fall into two categories:
- Concentrated Supervised Fieldwork: 1,500 hours (1,000 hours for AABAs)
- Supervised Fieldwork: 2,000 hours (1,300 hours for AABAs)
Supervised fieldwork has less stringent supervisory requirements but involves more total hours. The concentrated option means more time under direct supervision, but you’ll finish your experiential training faster — typically within 12–18 months if you’re working full-time. It’s also possible to mix concentrated and regular supervised fieldwork to meet your total required hours.
For either category, you’ll submit an attestation from your supervisor verifying both the hours completed and your performance. Performance is assessed across 12 categories covering qualities such as timeliness, professionalism, self-improvement, and skills acquisition.
Step 2. Pass the National Applied Behavior Analyst Exam (1–3 months of preparation)
Alaska law requires applicants to pass a “nationally recognized examination.” In practice, that means the BCBA® (Board Certified Behavior Analyst) Examination through the BACB — it’s currently the only exam that meets this requirement, and that’s unlikely to change. The exam is administered by Pearson VUE, and there are two testing centers in Alaska, in Anchorage and Fairbanks.
To register, applicants apply online through the BACB. Once approved, you’ll schedule your exam at a Pearson VUE location. The exam consists of 175 multiple-choice questions completed within four hours. Topics include:
- Behaviorism and Philosophical Foundations
- Concepts and Principles
- Measurement, Data Display, and Interpretation
- Experimental Design
- Ethical and Professional Issues
- Behavioral Assessment
- Behavior-Change Procedures
- Selecting and Implementing Interventions
- Personnel Supervision and Management
Everything on the exam will be familiar from your coursework, fieldwork, the Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts, and the BCBA Test Content Outline.
Step 3. Earn a Certification in Behavior Analysis
Because Alaska law prohibits delegating licensure authority to an outside agency, the BCBA® isn’t technically mandated by statute — the law accepts “any recognized national certification.” In practice, however, the state licensing division has not named any alternate credential as acceptable. The BCBA® is the only certification the division currently recognizes, and given its standing as the national standard for ABA licensure across the country, a competing credential is very unlikely to be introduced.
For all practical purposes, getting your BCBA® is the required path to ABA licensure in Alaska. Click here for step-by-step instructions on the BCBA® credentialing process.
Most of the requirements you’ll meet while pursuing your BCBA® will have been completed in the course of qualifying for the exam in Steps 1 and 2. AABAs are also required to hold a certification — the BACB’s Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst (BCaBA®) is the only recognized option.
Step 4. Apply for Licensure with the Alaska Corporations, Business & Professional Licensing Division
Once you’ve passed the exam and earned your BCBA® certification, the final step is submitting your application to the Alaska Corporations, Business & Professional Licensing Division. The application form requires information about:
- Personal information
- Supervisor reference
- Educational background
- Behavior analyst credential or practice history
- Criminal background information
- Mental health background information
The application must include an authorization for the release of official records and a verification of certification. Applicants also need to submit a completed 8″ x 8″ FD 258 fingerprint card from an approved state fingerprinting provider.
Here’s what to budget for fees:
- $150 non-refundable application fee
- $75 fingerprint card processing fee
- $500 initial license fee (two-year term, refundable if application is rejected)
For AABAs, the license fee is $200 instead of $500 — all other fees are identical. All required forms are available for download from the Corporations, Business & Professional Licensing Division website.
Temporary and Renewal Licensing in Alaska
Temporary Licensing
Alaska doesn’t offer formal reciprocal license recognition for ABAs. That said, practitioners who are already licensed in another jurisdiction can apply for a full Alaska ABA or AABA license by credential. State law also allows the board to issue temporary licenses to ABAs already licensed elsewhere, provided the originating jurisdiction has requirements substantially equivalent to Alaska’s.
A temporary license is valid for 30 days and costs $80. You’ll still need to undergo fingerprinting and pay the $75 fingerprint and $150 application fees. Proof of certification and your out-of-state license are both required. Once the 30 days are up, you must either receive a full license or cease practice as an ABA. Requirements for AABAs seeking temporary licensure are identical.
License Renewal
Your ABA license expires on September 30 of every even-numbered year, regardless of when it was issued (unless issued within 90 days of expiration). The state isn’t required to notify you — tracking your renewal date is your responsibility.
You can renew online or by submitting paper forms through the Corporations, Business & Professional Licensing Division. Allow three to four weeks for processing either way. Renewal costs $100 for a two-year license, pro-rated to $50 if the license was issued less than a year before expiration.
There’s no grace period for lapsed licenses, and reinstatement requires going through the full licensing process again. AABA renewal costs are $50 (pro-rated to $25), with all other requirements identical.
ABA Salary and Job Outlook in Alaska
Here’s the part most people want to know about: what does this career actually pay in Alaska?
According to May 2024 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors in Alaska — the BLS category that includes ABA and BCBA professionals — earn a median annual salary of $79,220. That’s well above the national median of $59,190 for the same category, reflecting both Alaska’s higher cost of living and the strong demand for qualified practitioners in the state.
Here’s the full salary range for Alaska as of May 2024:
| Percentile | Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $52,790 |
| 25th | $63,690 |
| 50th (Median) | $79,220 |
| 75th | $96,940 |
| 90th | $129,990 |
It’s worth keeping in mind that BCBA-certified professionals often earn toward the higher end of — or above — this range. The BLS category is broader than ABA alone, and board-certified behavior analysts with specialized experience typically command premium compensation.
On the job growth side, Alaska is projecting steady demand. Employment in this field is expected to grow from 990 jobs in 2022 to 1,090 by 2032 — a 10.1% increase that translates to roughly 90 average annual job openings. That’s a consistent pipeline of opportunity for both new graduates and experienced practitioners looking to relocate to the state.
ABA Providers in Alaska
A significant number of ABA practitioners in Alaska specialize in working with children who have autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The CDC estimates that about 1 in 36 children in the US have ASD, creating strong demand for qualified treatment providers — and Alaska is no exception. Some of the private clinics in the state that specialize in ABA services include:
Anchorage area:
- Alaska Speech & Language Depot, Inc.
- FUNctional Therapy
- OT for Children
- Pediatric Specialty Clinic
- Rebeka Edge (Eagle River)
Fairbanks area:
- 4-Star Educational Center
- Katherine Gardner (Soldotna)
- Linda Robertson
- PARENTS
- Step-In Autism Services of Alaska, LLC
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to become a licensed ABA in Alaska?
Most people complete the full path — master’s degree, supervised fieldwork, BCBA® exam, and state licensure — in three to five years. A master’s program typically takes two years, and fieldwork runs 12–18 months if you’re working at it full-time. The concentrated supervised fieldwork option (1,500 hours) lets you finish faster than the standard track (2,000 hours).
Does Alaska offer reciprocal licensing for ABAs licensed in other states?
Alaska doesn’t offer formal reciprocal license recognition. That said, practitioners already licensed in another jurisdiction can apply for a full Alaska license by credential, and the state does issue temporary 30-day licenses to those whose home state has substantially equivalent requirements. You’ll still need to complete fingerprinting and pay the associated fees.
What does it cost to apply for an ABA license in Alaska?
Plan on approximately $725 in upfront fees: a $150 non-refundable application fee, a $75 fingerprint card processing fee, and a $500 two-year license fee. The $500 license fee is refundable if your application is rejected. For AABAs, the license fee is $200 instead of $500.
What do ABA practitioners earn in Alaska?
According to May 2024 BLS data, the median annual salary for practitioners in this field in Alaska is $79,220. Those in the top 25% earn $96,940 or more, and the top 10% earn $129,990 or more. BCBA-certified professionals typically earn toward the higher end of these figures. Alaska salaries are significantly above the national median of $59,190.
Is a BCBA® required to practice as an ABA in Alaska?
Technically, Alaska’s law only requires a “nationally recognized certification” — not specifically a BCBA®. In practice, the BCBA® is the only credential the state licensing division currently recognizes, and that’s unlikely to change. For all practical purposes, pursuing your BCBA® is the required path to ABA licensure in Alaska.
Key Takeaways
- Alaska requires licensure for all ABA practitioners — passed in 2014 via HB 361, the state has required a license for anyone practicing ABA since September 2014, with the BCBA® serving as the only currently accepted credential
- Four steps to licensure — qualify for the exam via a master’s degree and fieldwork hours, pass the BCBA® exam, earn BCBA® certification, then apply through Alaska’s Corporations, Business & Professional Licensing Division
- Plan for real licensing costs — the process involves approximately $725 in fees covering the application, fingerprinting, and the two-year license
- Alaska pays well above the national median — the May 2024 BLS median for this field in Alaska is $79,220, compared to the national median of $59,190, with top earners reaching $129,990
- Steady job growth ahead — Alaska projects 10.1% employment growth in this field from 2022 to 2032, with roughly 90 average annual openings
Ready to take the next step? Explore ABA master’s programs that meet BACB coursework requirements and can put you on the path to licensure in Alaska.
2024 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary and employment figures for Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors reflect state and national data, not school-specific information. Note: ABA/BCBA roles are included in this broader BLS category, and actual salaries for these professionals are frequently higher. ABA salaries can vary based on experience, location, and setting. Data accessed February 2026.