After ten years in the field, Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBA®s) in Illinois can earn up to $92,000 a year. The median salary among these experienced ABAs was $62,764 as of December 2016. These professionals enjoyed an annual incremental salary increase of more than $1,200 each year. In addition, the median bonus for ABAs in Illinois is $2,750.
A number of highly influential organizations recognize applied behavior therapy as the most effective treatment for autism. They include the US Surgeon General and the American Academy of Pediatrics. Autistic children can require as much as 30 hours of treatment a week, and having access to insurance greatly increases the likelihood that parents can afford this type of treatment. Insurance coverage increases opportunities for ABAs employed in private practices and those that practice independently.
Illinois required insurance coverage for autism spectrum disorders (ASD) as early as 2008. The state amended its law in 2009 to require coverage of habilitative services such as ABA for children younger than 19 who have an early acquired, genetic, or congenital disorder such as ASD.
Shown below is a summary of the highlights of the salaries among ABAs in the eight largest cities in Illinois (December 2016):
- Experienced ABAs employed with companies in Chicago earn the highest median salary statewide
- ABAs in Naperville and Rockford obtained the largest yearly increase, averaging more than $1,300 each year
Salaries for Experienced Board Certified Behavior Analysts in the Largest Cities in Illinois
Shown below are the salary figures for applied behavior analysts with ten years of experience in the largest cities in Illinois by sector. Each list provides the overall salary range (from median to 90th percentile) for each city, followed by the median salary for a number of employment sectors (December 2016):
Chicago – $65,033 – $84,000
- Companies – $69,081
- Private Practice – $68,628
- Government – $68,588
- School Districts – $65,991
- Non-Profits – $63,603
Aurora – $63,073 – $82,000
- Companies – $66,461
- Government – $65,494
- Private Practice – $65,174
- Non-Profits – $61,801
- School Districts – $62,320
Rockford – $62,068 – $81,000
- Companies – $65,052
- Private Practice – $65,082
- Government – $64,480
- School Districts – $62,893
- Non-Profits – $59,326
Joliet – $63,065 – $85,000
- Companies – $66,766
- Private Practice – $65,774
- Government – $65,654
- School Districts – $63,897
- Non-Profits – $61,873
Naperville – $65,239 – $84,000
- Companies – $68,284
- Private Practice – $68,002
- Government – $68,001
- School Districts – $65,328
- Non-Profits – $64,079
Springfield – $59,329 – $79,000
- Companies – $62,607
- Private Practice – $62,508
- Government – $61,350
- School Districts – $60,057
- Non-Profits – $57,296
Peoria – $62,005 – $82,000
- Government – $64,951
- Private Practice – $63,431
- Companies – $63,188
- School Districts – $62,698
- Non-Profits – $59,073
Elgin – $62,297 – $81,000
- Companies – $65,592
- Government – $64,533
- School Districts – $63,446
- Private Practice – $64,300
- Non-Profits – $61,401
Entry-Level Salaries for Board Certified Behavior Analysts in the Largest Cities in Illinois
Shown below are the entry-level salary figures for behavior analysts in the largest cities in Illinois by sector. Each list provides the overall salary range (from median to 90th percentile) for each city, followed by the median salary for a number of employment sectors (December 2016):
Chicago – $52,256 – $68,000
- School Districts – $54,996
- Companies – $54,812
- Government – $54,499
- Private Practice – $54,175
- Non-Profits – $53,141
Aurora – $50,496 – $66,000
- Companies – $52,733
- Private Practice – $52,186
- School Districts – $52,089
- Government – $52,040
- Non-Profits – $51,019
Rockford – $48,679 – $65,000
- Companies – $52,169
- Government – $52,169
- Private Practice – $51,735
- School Districts – $51,209
- Non-Profits – $50,158
Joliet – $50,147 – $68,000
- Companies – $52,307
- Government – $51,874
- School Districts – $51,679
- Private Practice – $51,603
- Non-Profits – $51,313
Naperville – $51,843 – $67,000
- Companies – $54,431
- School Districts – $54,292
- Government – $54,039
- Private Practice – $53,440
- Non-Profits – $52,781
Springfield – $48,679 – $67,000
- Government – $50,727
- Companies – $50,446
- Non-Profits – $48,816
- Private Practice – $48,776
- School Districts – $48,491
Peoria – $50,751 – $68,000
- Companies – $52,296
- Government – $51,871
- Private Practice – $51,068
- School Districts – $50,957
- Non-Profits – $50,434
Elgin – $48,872 – $65,000
- Companies – $52,038
- School Districts – $51,850
- Private Practice – $51.655
- Government – $51,274
- Non-Profits – $50,596
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 Illinois.