After ten years in the field, Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBA®s) in New Jersey can earn up to $100,000 a year, with an average salary increase of nearly $1,200 a year over the course of their career.
- Experienced ABAs in Jersey City earned the highest salary statewide
- ABAs in Newark earned the highest entry-level salaries statewide
- The incremental salary increase over a ten-year period was more than $1,400 a year for ABAs in Jersey City and Clifton
New Jersey Provides Ground-Breaking Benefits for Those With Autism
On August 13, 2009, New Jersey became the 14th state to enact autism insurance reform. Designed for individuals under 21 with a primary diagnosis of autism, this coverage includes medically necessary behavioral interventions based on the principles of ABA.
New Jersey became the first state in the country to enact ABLE in 2016. Governor Chris Christie signed this legislation that allows families the opportunity to set up tax-free savings accounts modeled after those for college savings. In this case, families can save for expenses related to disabilities such as autism. Both chambers unanimously supported this bill.
Without insurance coverage, ABA therapy for autistic children can be prohibitively expensive, since such treatment for severely afflicted children can cost as much as $50,000 a year. This type of coverage not only benefits patients with autism, it also enhances opportunities for ABAs in the private sector.
Salaries for Experienced Board Certified Behavior Analysts in New Jersey’s Largest Cities
Shown below are the salary figures for applied behavior analysts with ten years of experience in the eight largest cities in New Jersey 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):
Newark – $66,753 – $91,000
- Private Practice – $71,675
- School Districts – $71,612
- Companies – $70,315
- Government – $68,795
- Non-Profits – $66,142
Jersey City – $68,197 – $92,000
- School Districts – $72,284
- Government – $70,046
- Private Practice – $69,900
- Companies – $69,264
- Non-Profits – $67,937
Peterson – $63,412 – $85,000
- School Districts – $67,845
- Companies – $67,631
- Private Practice – $66,664
- Non-Profits – $65,637
- Government – $65,400
Elizabeth – $54,504 – $84,000
- School Districts – $67,743
- Government – $67,200
- Companies – $66,972
- Private Practice – $66,946
- Non-Profits – $63,995
Edison – $66,924 – $88,000
- Private Practice – $71,402
- Companies – $70,814
- School Districts – $70,439
- Government – $69,422
- Non-Profits – $65,799
Toms River – $64,279 – $87,000
- Companies – $67,952
- Private Practice – $66,893
- Government – $66,722
- School Districts – $65,689
- Non-Profits – $62,692
Trenton – $62,755 – $86,000
- School Districts – $68,791
- Companies – $68,401
- Government – $66,245
- Private Practice – $66,179
- Non-Profits – $64,858
Clifton – $65,576 – $86,000
- Companies – $68,996
- School Districts – $68,509
- Government – $67,911
- Private Practice – $67,352
- Non-Profits – $65,004
Entry-Level Salaries for Board Certified Behavior Analysts in New Jersey’s Largest Cities
Shown below are the entry-level salary figures for behavior analysts in the eight largest cities in New Jersey 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):
Newark – $56,581 – $77,000
- Government – $56,867
- Companies – $56,777
- Private Practice – $55,660
- School Districts – $54,999
- Non-Profits – $53,618
Jersey City – $53,514 – $73,000
- Companies – $56,830
- Government – $56,689
- Private Practice – $55,958
- School Districts – $55,397
- Non-Profits – $54,048
Peterson – $50,702 – $68,000
- Companies – $55,176
- School Districts – $53,965
- Private Practice – $53,824
- Government – $53,760
- Non-Profits – $51,759
Elizabeth – $55,213 – $73,000
- School Districts – $56,089
- Government – $55,647
- Companies – $53,973
- Private Practice – $55,425
- Non-Profits – $50,951
Edison – $55,213 – $73,000
- Companies – $55,604
- School Districts – $55,075
- Government – $54,797
- Private Practice – $54,793
- Non-Profits – $53,420
Toms River – $53,211 – $72,000
- Companies – $53,117
- Government – $53,447
- School Districts – $53,240
- Private Practice – $53,049
- Non-Profits – $51,138
Trenton – $62,755 – $86,000
- Private Practice – $56,915
- School Districts – $56,228
- Companies – $55,744
- Government – $55,162
- Non-Profits – $52,451
Clifton – $51,102 – $68,000
- School Districts – $54,554
- Companies – $54,318
- Private Practice – $54,121
- Government – $53,613
- Non-Profits – $52,487
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 New Jersey.
