Salaries for Applied Behavior Analysts in New York

June 17, 2013 marked the day when New York’s State Senate passed legislation that enshrines into law insurance reimbursement for applied behavior analysis as a therapeutic intervention for autism. The governor signed this at the beginning of 2014, and it went live on July 1 of that year.

The highlights of this law mean Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBA®s) are paid for their services by health insurance plans, instead of out-of-pocket by the parents of those with autism.

This law stipulates:

  • Insurance companies must provide coverage for the diagnosis, treatment, and screening of autism spectrum disorders, including ABA treatment
  • Insurance companies cannot deny or amend coverage for autism treatments based solely on new diagnoses
  • Holders of the BCBA® credential (BACB certification) are specifically noted for being eligible for insurance reimbursement when providing ABA treatments
  • The law creates a new state licensing procedure for the new class of professional, behavior analysts

There is no age limit for coverage of ABA services to treat autism, with a treatment coverage cap at $45,000 per year per child.

Having been the law of the land going on three years now, this legislation has helped to bolster the state’s average salary for BCBA®s. Experienced board-certified behavior analysts (BCBA®s) in New York can earn salaries as high as $113,570 a year, according to 2021 statistics from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). 

Salaries for Experienced BCBA®s in the Largest Metropolitan areas of New York 

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 May, 2021): 

Albany-Schenectady-Troy: 

  • 50th: $103,900 
  • 75th: $120,240 
  • 90th: $121,760 

New York-Newark-Jersey City: 

  • 50th: $113,570 
  • 75th: $127,750 
  • 90th: $138,400 
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Starting Salaries for BCBA®s in the Largest Metropolitan areas of New York 

The most highly paid BCBA®s in New York who lack job experience in the field of behavior analysis can command salaries that exceed the median salary among highly experienced BCBA®s in the state. Salary data shown below for entry-level ABAs is current as of May 2021 (10th percentile to median): 

Albany-Schenectady-Troy: 

  • 10th: $46,820 
  • 25th: $93,660 
  • 50th: $103,900 

New York-Newark-Jersey City: 

  • 10th: $38,210 
  • 25th: $77,200 
  • 50th: $113,570 

2021 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary and employment figures for Psychologists, All Other reflect national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed January 2023. 

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