2024 Best Online PhD in Applied Behavior Analysis
By Joy Miller
Edited by Briana Sukert
Updated on September 23, 2024
If you’re looking to take the next step in your career as a behaviorist, you might want to consider a PhD in applied behavior analysis.
Not only can it help prepare you for the rigors of science, independent research, or teaching, but it can also help you bolster your qualifications to enter an often lucrative but highly competitive field.
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Methodology: The following school list is in alphabetical order. To be included, a college or university must be regionally accredited and offer degree programs online or in a hybrid format.
Arizona State University offers an online Doctor of Behavioral Health to interested graduate students. There are three main foundational pillars of this program including medical literacy, entrepreneurship, and integrated behavioral interventions. The goal is to provide clinicians with the most comprehensive training on working in today’s primary career environments.
Arizona State University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Schools and Colleges.
Graduate students at Capella University can earn their Ph.D. in Psychology with a concentration in applied behavior analysis. The program requires 104 total quarter credits for completion, and these credits include seven core courses, six specialization courses, three electives, and three dissertation seminars. Students can transfer a total of 25 credits.
Capella University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
The Ph.D. in Applied Behavior Analysis program at Endicott College is a research-based program that aims to prepare graduate students for advanced clinical and practitioner work or university-level teaching careers.
Courses are designed to teach students to objectively define and measure behavior, cultivate reliable relationships with patients, and utilize methods of science in treatment.
Endicott College is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education.
Students enrolled full-time in The Chicago School of Professional Psychology’s Ph.D. in Applied Behavior Analysis program can expect to graduate in three to five years depending on prior educational achievement. Sample courses include critical analysis of research in verbal behavior, supervision, consulting, and experimental analysis of behavior.
The Chicago School of Professional Psychology is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission.
The University of Nevada – Reno offers an online Ph.D. in Behavior Analysis through its Department of Psychology. Graduate students receive supervised instruction and hands-on experience in many different fields such as basic research in animal behavior, basic and applied research in human behavior, and the philosophies of behaviorism.
The University of Nevada – Reno is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.
Walden University’s Doctor of Psychology in Behavioral Health Leadership program helps students develop firm, sophisticated knowledge bases while also building their practical experience and cultivating their management skills.
Students can choose from six specializations and are expected to take part in numerous interactive case studies. Up to 40 credits may be transferred.
Walden is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission.
Applied behavior analysis (ABA), sometimes called behavioral engineering, is a specialization within the field of behavioral therapy. It looks at scientific and research-based methods for identifying, cataloguing, and correcting various types of behavior.
You might be most familiar with ABA in the context of autism treatment, but ABA specialists can seek employment in a variety of fields.
Common careers in applied behavioral analysis include:
While the specifics will depend on your college’s unique ABA program, topics covered in your coursework will usually include things like psychology, research methodology, special education, and leadership.
A doctorate is the highest degree that you can receive for applied behavioral analysis, but there are a few professional certifications that you can pursue after graduation.
The most well-known is the Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) certification issued by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board. There’s also the Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) and the Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst (BCaBA) certifications.
To qualify for the BCBA, you’ll need to have a master’s degree or doctoral degree from an accredited university.
Some schools offer a special program that has been accredited by the Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI) specifically for BCBA certification, and allows students to skip some of the usual requirements of certification.
Something to note about applied behavior analysis PhD programs is that many of them have face-to-face requirements.
Even if you’re enrolled in online degree programs, you might be expected to fulfill things like clinical hours in a real-world setting. You’ll have to make arrangements with your school to satisfy these requirements locally.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, psychologists make a median salary of $82,180 per year. Their typical salary range is $46,270 to $137,590 per year. The highest-paying jobs for psychologists are in hospitals, schools, government agencies, and ambulatory healthcare services.
Here are a few common career paths for ABA students, as well as their median salaries:
| Careers | Annual Median Salaries |
| Medical and Health Services Manager | $137,590 |
| Postsecondary Education Administrator | $97,500 |
| Medical Scientist | $91,510 |
| Sociologist | $86,110 |
| Psychology Professor | $78,180 |
| Special Education Teacher | $61,420 |
| School or Career Counselor | $58,120 |
| Social Worker | $51,760 |
| Marriage or Family Therapist | $51,340 |
| Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder or Mental Health Counselor | $47,660 |
The Bureau of Labor Statistics doesn’t have specific wage information for the field of ABA, so that’s something to keep in mind as you’re comparing and contrasting salaries.
For the most accurate assessment of what you might make after obtaining a PhD in behavioral therapy, look at specific jobs in your area that are held by people with the same level of education as you.
There are several things to consider before enrolling in applied behavior analysis programs.
However, you can still look for programs with a high ratio of online classes. Since ABA programs can be highly competitive, it’s best to start applying early. This will give you time to apply to other schools if your first options don’t pan out.
Every degree program is different. However, since graduate-level ABA programs are often developed to follow the certification guidelines for the BCBA, there’s some uniformity in their subjects.
Here are some of the courses you may encounter in your ABA program:
For more information on things like BCBA requirements, check out the Behavior Analyst Certification Board website. They have extensive breakdowns of what you’ll need before applying, including credits, courses, and fieldwork hours.
What does it take to get into a PhD program for applied behavior analysis? Every school’s requirements are different, but there are a few general criteria that you can expect to see for many programs.
Depending on the school, you might also need things like transcripts, interviews, writing samples, letters of recommendation, or credit hour assessments.
Accreditation can be especially crucial when you’re seeking a PhD in ABA. For starters, credits may not be transferable unless they were earned at an accredited university.
Since behavioral therapy programs can require anywhere from 3-5 years to finish, there’s always a possibility of rotating or changing schools while in the process of getting your degree. Transferable credits will be essential if you do.
BCBA eligibility requirements include a master’s degree or doctorate degree from an accredited university, and if you attend a school accredited by their organization, all of the necessary coursework and fieldwork will be built into the program. Continuing professional development is also usually required after entering the profession.
If you want to know whether a potential school is accredited, use the search engine at the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) website.
Financial aid is available for qualified PhD students. There are even some opportunities for fully-funded PhD programs. In some cases, the school will pay for your tuition and textbooks, and also provide you with a stipend. In exchange, you’ll participate in internships or assistantships.
Another option is filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). While you won’t qualify for the same FAFSA loans and grants as undergraduate students, you might be eligible for exclusive, doctorate-level assistance in the form of the Direct PLUS Loan for Graduate or Professional Students.
Lastly, you can look around for scholarships and employer programs that will pay for some or all of your schooling. While these aren’t always advertised by colleges, you may be able to find some you qualify for through your own research.
You can pursue many different careers with a PhD in this field. Jobs are available in schools, hospitals, government agencies, mental health agencies, and a variety of social service programs.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the occupational growth rate for psychologists is projected at 3%. This translates to thousands of new jobs being added to the market every year, so it’s a good time to invest in a degree.
The cost of your PhD can depend on several different factors, including the length of your program and the number of credits or fieldwork hours required.
The per credit hour cost can vary widely by university, but you can likely expect to pay between $600 and $1,500 per credit hour. Financial aid or scholarships may help to offset these costs.
PhD programs usually take between 3 and 5 years to complete. However, accelerated or dual degree programs may be completed more quickly, and it may take longer if you are attending as a part-time student.
It’s common for ABA doctorate programs to offer both a post-bachelor’s option and a post-master’s option. The post-bachelor’s option usually takes around 5 years to complete—2 years for your master’s degree and 3 years for your PhD.
The median salaries for many of the careers open to those with a PhD in Applied Behavior Analysis are available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, but keep in mind that those with PhDs often make more than the median salary.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the annual median salary for psychologists is $82,180 per year, and the top earners in the field can take home as much as $137,590 per year.
If you are interested in pursuing a BCBA doctoral program online, there are four different pathways to getting your certification. The first requires enrollment in a PhD program that’s been accredited by the Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI).
The second allows you to be enrolled in any accredited university, but you’ll need to prove that you meet the same coursework and fieldwork requirements that are built into an ABAI-approved program.
The third and fourth options are for teachers and other professionals who have graduate degrees with a high number of fieldwork hours. In addition to meeting these prerequisites, you’ll also need to submit an application and sit for a qualifying exam. You may need to commit to professional development as well so that you care always current on new knowledge discovered in the field.
Yes, a doctorate in applied behavior analysis is worth it for many graduate students. The Bureau of Labor Statistics is projecting 5% job growth in life, physical, and social science occupations over the next 10 years.
Common ABA careers in this field include psychologist, therapist, behavioral analyst, researcher, university professor, and health services coordinator.
Maybe you’re a first-year college student in a psychology degree program already thinking about the future. Maybe you’re a practicing professional who wants to take the next step towards a higher-paying or more advanced job.
Whatever your reasons for considering an applied behavior analysis degree, it may be a very rewarding choice, especially if you combine your education with a certification program.
If you have been researching what you can do with a masters in applied behavior analysis, consider reaching out to universities about their doctorate-level ABA programs. There are many opportunities that are worth exploring.
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