Enacted in 2013, Texas’ latest autism insurance law ensures that applied behavior analysis is covered by most insurance plans, including most state employee health plans, all fully insured large group plans, and fully insured small group plans. With the passage of this law came a new era in which applied behavior analysis became more accessible to the patients that need it, while creating new opportunities for small private practices and independent practitioners to grow their clientele and patient rosters.
While Texas’s insurance law requires that autistic patients receive a diagnosis before the age of ten in order for them to be eligible to receive covered treatment, there is no age limit on the provision of treatment itself once that diagnosis has been made. This gives ABAs in Texas the opportunity to work with a wider eligible patient population than is typical in most of the country. (Autism Speaks, 2013).
Applied behavior analysts are needed in Texas now more than ever. From 2000 to 2010, Texas experienced a 400% increase in the number of children diagnosed with autism, and with insurance providers recognizing the necessity of ABA treatment well beyond the school-aged years, ABAs in the state are enjoying more opportunities than ever before.
Experienced board-certified behavior analysts (BCBA®s) in Texas can earn salaries as high as $109,470 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 Texas
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):
Austin-Round Rock:
- 50th: $100,150
- 75th: $112,670
- 90th: $122,080
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington:
- 50th: $105,930
- 75th: $119,160
- 90th: $129,110
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land:
- 50th: $109,470
- 75th: $123,590
- 90th: $130,670
San Antonio-New Braunfels:
- 50th: $105,160
- 75th: $114,440
- 90th: $120,620
Starting Salaries for BCBA®s in the Largest Metropolitan areas of Texas
The most highly paid BCBA®s in Texas 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):
Austin-Round Rock:
- 10th: $81,600
- 25th: $93,890
- 50th: $100,150
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington:
- 10th: $49,630
- 25th: $99,220
- 50th: $105,930
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land:
- 10th: $52,960
- 25th: $98,030
- 50th: $109,470
San Antonio-New Braunfels:
- 10th: $53,810
- 25th: $93,640
- 50th: $105,160
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.