Pay, location & work-life context
Behavior Analyst (BCBA) Salary Map by State (2026)
Median behavior analyst (bcba) pay across 44 states from real job listings — switch views to adjust for cost of living or overlay burnout scores. Medians blend permanent salaries with annualized locums/contract rates. National median: $92,500.
Highest median
Delaware
$110,000
Best real purchasing power
South Carolina
$115,735 adjusted
Best lifestyle score
South Dakota
7.5/10 avg burnout score
Compare state markets
Choose a metric, then select a state to see its figures and available breakdown.
Tile positions are approximate, not geographic boundaries. Selection adds an outline without changing the metric color. Work-life scores describe listings, not surveyed clinician burnout.
Behavior Analyst (BCBA) pay by state
Sorted by median advertised pay. On smaller screens, scroll the table sideways to compare all metrics.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Take-home, COL-adj. | Work-life score | Listings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware | $110,000 | $110,212 | $102,938 | 4.6/10 | 6 |
| South Carolina | $108,500 | $115,735 | $108,559 | 5.7/10 | 26 |
| Maryland | $107,500 | $102,421 | $96,532 | 5.4/10 | 191 |
| New York | $104,000 | $96,367 | $89,766 | 5.3/10 | 147 |
| Texas | $100,835 | $103,893 | $103,893 | 6.3/10 | 508 |
| Arizona | $100,000 | $99,328 | $96,844 | 6.1/10 | 143 |
| Oklahoma | $100,000 | $113,839 | $108,432 | 6.1/10 | 34 |
| Georgia | $99,000 | $102,811 | $97,270 | 5.2/10 | 170 |
| Colorado | $98,500 | $95,583 | $91,377 | 6.1/10 | 85 |
| South Dakota | $98,500 | $111,191 | $111,191 | 7.5/10 | 7 |
| North Carolina | $97,500 | $103,365 | $98,972 | 5.8/10 | 368 |
| New Jersey | $97,500 | $89,610 | $83,902 | 4.8/10 | 230 |
| Minnesota | $95,421 | $96,755 | $87,225 | 5.4/10 | 48 |
| Washington | $95,275 | $89,031 | $89,031 | 4.2/10 | 24 |
| New Mexico | $95,000 | $103,023 | $96,945 | 5.3/10 | 35 |
| Nebraska | $95,000 | $105,435 | $99,952 | 6.1/10 | 24 |
| Kansas | $95,000 | $105,476 | $99,590 | 5.7/10 | 11 |
| Connecticut | $93,378 | $90,125 | $83,825 | 4.1/10 | 42 |
| Tennessee | $92,500 | $100,686 | $100,686 | 4.1/10 | 31 |
| Nevada | $92,500 | $92,519 | $92,519 | 6.7/10 | 15 |
| Florida | $90,500 | $87,512 | $87,512 | 4.7/10 | 92 |
| Vermont | $90,500 | $92,387 | $84,303 | 4.8/10 | 7 |
| California | $90,000 | $81,286 | $73,727 | 5.2/10 | 580 |
| Pennsylvania | $90,000 | $92,240 | $89,408 | 4.2/10 | 167 |
| Iowa | $90,000 | $102,550 | $98,653 | 6.1/10 | 14 |
| Utah | $89,500 | $90,528 | $86,409 | 5.5/10 | 25 |
| Michigan | $89,500 | $93,019 | $89,066 | 4.6/10 | 114 |
| Illinois | $88,250 | $88,287 | $83,917 | 5.1/10 | 256 |
| Ohio | $87,500 | $94,315 | $91,014 | 5.2/10 | 40 |
| Rhode Island | $87,500 | $85,549 | $80,425 | 4.4/10 | 16 |
| Wisconsin | $86,500 | $91,928 | $87,056 | 7.4/10 | 8 |
| Alabama | $85,500 | $96,259 | $91,446 | 3.8/10 | 7 |
| Oregon | $85,000 | $82,236 | $74,095 | 5.3/10 | 20 |
| Louisiana | $85,000 | $96,364 | $93,473 | 3.2/10 | 25 |
| Idaho | $85,000 | $89,011 | $83,942 | 5.2/10 | 9 |
| Missouri | $84,610 | $93,165 | $88,787 | 5.1/10 | 41 |
| Massachusetts | $83,000 | $78,482 | $74,558 | 4.4/10 | 187 |
| Arkansas | $82,500 | $94,896 | $91,195 | 5.5/10 | 9 |
| Kentucky | $82,500 | $91,505 | $87,845 | 4.1/10 | 7 |
| New Hampshire | $82,000 | $78,721 | $78,721 | 6.0/10 | 29 |
| Indiana | $81,000 | $86,790 | $84,186 | 5.1/10 | 70 |
| Virginia | $72,500 | $71,708 | $67,585 | 5.6/10 | 236 |
| Montana | $70,000 | $73,961 | $69,597 | 2.4/10 | 19 |
| Hawaii | $62,400 | $56,753 | $50,510 | 6.2/10 | 42 |
Common questions
Which state pays behavior analyst (bcba)s the most?
Delaware currently has the highest median behavior analyst (bcba) salary at $110,000, based on 6 real job listings. Adjusted for cost of living, South Carolina offers the highest real purchasing power at $115,735.
Which state offers the best after-tax behavior analyst (bcba) pay?
South Dakota currently leads the take-home view at $111,191 — the state median after its state income tax (Tax Foundation state income tax rates (2025)), divided by the local cost-of-living index. No-income-tax states like Texas, Florida and Tennessee often outrank nominally higher-paying states here.
Why adjust behavior analyst (bcba) salaries for cost of living?
Prices differ across states. The adjusted view divides each state's pay benchmark by its regional price index (U.S. average = 100). Source: BEA Regional Price Parities (2024). This is a state-level comparison, not a personal budget or a city-level cost estimate. Missing price data is shown as unavailable.
Which state has the best behavior analyst (bcba) lifestyle scores?
South Dakota currently has the highest average WeekdayDoc burnout score (7.5/10, higher is better) for behavior analyst (bcba) listings — a measure of call burden, weekend requirements, and schedule flexibility across postings.
More salary maps
See the full percentile breakdown on the Behavior Analyst (BCBA) salary page.