Best Online Master’s in Behavior Analysis Degree Programs

Badge for BEST ONLINE MASTER'S IN BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS

Published: Aug 27, 2021
Updated: Feb 1, 2024

Find top-ranked online master’s in behavior analysis degree programs for students wanting to apply their knowledge in the human resources and education fields and as FBI profilers.

Top 10 Online Master's in Behavioral Analysis

University of Arizona
University of Cincinnati
University of Nevada, Reno
University of North Texas
University of Nebraska–Lincoln
Nova Southeastern University
Eastern Kentucky University
University of Southern Maine
Northern Kentucky University
William James College

University of Arizona
University of Cincinnati
University of Nebraska–Lincoln
University of North Texas
University of Nevada, Reno
Southeast Missouri State University
Nova Southeastern University
Eastern Kentucky University
Simmons University
Northern Kentucky University

Kentucky State University 91%
Regis College 89%
University of Arizona 87%
Southeast Missouri State University 86%
University of Cincinnati 86%
University of Nevada, Reno 86%
Northern Kentucky University 86%
University of Southern Maine 85%
University of Houston–Victoria 82%
Daemen University 80%

University of North Texas 23 to 1
Southeast Missouri State University 20 to 1
University of Cincinnati 18 to 1
Tennessee Tech 18 to 1
University of Nevada, Reno 18 to 1
Nova Southeastern University 17 to 1
Northern Kentucky University 17 to 1
Cameron University 17 to 1
University of Arizona 17 to 1
University of Houston–Victoria 16 to 1

Regis College $46,150
Simmons University $44,350
Georgetown College $41,600
Buena Vista University $38,644
Nova Southeastern University $36,300
Shenandoah University $35,170
Saint Elizabeth University $34,930
Daemen University $32,760
William Carey University $14,685
National University $13,320

William James College $35,850
Simmons University $27,152
Daemen University $25,344
Regis College $24,968
Shenandoah University $22,680
Nova Southeastern University $22,062
Saint Elizabeth University $18,018
National University $15,912
University of Cincinnati $13,224
University of Arizona $12,348

Saint Elizabeth University
University of South Florida Sarasota–Manatee
Regis College
Buena Vista University
University of Houston–Victoria
Georgetown College
Daemen University
William Carey University
Shenandoah University
Simmons University

Saint Elizabeth University
Daemen University
University of South Florida Sarasota–Manatee
Regis College
University of Houston–Victoria
Buena Vista University
William James College
Shenandoah University
Cameron University
William Carey University

William Carey University 54%
Eastern Kentucky University 64%
Saint Elizabeth University 72%
Georgetown College 72%
Simmons University 76%
Nova Southeastern University 76%
Buena Vista University 77%
Tennessee Tech 78%
University of Nebraska–Lincoln 79%
University of North Texas 79%

William James College 5 to 1
Simmons University 7 to 1
Regis College 9 to 1
Shenandoah University 11 to 1
Kentucky State University 11 to 1
Saint Elizabeth University 11 to 1
Buena Vista University 12 to 1
Daemen University 12 to 1
William Carey University 13 to 1
Georgetown College 14 to 1

Cameron University $5,025
University of Houston–Victoria $5,111
Southeast Missouri State University $7,761
University of Nebraska–Lincoln $7,770
Kentucky State University $7,854
University of Southern Maine $8,064
University of Nevada, Reno $8,133
University of North Texas $8,295
Tennessee Tech $8,520
Eastern Kentucky University $9,544

Cameron University $3,762
University of Nevada, Reno $5,814
University of Nebraska–Lincoln $6,138
Southeast Missouri State University $6,205
University of North Texas $6,350
Kentucky State University $6,501
University of Houston–Victoria $6,618
University of Southern Maine $7,776
Northern Kentucky University $9,900
Buena Vista University $9,936

Table of Contents

Featured Programs

Frequently Asked Questions About Behavioral Analysis

Students earning a master’s degree in behavior analysis will put theory to practice in postgraduate programs that are constructed to teach best practices for positive behavior outcomes.

Both online and on-campus programs have a range of required credits, but most are a minimum of 30 credits, which take about two to three years to complete.

Students will study positive behavior support, single-subject research designs, and evidence-based practices for helping those with mental, social, or learning disorders. Many programs include a practicum and will prepare students to sit for the Board Certified Behavior Analyst exam.

Graduates commonly enter the workforce as behavior analysts, but students can also apply their knowledge in the human resources and education fields and as FBI profilers.

Learn more about what you can do with a master’s in behavior analysis.

How do we determine the best online behavior analysis master's degree programs?

Methodology

Pursuing your degree online doesn’t mean you need to settle for an inferior school. Today, most universities and colleges offer online degrees, and many respected schools are seeing significant growth in their numbers of online students.

The people affiliated with a school are ultimately what make it great. This is why influence — i.e., the academic impact of faculty and alumni associated with a school — gets at the heart of what is truly best in education. The combined influence score of a college or university’s top academic influencers is the best indicator of academic excellence. For our online degree rankings, we focus on the academic influence of faculty and alumni in the specific disciplines we’re ranking.

If you are serious about finding the best online colleges, you should be asking where the most influential professors are teaching, and whether their graduates themselves are advancing the school’s reputation for academic excellence. Most ranking sites rely on an opaque combination of reputation surveys and arbitrary performance metrics. Influence, as measured by our InfluenceRanking engine, provides a ranking that is free from bias, insulated from manipulation, and reflective of real-world educational outcomes.

Best Online Master’s in Behavior Analysis Degree Programs

Career Outlook for Students with Behavior Analysis Degree

Go to Degree Finder tool

Applied Behavior Analysis

Degree Level: Master's

Location: The U.S. (Private Schools)
Avg. Cost of Degree*: $12,831
Avg. Expenses*: $17,317
Avg. Starting Salary*: $50,114
Avg. Salary after 4 Years*: $57,583
Avg. Cost Recoup Time**: 6 years
Job Growth: 3.87%
Number of Jobs: 1,403,000
* denotes ‘annually’
** denotes ‘at 15% of annual salary’

Career Salaries

Career	Job Growth	Avg. Salary
Managers, All Other	3.35%	$106,040
Psychologists, All Other	4.98%	$99,205
Clinical and Counseling Psychologists	11.41%	$86,021
Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary	5.31%	$77,082
Coaches and Scouts	9.19%	$42,573

Average Career Salaries

Bottom 10%	Median	Top 10%
$48,802	$91,756	$141,178

Promising Job Markets

State	Cost of Living	Avg. Salary
#2 Delaware	2% higher than average	$135,553
#3 Ohio	14% higher than average	$97,107
#4 Texas	10% higher than average	$99,650
#5 New Jersey	13% higher than average	$123,114
#6 Missouri	16% higher than average	$88,971
#7 Virginia	5% higher than average	$100,280
#8 New York	5% higher than average	$107,369
#9 Kentucky	14% higher than average	$87,883
#10 Illinois	7% higher than average	$95,144
#11 Iowa	9% higher than average	$92,279
#12 Alabama	13% higher than average	$87,515
#13 North Carolina	11% higher than average	$89,330
#14 Arizona	5% higher than average	$95,291
#15 South Carolina	8% higher than average	$91,402
#16 Florida	6% higher than average	$92,575
#17 Pennsylvania	5% higher than average	$92,630
#18 Nebraska	6% higher than average	$91,164
#19 Colorado	3% higher than average	$100,437
#20 Utah	4% higher than average	$93,276
#21 Oklahoma	13% higher than average	$83,193
#22 Minnesota	4% higher than average	$91,318
#23 Michigan	15% higher than average	$80,823
#24 Kansas	9% higher than average	$86,718
#25 Wisconsin	7% higher than average	$88,424
#26 Georgia	13% higher than average	$82,145
#27 Oregon	11% higher than average	$104,370
#28 Arkansas	16% higher than average	$78,487
#29 Nevada	5% higher than average	$97,058
#30 Connecticut	18% higher than average	$109,330
#31 Washington	7% higher than average	$98,734
#32 South Dakota	7% higher than average	$84,995
#33 California	26% higher than average	$115,170
#34 Tennessee	14% higher than average	$77,801
#35 New Hampshire	13% higher than average	$101,592
#36 New Mexico	7% higher than average	$83,801
#37 Indiana	11% higher than average	$80,003
#38 Massachusetts	24% higher than average	$108,981
#39 North Dakota	average	$88,356
#40 Idaho	7% higher than average	$80,556
#41 Maryland	18% higher than average	$100,565
#42 Rhode Island	20% higher than average	$101,524
#43 Wyoming	2% higher than average	$81,513
#44 Vermont	13% higher than average	$93,234
#45 Mississippi	18% higher than average	$67,788
#46 Montana	3% higher than average	$78,273
#47 Alaska	23% higher than average	$97,331
#48 West Virginia	11% higher than average	$66,579
#49 Maine	9% higher than average	$80,893
#50 District of Columbia	49% higher than average	$103,546
#51 Louisiana	9% higher than average	$61,954
#52 Hawaii	40% higher than average	$91,271

Top Industries

Industry	Avg. Salary
Managers, All Other	$106,040
Psychologists, All Other	$99,205
Clinical and Counseling Psychologists	$86,021
Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary	$77,082
Coaches and Scouts	$42,573

Data from The Bureau of Labor Statistics, The Department of Education College Scorecard, The Department of Education NCES, and The Council for Community and Economic Research.

Looking for online master’s degrees similar to behavioral analysis? Check out our rankings of online degrees in school counseling, human services, or psychology!

Online Degree Frequently Asked Questions

If this is your first time taking an online course, the experience may require some adjustment. While you’ll generally learn the same content and take the same exams as your on-campus peers, the medium will likely require you to manage much of this experience independently. You’ll be accountable for your own time management, your ability to harness the technology at your fingertips, and your ability to focus on the lectures, lessons, and assignments at hand. This means you’ll need to create a suitable workspace for yourself, maintain a realistic schedule, and take it upon yourself to build relationships with your instructors and classmates. With online college, your goal is to find a balance between independence and engagement.

No. The only part of online education that’s easier is actually getting there. Taking the commute out of the equation means getting to class should be a lot more manageable. But that’s where it ends. In general, your online courses will incorporate the very same materials, concepts, and testing methods as would a traditional classroom.

And in many cases, you’ll even have the same instructors as your on-campus counterparts. In fact, if you are adjusting to the experience of independent learning or working with remote learning technology for the first time, online college may even be a little more challenging for you. For a few insights on how to manage this new experience, check out our 10 Tips for Adjusting to School Online.

Accreditation is especially important when it comes to online college. This is because the online education landscape is a mix of highly-reputable institutions and less-than-reputable for-profit schools. Accreditation gives you the power to differentiate between the two. Accreditation is a stamp of approval from an independent accrediting agency which indicates that a college or university is meeting standards of quality, credibility, and currency. School-wide accreditation falls into two major categories: regional and national accreditation. Regional accreditors generally hold jurisdiction only over schools in the states comprising their region, whereas national accreditors hold jurisdiction over schools in all states. Regional accreditation is widely regarded as a more rigorous standard of quality and credibility than national accreditation.

Attending a college or university which is not regionally accredited could limit your opportunities. When seeking an online education, we strongly recommend that students opt for regionally accredited schools. Regional accreditation ensures eligibility for federal loans and grants, ensures your college credits can be transferred between schools, and ensures that your degree credits can be accepted if you wish to earn an advanced degree.

As long as your online college degree is regionally accredited, you should have little difficulty transferring most of your credits or credentials to another regionally accredited undergraduate school. Every school carries its own standards and procedures for granting a transfer. In many cases, you will be required to navigate a bureaucracy in which some of your credits will be transferred and others will be jettisoned. However, provided that you have attended an online school with the proper regional accreditation, you should have plenty of options for transfer.

In most cases, as long you graduate from a well-regarded, regionally-accredited online college, prospective employers won’t look sideways at your degree. In fact, unless you attend an exclusively online college or university, there will likely be no specific indicator on your degree, transcript or resume differentiating your school from its brick-and-mortar counterpart. This means that your employer will likely only differentiate between an online and in-person degree if you mention this distinction.

While some employers may express concern about making the adjustment from online education to in-person workplace collaboration, many other employers will view your online degree as evidence of valuable 21st Century professional skills such as independence, self-motivation, time management, and tech savvy.

If you are a student who thrives on the dynamic energy of in-person discussion, who requires the physical surroundings of a classroom to feel engaged, or who considers the social aspects of education to be of equal importance to the actual content of your courses, online education will require some adjustment.

While there is much that can be supplanted or simulated through the online medium, some students may find that there is nothing which can replace the conversation, collaboration, and motivation that occur in an actual classroom setting. As you make the adjustment to online education, one of the biggest challenges you will likely face is overcoming this difference in order to the get the most out of your classes. Fortunately, we’ve got some great Tips for Online Education Beginners.

The advantages of online classes are many. First and foremost, online courses give you the freedom and flexibility to attend class from anywhere that works for you, whether you’re at home, in a coffee shop, or in a quiet conference room at work. In many cases, you’ll also enjoy the convenience of asynchronous learning opportunities-educational experiences that you can complete on your own schedule. This may include pre-taped lectures, ongoing chat-board discussions, and 24/7 access to digital materials. And of course, just as there are some learners who prefer the energy of a live classroom, there are those who learn best when working in their own personal space, free from distractions. If this sounds like you, you might find the solitude of online learning to be a major advantage.

Whether you’re just getting started on your college search, you’re looking for survival tips on your way to a bachelor’s degree, or you’re preparing for the transition into grad school, we’ve got guides, how to’s and tons of other valuable resources to keep you moving forward in your educational journey.

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Best Online Master’s in Behavior Analysis Degree Programs

Top 10 Online Master's in Behavioral Analysis

Featured Programs

Frequently Asked Questions About Behavioral Analysis

What do you do while earning a master’s in behavior analysis?

How long does it take to get a master’s in behavior analysis?

What will you learn while getting a master’s in behavior analysis?

What can you do with a master’s in behavior analysis?

Best Online Master’s in Behavior Analysis Degree Programs

Career Outlook for Behavior Analysis degree at University of Arizona

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Behavior Analysis degree at University of Cincinnati

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Behavior Analysis degree at University of Nevada, Reno

Online Degrees

Concentrations

Career Outlook for Behavior Analysis degree at University of North Texas

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Behavior Analysis degree at University of Nebraska–Lincoln

Online Degrees

Concentrations

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Career Outlook for Behavior Analysis degree at Nova Southeastern University

Online Degrees

Concentrations

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Career Outlook for Behavior Analysis degree at Eastern Kentucky University

Online Degrees

Concentrations

Career Outlook for Behavior Analysis degree at University of Southern Maine

Online Degrees

Concentrations

Career Outlook for Behavior Analysis degree at Northern Kentucky University

Online Degrees

Concentrations

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Behavior Analysis degree at Cameron University

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Behavior Analysis degree at National University

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Behavior Analysis degree at Kentucky State University

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Behavior Analysis degree at Southeast Missouri State University

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Behavior Analysis degree at Tennessee Tech

Online Degrees

Concentrations

Career Outlook for Behavior Analysis degree at Simmons University

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Behavior Analysis degree at Shenandoah University

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Behavior Analysis degree at William Carey University

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Behavior Analysis degree at Daemen University

Online Degrees

Concentrations

Career Outlook for Behavior Analysis degree at Georgetown College

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Behavior Analysis degree at University of Houston–Victoria

Online Degrees

Concentrations

Career Outlook for Behavior Analysis degree at Buena Vista University

Online Degrees

Concentrations

Career Outlook for Behavior Analysis degree at Regis College

Online Degrees

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Behavior Analysis degree at Saint Elizabeth University

Online Degrees

Career Outlook for Students with Behavior Analysis Degree

Applied Behavior Analysis

Degree Level: Master's

Career Salaries

Average Career Salaries

Promising Job Markets

Top Industries

Online Degree Frequently Asked Questions

What can I expect from an online college course?+