What Does a Board Certified Behavior Analyst Do? Career Guide

Sometimes, teaching can feel like building a puzzle without a picture on the box—especially when a student’s behavior seems unpredictable.

One child throws his backpack across the room when asked to write; another hides under her desk during group activities. As an educator, you know these moments can disrupt learning for everyone, yet the path forward is not always clear.

Board certified behavior analysts (BCBAs) step into these situations with a structured process. Observing closely, they collect data on when and what behaviors occur, and implement strategies that are both evidence-based and individualized. Over time, patterns emerge that make the puzzle clearer: What appears to be defiance may actually be a lack of skill, and avoidance may be a signal for help.

Below, we dive deeper into what applied behavior analysis is, what board certified behavior analysts do, and how practicing professionals can positively impact schools, clinics, and communities. 

ABA Degree Overview

What Do Board Certified Behavior Analysts Do?

Board certified behavior analysts bridge the roles of scientist and clinician. Think of them as detectives of behavior. They observe, measure, and analyze:

• When behaviors occur
• Their triggers
• Their outcomes

Next, they use that insight to design client-centered interventions, teaching communication, social skills, self-management, or daily living skills tailored to a person’s needs. The core principles of their work include:

• Behavior assessment and analysis: Using tools like the ABC (Antecedent-Behavior-Consequence) model, analysts map out the environmental factors that influence behavior.¹
• Goal-setting with measurable outcomes: Objectives are defined in quantifiable terms. For example: “The student will raise their hand to request a break 5 times across the school day.”
• Evidence-based interventions: Strategies (like reinforcement, prompting, or shaping) are backed by research and tailored to the individual's context.
• Ethics and trauma-informed care: Interventions are designed not just to modify behavior, but to preserve dignity and autonomy. 

If you’re wondering what you can do with a behavioral science degree, becoming a behavior analyst is one of the most rewarding and impactful options available today.

Key Responsibilities of a Board Certified Behavior Analyst

The work of behavior analysts is both highly structured and deeply personal. 

#1 Conducting Behavioral Assessments

Every intervention begins with careful assessment. Behavior analysts use observation, structured interviews, and standardized tools to understand the client’s challenges and strengths.

Beyond noting the behaviors that occur, this step identifies the conditions that trigger them and the skills that can be developed in response. 

#2 Designing and Implementing Treatment Plans

Assessment then leads to action.

Behavior analysts create individualized, evidence-based treatment plans that target specific goals. For instance, a child who once screamed when asked to stop playing might be taught to use a picture card to request “five more minutes,” replacing a disruptive behavior with a clear, functional skill. 

#3 Supporting Families and Caregivers

Lasting progress requires consistency across settings. As part of their work, analysts train parents, teachers, and caregivers, equipping them with strategies that can be used outside therapy sessions.

#4 Collaborating Across Teams

Behavior analysts rarely work alone. Whether in a classroom, clinic, or home, they ensure continuity of care by collaborating with: 

• Teachers
• Speech therapists
• Occupational therapists

If you’re comparing occupational therapy vs. applied behavior analysis, both fields play vital roles in supporting development. However, occupational therapy tends to focus on sensory and motor skill improvement, while ABA emphasizes behavioral understanding and change through data and reinforcement.

Where Do Board Certified Behavior Analysts Work?

Behavior analysts can bring their expertise into a variety of settings. 

Schools and Educational Systems

In classrooms, behavior analysts work with teachers to support students with autism, ADHD, or other behavioral challenges.²

Their presence in school districts has grown steadily in recent years. The CDC reports that autism now affects about 1 in 31 children in the United States, a shift that has increased the need for specialized behavioral support in learning environments.³

Clinics and Autism Centers

Walk into an autism clinic and you may see a behavior analyst guiding a child through a picture-exchange activity or leading a small social skills group.

For children on the autism spectrum, this work often focuses on building communication, daily routines, and peer interaction. The reach, however, can be broader: adolescents refining social skills or adults developing greater independence can also benefit from the same evidence-based approach. 

Healthcare and Rehabilitation Facilities

Beyond education, behavior analysts contribute to hospitals and rehabilitation centers, where they support patients recovering from brain injuries or living with developmental conditions.⁴

Here, behavioral strategies work in tandem with medical care, helping patients relearn daily routines and maintain their motivation. 

Community and Home Settings

Behavior analysts often coach families directly at home, helping parents establish structure around routines such as homework, meals, and bedtime.⁵

They may also teach safety or self-care skills that help build autonomy. These everyday strategies give individuals the tools to participate more fully in family life, friendships, and community activities.

Across all settings, board certified behavior analysts have a positive impact that extends far beyond the therapy room.

The Impact of Board Certified Behavior Analysts

The true impact of behavior analysts is seen in everyday changes that last a lifetime. For example, a teenager who struggled with social interactions may begin to join group activities, or an adult may gain the independence to return to work after a brain injury.

These outcomes are not left to chance. Behavior analysis is built on data that families, schools, and healthcare providers can track and measure. In fact, a meta-analysis of 159 studies found that targeted behavior analysis programs produced significant gains in communication, adaptive behavior, and social engagement.⁶

For those considering this path, it may be a job with strong career growth and a clear route to professional advancement through certification.

Take the First Step Toward a Career of Impact

Change begins when we see behavior as data that tells us what someone needs and when they need it. That is the lens through which behavior analysts approach their work.

At Alliant, we go beyond theory. In our MS in Applied Behavior Analysis program, you can:

• Enjoy the flexible online format to balance other life commitments
• Design behavior support plans rooted in data
• Learn from faculty mentors who challenge you to ask harder questions: How do you adapt strategies to respect culture and trauma history? What does ethical practice look like in a crowded classroom or a busy clinic?

If you are ready to pursue a career in applied behavior analysis, explore the programs at Alliant today. The skills you build here can equip you to lead change in the communities that need it most.

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Sources:

1. Sherrilyn Denise. “Outcome of Training Parents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder to use Antecedent-Behavior-Consequence Charts.” University of Houston. December 1, 2020. https://uh-ir.tdl.org/items/13c78830-9d72-4541-a363-7f4fbabd19cd. Accessed October 7, 2025.
2. Juliet Barnett, Hart, Stanley H. Zucker, and Cori More. “Applied Behavior Analysis in Today’s Schools: An Imperative for Serving Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder.” ResearchGate. February 21, 2021. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/349443610_Applied_Behavior_Ana…. Accessed October 7, 2025.
3. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). “Data and statistics on autism spectrum disorder.” Center for Disease Prevention and Control. May 27, 2025. https://www.cdc.gov/autism/data-research/index.html. Accessed October 7, 2025.
4. Chanel Matney, Katherine Bowman, and Donald Berwick. “Rehabilitation and Long-Term care needs after traumatic brain injury.” Traumatic Brain Injury - NCBI Bookshelf. February 1, 2022. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK580075/. Accessed October 7, 2025.
5. Owen McGill and Anna Robinson. “‘Recalling hidden harms’: autistic experiences of childhood applied behavioural analysis (ABA).” Advances in Autism. October 23, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1108/aia-04-2020-0025. Accessed October 7, 2025.
6. Isabella Collins, Franziska Halter, Leila T. Schächinger Tenés, Roselind Lieb, and Andrea H. Meyer. “A Meta-Analysis of applied Behavior Analysis-Based interventions to improve communication, adaptive, and cognitive skills in children on the autism spectrum.” Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. May 16, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40489-025-00506-0. Accessed October 7, 2025.