How to Become a BCBA in Montana
Montana revolutionized applied behavior analysis in 2017. Your pursuit of BCBA licensure in this state leads you into a field that has achieved a soaring win and continues to gain recognition.
Research proves that 65% of children who participate in Montana’s autism treatment programs move successfully into regular classrooms rather than special education. These results show why BCBA licensure demands such high standards. Montana has joined 37 other states to regulate behavior analyst practice, and the Montana Board of Psychologists has overseen licensure since 2017.
Montana offers complete coverage for autism-related services, making it an appealing destination for behavior analysts. The state now provides services to all eligible children, thanks to legislation passed in 2015. “Brandon’s Bill” mandates insurance companies to cover up to $50,000 yearly for children under 8 and $20,000 for those aged 9-18.
The lifetime cost associated with autism spectrum disorder reached $3.2 million as of 2013. This fact makes your work as a licensed BCBA even more important. This piece guides you through the essential steps to become a licensed BCBA in Montana.
Education Requirements for Montana BCBAs
Getting your BCBA license in Montana starts with meeting specific education requirements. You need a master’s degree in behavior analysis, psychology, or a related field. This degree is the life-blood of your career as a behavior analyst in Montana.
The best way to meet these requirements is through a program with Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI) accreditation. Starting January 1, 2022, ABAI-accredited programs meet the BACB’s degree and coursework requirements through Pathway 1 for BCBA certification applications.
Montana offers several education options. Montana State University Billings has a Verified Course Sequence (VCS) that lines up with the Behavior Analyst Certification Board standards. The program includes 315 hours of study spread across 7 courses and covers content from the 5th Edition Task List. MSU Billings also offers a Master of Science in Special Education with an Advanced Studies Option in Applied Behavior Analysis. This program helps students become behavior analysts.
The BACB coursework requirements include these graduate-level courses:
- Ethics Code and Professionalism: 45 hours
- Philosophical Underpinnings and Concepts: 90 hours
- Measurement, Data Display, and Experimental Design: 45 hours
- Behavior Assessment: 45 hours
- Behavior-Change Procedures and Interventions: 60 hours
- Personnel Supervision and Management: 60 hours
You’ll need 1,500 hours of supervised experience in behavior analysis before you can get certified. This hands-on training helps you develop real-life skills in behavior analysis techniques and interventions.
After finishing your education and supervised experience, you must pass the board-certified behavior analyst examination from the Behavior Analyst Certification Board. This detailed test shows how well you understand and can apply behavior analysis principles.
Keep in mind that students in degree programs or post-baccalaureate programs through educational departments like MSU Billings need criminal background reports. You’ll submit fingerprints to the Licensure Office when applying to Graduate Studies. The VCS program requires a cleared Criminal Background Report before enrollment.
Students with a master’s degree in education, psychology, or applied behavior analysis can complete just the coursework and supervised experience in Montana. You should check if your degree qualifies by asking the Behavior Analyst Certification Board directly.
The Verified Course Sequence system will end on December 31, 2025. Starting in 2026, universities will need to verify coursework through a course-by-course review.
The Montana Board of Psychologists will grant your state license after you complete all education requirements, pass the BCBA examination, and get current certification from the Behavior Analyst Certification Board. This certification proves you’ve met Montana’s professional practice standards.
Getting Your Licensure and Credentials
Getting your BCBA license in Montana needs you to pay close attention to state requirements and paperwork. Your educational qualifications come first. The next significant step involves applying through the Montana Board of Psychologists.
The Montana Board of Psychologists needs your completed behavior analyst application form with fees to start the process. The application fee is $450.00. You’ll need another $25.00 for each behavior technician, student intern, or assistant behavior analyst under your supervision.
Your application must include these documents from the Montana Board of Psychologists:
- Current BACB behavior analyst certification proof
- Board-certified behavior analyst examination completion verification
- Official license verification from your previous professional licenses
- Noncriminal Justice Applicant’s Rights form
- Background check results from the Montana Department of Justice
Background Check Requirements
Professional ethics matter a lot in Montana. The state requires all applicants to clear a Montana-approved background check before getting licensed. Students who get degrees through educational departments must submit fingerprints to the Licensure Office with their Graduate Studies application.
Verification Process
The Behavior Analyst Certification Board must send an original letter of good standing straight to the board office. This letter should confirm your:
- Behavior analysis examination results
- Current certification level
- Date of certification
- Any disciplinary actions on record
The Professional and Ethical Compliance Code for Behavior Analysts recognized by the BACB must guide your practice.
Supervision Regulations
Licensed behavior analysts in Montana can supervise:
- Up to three student interns while supervising behavior technicians or assistant behavior analysts, or
- Up to seven student interns without supervising behavior technicians or assistant behavior analysts
Your supervision duties include:
- Telling the board about new supervisees within five business days
- Monthly face-to-face meetings for discussion, education, training, and client care
- Written supervision agreements that spell out methods, delegation scope, practice limits, and meeting schedule
- Keeping supervision agreements for seven years after they end
Military Spouse Considerations
Montana’s Department of Labor & Industry helps military members and their spouses get professional licenses faster. Military spouses moving to Montana can speed up their licensure by:
- Starting their online application early
- Having all licensing, education, and employment records ready
- Using an active email address they check often
- Getting help from Customer Service at 406-444-6880
- Listing all states where they hold professional licenses
Military spouses should mention their status to customer service for priority help. They might get a 60-day provisional license if everything except state license verifications checks out.
Continuing Education
Your professional growth matters after getting licensed. Montana BCBAs need 32 hours of continuing education every two years to keep their certification.
Applying online works fastest, but paper applications are on the board’s website too. Keep your email active since that’s how the department will reach you.
These steps and proper documentation will help you get your Montana BCBA license and start your practice smoothly.
Salaries for BCBAs in Montana
Your BCBA career earnings in Montana depend on where you work and how much experience you have. Once you get your license, your pay can change quite a bit based on several things.
The latest data from 2025 shows BCBAs in Montana earn about $81,757 per year. This comes to $39.31 per hour or $6,813 monthly. Montana ranks 50th in the country for BCBA pay.
Pay scales in Montana vary widely. New BCBAs start at around $43,598, while top professionals can make up to $136,758. Most BCBAs earn between $67,900 and $83,100 yearly. The best performers make up to $121,614. The $15,200 gap between lower and higher pay levels shows you can earn more as you gain skills and experience.
Montana’s cities offer different pay rates:
- Belgrade: $95,277 yearly ($45.81 hourly)
- Bozeman: $90,901 yearly ($43.70 hourly)
- Livingston: $89,857 yearly ($43.20 hourly)
- Missoula: $88,197 yearly ($42.40 hourly)
- Billings: $87,690 yearly ($42.16 hourly)
Smaller towns like Great Falls ($86,898), Butte ($86,459), and Miles City ($85,487) also pay well.
Other sources show different numbers. Data from December 2016 showed experienced BCBAs (10+ years) earned between $51,587 in Great Falls and $56,575 in Helena. Back then, top earners made up to $84,000. These numbers have grown a lot because more people need behavior analysts.
Where you work changes how much you make. In 2016 Billings, non-profit BCBAs earned around $61,132, while private practice BCBAs made $55,277. Missoula’s company-employed BCBAs earned $56,268, compared to $50,442 for school district workers.
New BCBAs in 2016 started at $43,000 to $45,700 across Montana’s major cities. Billings’ private practices offered the best starting pay at $47,683. Missoula’s government jobs paid better at first, offering $45,049. These numbers are likely higher now as average salaries have increased.
Recent 2025 data shows Montana’s BCBAs typically make $60,000 to $80,000 yearly. Your pay depends on your experience, education, location, and employer. Experienced supervisors can make over $90,000, while new positions start around $55,000.
Extra certifications can boost your earnings. Special certificates in trauma-informed care or advanced behavioral therapies add $5,000 to $10,000 to your yearly pay.
Here’s how BCBA pay compares to similar jobs in Montana:
- Data Analyst Certification: $75,851 yearly
- Chase Leadership Development Program Analyst: $75,107 yearly
- Assistant Behavior Analyst: $65,785 yearly
- Board Certified Master Arborist: $55,691 yearly
- Board Certified Music Therapist: $52,219 yearly
Your salary in Montana grows steadily. Some areas see yearly increases over $1,000. Helena has shown the biggest yearly increases, with BCBAs earning about $1,300 more each year.
Montana ranks last nationally for BCBA pay. However, the state’s full coverage for autism services and required insurance coverage creates steady work for licensed professionals.
Careers in Montana
BCBAs in Montana have unique growth opportunities in settings of all types. The job market for behavior analysts is projected to grow by over 20% in the coming years. The number of certified BCBAs has soared from 5,000 in 2013 to 48,000 in 2022.
Several key factors are pushing this growth. Behavior analysis has become vital in educational and healthcare settings, which creates a steady stream of jobs for qualified professionals. This is especially true in urban centers like Billings and Helena where jobs are plentiful.
Your BCBA license opens doors to many career paths in Montana. Here’s where you might work:
- Schools and educational institutions implementing behavior support programs
- Clinical settings and hospitals providing specialized interventions
- Private practices offering focused behavioral services
- Early intervention programs targeting developmental needs
- Telehealth services reaching remote communities
The state has a high demand for these specialized areas:
- Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) – With 1 in 31 children diagnosed with ASD, this specialization is vital to provide tailored interventions in schools and clinics
- Trauma-Informed Care – Rural communities face unique challenges and they just need BCBAs trained in trauma-informed practices to address mental health needs
- School-Based Interventions – Schools are looking for BCBAs to implement effective behavioral strategies that boost student success
- Telehealth Services – Remote consultations have become essential, particularly for Montana’s rural populations who can’t access in-person services easily
Right now, BCBA positions are available in many Montana cities. You’ll find openings at AWARE Inc. (in Billings, Anaconda, Butte, and Missoula), Shodair Children’s Hospital (Helena), BK Behavior Ventures (offering remote positions), Advanced Therapy Clinic (Billings), The Arc Western Montana (Missoula), and Benchmark Human Services (Kalispell, Missoula, and Helena).
Experience shapes your career path substantially. Entry-level BCBAs start around $55,000, while experienced practitioners in supervisory roles can earn $90,000 or more. Specialized certifications can add $5,000 to $10,000 to your annual salary.
More professionals are entering the field, making competition tougher. In spite of that, strong demand means qualified candidates will find plenty of opportunities. Rural communities are desperate for services. Take Jennifer from rural Montana – she drives three hours to reach the nearest university offering behavior analysis courses, showing how remote areas lack proper coverage.
Getting your BCBA license in Montana lets you fill a significant need while building a rewarding career. The state supports the profession through laws like mandated insurance coverage for ABA therapy up to $50,000 yearly for children under eight. This creates stable foundations for professional practice across the state.
Next Steps
A career as a licensed BCBA in Montana can be truly rewarding. This piece covers everything from educational requirements and licensing steps to salary expectations and career paths in the Treasure State.
Montana is an excellent place for behavior analysts right now. The state’s progressive autism treatment laws make it even more appealing. Brandon’s Bill will give insurance coverage up to $50,000 annually for children under 8. This creates steady work for qualified professionals. The job market looks promising too, with a projected 20% growth rate for behavior analyst positions in settings of all types.
Your path starts with a master’s degree and coursework completion at schools like Montana State University Billings. The next steps include completing supervised experience and passing the BCBA exam. You can then apply for your state license through Montana’s Board of Psychologists.
The pay is competitive despite Montana’s ranking. BCBAs earn an average of $81,757 yearly, with top performers making up to $136,758. Belgrade and Bozeman offer the best compensation packages. You can boost your earnings by specializing in autism spectrum disorder or trauma-informed care.
BCBAs work in many places – schools, clinics, private practices, and telehealth services. Rural communities need your expertise the most because they lack qualified behavior analysts.
You now have all the information to get your BCBA license in Montana. This career brings both financial stability and a chance to change lives. Your work will help children succeed in regular classrooms instead of special education programs. The positive effects of your work will ripple through Montana’s communities for years to come.