How to Become a BCBA in Arkansas

The average BCBA in Arkansas earns $85,000 annually – sounds interesting, right? BCBAs with experience in the state take home even more, with salaries exceeding $121,000 per year.

The BCBA exam in Arkansas has a 60% pass rate, but don’t let that discourage you. The career outlook looks bright. The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects BCBA jobs to grow by over 20% soon. You could start your journey in this rewarding field through specialized ABA programs that take just 22 months to complete.

Getting your BCBA certification gives Arkansas professionals a real edge in the job market. Arkansas law requires private health insurers to cover ABA services to anyone under 18, provided certified professionals deliver the care. This regulation continues to affect BCBA salaries positively across Arkansas, as qualified specialists remain in high demand.

Ready to start your journey in this fulfilling career? This piece guides you through each step to become a certified ABA professional in Arkansas. You’ll learn everything from education requirements to licensing procedures and much more.

Education Requirements for Arkansas BCBAs

The path to becoming a Board Certified Behavior Analyst in Arkansas starts with specific educational requirements set by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB). These requirements build the foundation of your career as a certified ABA professional.

Your BCBA certification journey begins with the right educational credentials. A master’s degree in behavior analysis, psychology, or a related field from an accredited institution is essential. This educational requirement stands firm for all BCBA candidates, whatever your academic history.

The coursework must match BACB standards. Students need 315 classroom hours of graduate-level instruction in these key areas:

• Professionalism and BACB Compliance Code – 45 hours
• Concepts, Principles, and Philosophical Underpinnings – 90 hours
• Experimental Design, Measurement, and Data Interpretation – 45 hours
• Behavior Assessment – 45 hours
• Behavior-Change Procedures and Intervention Implementation – 60 hours
• Personnel Supervision and Management – 30 hours

Hands-on experience helps you understand how to become a BCBA in Arkansas. You’ll need either 1,500 hours of concentrated supervised independent fieldwork or 2,000 hours of supervised fieldwork. A current BCBA holder watches and assesses your work in areas like professionalism, self-analysis, and how well you work with non-behavioral professionals.

Arkansas schools offer specialized programs for future BCBAs. The University of Arkansas has a Graduate Certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis. The Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI) verifies this program’s coursework. Students without a master’s degree can add these courses to their degree program.

Ouachita Baptist University offers a Master of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis. The program welcomes students from various backgrounds, though many come from psychology, education, and speech pathology.

Each school has its own admission rules. Ouachita asks for standard graduate admission requirements, a 3.0 undergraduate GPA or higher, and an interview with an ABA fieldwork coordinator. In spite of that, students with GPAs between 2.5 and 2.99 might get conditional admission.

The BCBA exam comes after your education and supervised experience. This complete test has 175 questions plus 10 unscored ones covering nine areas. You can take it at testing centers in Fort Smith, Little Rock, or Texarkana—or any Pearson VUE center nationwide.

Arkansas doesn’t have state-specific certification for BCBAs, but you must follow BACB’s ethical guidelines. Your BCBA salary in Arkansas and job options depend on getting and keeping this certification.

The educational road might look tough, but Arkansas schools support future behavior analysts well. Test data shows different pass rates for first-time BCBA exam takers from various programs. Looking at each program’s success rate helps you pick the right school.

After finishing these educational steps, you’ll be ready for licensure and credentials—key steps to start your career as a behavior analyst in Arkansas.

Getting Your Licensure and Credentials

Your next significant step to become a certified ABA professional in Arkansas starts right after graduation. The state has a unique approach – Arkansas currently does not have its own state-specific license for behavior analysts. Most employers and clients look for national certification from the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB).

The BCBA examination application through the BACB marks the beginning of your certification. You’ll need to register online with the BACB and submit documents that prove you’ve met all educational and experience requirements. The exam includes 175 multiple-choice questions and 10 unscored questions covering nine content areas:

• Behaviorism and Philosophical Foundations (8 questions)
• Concepts and Principles (24 questions)
• Measurement, Data Display, and Interpretation (21 questions)
• Experimental Design (13 questions)
• Ethical and Professional Issues (22 questions)
• Behavioral Assessment (23 questions)
• Behavior-Change Procedures (25 questions)
• Selecting and Implementing Interventions (20 questions)
• Personnel Supervision and Management (19 questions)

Pearson VUE testing centers in Fort Smith, Little Rock, or Texarkana offer this exam. You can also take it at any center nationwide that fits your schedule better.

The BACB provides two options to complete your supervised fieldwork hours:

• 1,500 hours of concentrated supervised independent fieldwork, or
• 2,000 hours of supervised fieldwork

You must complete your fieldwork within five consecutive years, though you can take breaks during this time. A qualified BCBA supervisor will review your performance in areas like timeliness, professionalism, and self-analysis throughout your supervised experience.

Arkansas BCBAs should note an important development. HB 1245, a bill proposed in the state House in early 2025, would establish a license program for behavior analysts through the Arkansas Psychology Board. This legislation, if passed, would stop unlicensed individuals from practicing or calling themselves registered behavior analysts.

Your certification requires regular upkeep. BCBAs must complete continuing education units and recertify on schedule. The Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts must guide your practice.

Arkansas offers another path if you want to provide counseling services along with behavior analysis. The Arkansas Board of Examiners in Counseling (ABEC) provides a behavior analysis specialty endorsement for licensed professional counselors. This endorsement costs $50 and requires BCBA certification.

BCBA certification is vital for your career success in Arkansas. The Arkansas Division of Developmental Disabilities Services mandates private health insurers to cover ABA services for autism spectrum disorder patients under 18, but only with BCBA-delivered services.

Arkansas Medicaid billing requires individual ABA therapy service providers to:

• Complete provider participation and enrollment requirements
• Successfully pass required background checks
• Meet credentialing, experience, training, and qualification requirements

These same requirements apply to each person performing ABA therapy services in group provider settings.

Becoming a BCBA in Arkansas might seem daunting at first. The process becomes clearer once you understand what’s needed. A successful career in this growing field awaits when you complete your education, gain supervised experience, pass the certification exam, and stay current with ethical standards.

Salaries for BCBAs in Arkansas

A BCBA career’s financial investment proves worthwhile once you start working. The BCBA salary ranges will help you set realistic expectations as you progress through your career experience.

The average annual salary for a Board Certified Behavior Analyst in Arkansas is approximately $85,000 as of May 2025. This median compensation comes after completing all certification requirements and entering the field. Arkansas ranks among the more affordable states for employers while still providing professionals a comfortable living wage.

Arkansas’s salary ranges depend on experience and credentials:

• Entry-level BCBAs: Starting salaries begin around $61,200 (25th percentile)
• Mid-career BCBAs: Most professionals earn between $61,200 and $74,800
• Experienced BCBAs: Top earners with several years of experience can make over $121,000 annually
• Highest earners (90th percentile): $109,564 or more per year

Your earning potential as a BCBA in Arkansas grows with experience and specialized expertise. This growth pattern makes the profession an excellent choice for long-term career planning.

Your location within Arkansas affects your earning potential. Recent job postings show these city-specific average annual salaries:

The Little Rock metropolitan area shows even more promising figures. BCBAs with ten years of experience in the Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway area can earn:

• Median (50th percentile): $94,950
• 75th percentile: $110,550
• 90th percentile: $113,630

Entry-level positions in the Little Rock metropolitan area offer competitive compensation, with starting salaries from $26,230 (10th percentile) to $46,220 (25th percentile).

Your choice of employer affects your compensation package. Some organizations offer higher salaries than others. Momentum ABA Therapy offers an average salary of $141,667 in Little Rock, while Soliant pays approximately $95,250.

BCBAs earn competitive compensation compared to related fields. Some specialized roles pay even more. Clinical Psychologists in Little Rock earn an average of $209,559, while Behavior Analyst Technicians make approximately $60,580.

Arkansas ranks number 50 out of all states for average BCBA salaries. The state’s lower cost of living helps stretch your salary further than in more expensive regions.

As you plan how to become a BCBA in Arkansas, your salary growth associates with continued education, specialization, and expertise in high-demand treatment areas. Your credentials create the foundation for a financially rewarding career helping others through applied behavior analysis.

Careers in Arkansas

The job market for Board Certified Behavior Analysts in Arkansas keeps growing faster than ever. This creates amazing opportunities for qualified professionals. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 20% increase in jobs over the next few years. This growth rate beats most other professions, making how to become a BCBA in Arkansas a smart career choice.

Right now, you’ll find plenty of job openings across the state. Recent listings show about 47 BCBA positions in Arkansas. These jobs are spread out in cities of all sizes – Little Rock, Fayetteville, Conway, Rogers, Bryant, and Russellville. This shows a real need for qualified behavior analysts everywhere.

Arkansas’ insurance mandate plays a big role in driving BCBA demand. The state requires private health insurers to cover ABA services for autism spectrum disorder if you’re under 18. Here’s the catch – these services must come from a BCBA. That’s why getting your BCBA certification in Arkansas matters so much. This law helps families get treatment and creates steady jobs for certified professionals.

The number of autism cases in Arkansas directly affects how many BCBAs we need. A study of 14,153 children in central Arkansas found one in every 83 kids met autism spectrum disorder criteria. The data shows 1.2% of 8-year-old children in Arkansas have ASD. While this sits below the CDC’s national average of one in 63, it still means a lot of kids need specialized care.

Major employers of BCBAs in Arkansas include:

BCBAs also work in a variety of specialized settings:

• Schools and educational institutions
• Clinical settings and dedicated ABA clinics
• Private practices
• In-home therapy services
• Hospitals and healthcare facilities

Getting your certified ABA credentials opens doors. Schools and clinics across Arkansas really want ASD specialists. Early intervention programs keep expanding too. This creates openings for BCBAs who love working with young kids and their families. School districts need BCBAs more than ever to create behavior intervention plans that work.

Telehealth services are taking off, especially in Arkansas’s rural areas where care is harder to find. This new field lets BCBAs help people remotely from anywhere in the state.

Job competition varies by location. While the whole state needs BCBAs, bigger cities see more competition. Special skills and up-to-date certification will help you stand out. The Arkansas Association for Behavior Analysis stresses meeting client needs in rural areas where services are still limited.

The TEAM Clinic in Fayetteville points out that ABA services keep growing all over Arkansas. This trend looks great for anyone thinking about how to become a BCBA in Arkansas.

Next Steps

A career as a BCBA in Arkansas brings both job security and great financial rewards. This piece outlines the key steps you’ll need to take in this growing field. Your journey starts with a master’s degree. Next comes 315 hours of specialized coursework and supervised experience. The BCBA examination is your final vital step toward certification.

Your educational investment pays off well. BCBAs earn around $85,000 on average, and experienced professionals can make over $121,000. This career path gives you both personal satisfaction and financial stability. The certification process takes work, but the career opportunities make it worth your time.

Arkansas’s BCBA job market is growing faster than ever. A projected 20% growth rate outpaces most other fields. The state’s insurance mandate for ABA services creates steady work for certified professionals. You’ll find plenty of opportunities in schools, clinics, private practice, and telehealth services across Arkansas.

Your BCBA certification lets you work in many settings while helping Arkansas residents live better lives. The exam has a 60% pass rate, but accredited programs give you the tools you need to succeed. The path might feel challenging at times. Yet knowing how to make real differences in clients’ lives while building a stable career makes it worthwhile. Your future as an Arkansas BCBA begins with the right education and leads to a career helping others through applied behavior analysis.