Applied Behavior Analysis MA (On Campus) Student Outcomes
Discontinued Fall 2023
Retention Rate
Students in the Master’s in Applied Behavior Analysis (On Campus) program are retained at high rates. The one-year retention rate for those entering the program in Fall 2019 was 78% (7/9) and 100% (5/5) for Fall 2020. Fall 2020 was the last entering cohort.
Methodology: Retention rate is calculated as new students who enrolled in a Fall term of one academic year and came back the subsequent Fall term, retention rate = (# retained in Fall 2023)/(# started in Fall 2022). When the program length is one year or less, the retained count includes those who were retained one-semester later (e.g., Spring 2023/Fall 2022) or graduated within one-year of starting the program (e.g., # Graduated between 9/1/22 and 8/31/23 divided by # starting in Fall 2022). This retention metrics tracks students who return to the same program version level (program and modality).
Graduation Rate and Time to Degree
The Master’s in ABA (On Campus) program length is two years. The average 150% graduation rate for the five most recent graduating cohorts (18-19 to 22-23) was 100% (37/37). The average time to degree for this cohort was 15 months.
Methodology: Those starting in 2016-2017 through 2020-2021 were the five most recent graduating cohorts who would complete their degree within 150% of time. Time to degree in months is calculated by subtracting the start date of the student from the date the degree was completed or conferred and reported in average months. 150% Graduation rate is calculated for full-time and part-time students combined; The 150% graduation rate is calculated by taking students who enrolled in Fall and Spring terms of one academic year (starting cohort) and graduated within 150% of the program length, e.g., 3 years, divided by the number in the starting cohort.
Licensure
Certification and Licensure Is not required to work as a Behavior Analyst.
The Board Certified Behavioral Analysis (BCBA and BCBA-D) exam in Massachusetts is taken after students receive their Master’s degree. Graduates of the Master’s program have up to five years to complete the exam after graduating.
Master’s in Applied Behavior Analysis (On Campus) alumni have a very high passage rate for the BCBA exam, i.e., 93% (14/15) of alumni from the Graduating Classes of 2018-2022 passed.
Source: Alumni Surveys 2021 to 2023 (Combined Response Rate: 46%). Valid percentages are reported.
Job Placement
93% (13/14) of MA in ABA (On Campus) alumni were employed within the first year after graduation. Alumni include graduating classes 2017-2018 to 2020-2021.
Source: Alumni Surveys 2021 to 2023 (Combined Response Rate: 46%). Valid percentages are reported.
Salary
Alumni who graduated within five years (n = 16) had a low salary range of $45K to $55K and a high salary range of $100K to $125K with the median range of 65K to 75K.
Source: Alumni Surveys 2021 to 2023 (Combined Response Rate: 46%). Valid percentages are reported.
Employment Settings
Alumni from the graduating classes of 2018 through 2022 reported working in the following settings:
Academic Non-Teaching Position
Academic Teaching Position – Master’s Level
Academic Teaching
Home-based (e.g., client homes, residential groups homes)
Leadership position in a company: Nonprofit
Organization – Corporate/For profit organization
Organization – Nonprofit Organization
School District or School (Non-Public)
School District/System (Private)
School District/System (Public)
Professional Memberships
Alumni from the graduating classes of 2018 through 2022 reported professional memberships in the following organizations:
ABAI – Association for Behavior Analysis International
ACA – American Counseling Association
APA – American Psychological Association
OD Network – Organizational Development Network